Max - when in Rome.......
I grew up in Sydney where it's all Rugby League. Attended a "rugby school" - Steve Cutler & Peter Fitzsimons (former Wallabies) are a couple of the better known alumni - but played soccer (coz me farver's a Pom).
Took up rugby at 30 - and loved it.
Have 2 sons that played aussie roolz every lunch time at school - so guess what they wanted to play when winter came along. After one season my wife and I were hooked. To be frank it's the best organised sport I've ever seen. Every kid has a go and the emphasis during the first years is on skills development and participation.
The coming season will be my older son's eighth - he'll be 13 in a couple of weeks. It will be the first time that official scores are kept - and arguably, the first time that winning matters. McDonalds are heavily behind the sport in Oz - well they have been - VERY smart marketing. For A$27 every kid gets a footy, a sticker book, tickets to games, discount vouchers (to Macs and a range of their "partners") and insurance cover. For every 7th child (boys and girls are welcome, mixed teams to Under 14's) registered with the club Mac's provides a ball. Thus, at training, every kid has a ball - figuratively and literally.
Show me any other sport that does more than that! Only problem is its only played in a few states of Australia. For this reason I'm keen for my boys to play rugby U at school. If they ever travel O/S, one phone call to the local RUFC means they will have somewhere to stay, people to meet and something to do on Saturday arvo. It is also a great game.
stales
