Women’s Rugby at Umass

            The UMass Women’s Rugby Club (UMass WRFC) is a Registered Student Organization. We are responsible for generating our own funding through various forms of fundraising, although the University does provide some nominal supplementary funding.  We play matches with other rugby clubs at the collegiate level, mainly from the New England area, but we also play clubs from other parts of the US.
            The UMass WRFC plays its matches in the fall and spring and is a part of the New England Rugby Football Union (NERFU). We compete for the National Collegiate Championship, beginning with Division I league competition in New England in the fall.

What is Rugby?

            The simple description of rugby that is thrown around frequently is that it is “just football without the pads.” In reality, rugby is much more complex than that. In fact, American Football is actually derived from rugby, so maybe we should be calling it “rugby with helmets.”
            In rugby, any player may handle the ball, but no one is allowed to pass it forward. However, players are allowed to kick the ball forward if strategy calls for it. And unlike football, there is no blocking of any sort in rugby. If a player has possession of the ball, she must be ahead of her teammates in the field of play.
            There are no downs. When a tackle is made, play continues until a penalty is called, the ball goes out of bounds, or the half ends. Since rugby is continuous, all players must be skilled in both offensive and defensive strategy. There are no temporary substitutions.
            Each team has fifteen players who remain on the field for the duration of the game. Positions are divided into two classes: forwards and backs. Players numbers 1-8 are the forwards, or the pack, who during the game must drive the ball forward, gain or retain possession, and get the ball out to the backs, numbered 9-15, who perform different kinds of passing plays. Games are eighty minutes long, split into two forty minute halves. Women’s rugby is the only sport with rules that are exactly the same as its men’s counterpart.

How do I join the UMass WRFC?

            To join the team, all you have to do is come down to the field for the practices. We practice Tuesday through Friday in the evenings on the fields behind Alumni Football Stadium. We play games on Saturdays and some Sundays, with home games at the same location as our practices. Do not be worried if you have never played rugby before. The majority of the team did not play before college. We appreciate anyone who has the courage to try a new sport.

To be able to participate fully, you need to have a mouth guard and cleats. They don’t need to be rugby cleats, soccer cleats or anything without the toe cleat will do (not softball cleats). We also recommend that you eventually get rugby shorts and socks, which you can order online or through the team.
Our contact for new and interested players is our vice president Kelsie Whitney, whose email is kwhitney@student.umass.edu. Any questions about practices can be directed to her.
            If you are interested in playing Women’s Rugby at UMass, we would appreciate it if you could send the following information to womenrfc@acad.umass.edu:
            First Name:
            Last Name:
            Email:
            Year:
            What sports you played in high school: