Just a short trip south on interstate 55 from Chicago, at Argon National Laboratories is one of the worlds largest atomic super colliders. A little bit further south on that same exit is another group of the super colliders, the Chicago Blaze Rugby Club. A squad of 75 men ranging from the ages of 18 to guys in their mid 60's, everybody from stock brokers to fire fighters to college students make up this group who classify themselves as a social club. I would have to believe the best way to describe rugby is, it's a hooligans' sport played by gentlemen.
In my first season with the Blaze I've seen more strange looks and heard "Are you insane?" when I mention that I play rugby. The number one question asked has to be "How can you play without pads?" The answer, simple the rules don't allow it. When actually it should be we enjoy pain, and lots of it. Injuries accrue weekly and that's just from practice. During a game you'll have two, three people down after one play. So why do it, you ask. Because we have a love for the game, and the game will weed out the ones who don't love it. I know I can speak for the majority of ruggers when I say, if I'm not muddy, bleeding and sweating at the end of the game I feel as though I didn't contribute to the team.
Rugby may be one of the more violent sports played professionally around the world, but on and off the field it's participants are quite civilized towards each other. Ok it may be a little hard to believe that you can be civil in a sport where it is completely legal to step on and rake an opposing players body with your cleats while they're on the ground with the ball, or when your winger starts to drool after making a juicy game saving tackle. But aside from the occasional fight, players usually remain calm after the game, and for good reason too. After the game it's time to drink.
Yes, not only is drinking after the game tradition, it's considered part of the game. The home team is expected to supply the beer and food for the after game festivities. Then at the end of the night awards are given in the shape of full glasses of beer for such things as the MVP, for the hardest tackling or the "what the hell were you thinking?", oh and that glass of beer needs to be slammed.
The Blaze started a quest this season behind the strong motivation of head coach Graham Lawson to become the national champs for division II play. The Blaze made a trip to Columbus, OH. for the first round the playoffs and came out with two crushing victories. From there they came back home to Lemont to host the final round for the Midwest, where they won two more games. The second a heart attack thriller of a come-from-behind win in the winding seconds of the game against a tough Nashville club. That win made them the Midwest champions and advanced them to the national playoffs. The national playoffs started out in Lemont where two more wins would send the team to San Diego for the final four of Division II rugby. The first game against San Fernando County the Blaze dominated after an early score by the competition to walk away with a victory of 14-8. But that would be as far as the Blaze would advance, after taking a beating from two time defending champions Snake River Idaho, 52-8.
Although the Blaze's spring season may have come to an end, the intensity and cohesiveness this team had this season will be sure to return in the fall for another shot at the title.