Recruitment
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can play?: Any full-time Towson Student, for a maximum of 5 years.
When is it played?: The regular season games are played in the fall semester and the play-off games take place in the spring semester.
When is practice?: Practices are on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 3:30pm to 6:00pm.
Where do you practice?: Practices are held at Newell Field (Across from Newell Hall).
Is rugby a varsity sport at Towson University?: No, it is a club sport under Campus Recreation Services. All coaches and support staff are volunteers.
How old is the rugby club at Towson?: The club was started in 1975.
Who does the club play against?: Towson's opponents consist of other colleges in the Mid-Atlantic region, such as: Penn State, Maryland, Delaware, Kutztown, University of Pennsylvania, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and the U.S. Naval Academy.
What is the club competing for?: The USA Rugby Men's Collegiate Division II National Championships.
Why should I play for the rugby club, as opposed to playing a varsity sport or another club sport offered on campus?: The benefits of playing rugby last a lifetime, not just a semester, a year, or 4 years. Though not well known in the USA, rugby is the second most popular sport in the world next to soccer. The sport requires both physical and mental toughness, and the friendships formed on and off the field are born from challenging matches and weekend road trips. Because of the strong qualities required to play rugby, it is more than a sport; it is a long-lived, world-wide fraternal club - with traditions dating back to 1823.
With strong alumni involvement, the TU club boasts a social and business network that carries on decades after graduation. The TU Rugby Alumni Association hosts a reunion every year, participates in tournaments, and organizes socials. Often, alumni remark that rugby was one of the most important aspects of their college experience - due in large part to the athletic, social and business opportunities the club created for them.
How is rugby played?: There are two different styles of rugby: Rugby Union and Rugby League. TU plays Rugby Union, as part of the USA Rugby organization. The skills that are required are similar to American football and the fitness level is much like soccer. For information about the rules and laws of the game, visit the International Rugby Board (IRB) web site. Videos are another great way to learn, and can be purchased at sites such as WorldRugbyShop.com or viewed here: Rugby Videos.
How should I train?: In addition to organized practices and fitness sessions, a player should lift weights, run sprints, and study rugby videos on their own time and in the off-season. For more training tips, read the rugby workouts.
How do I get started?: Visit the pages of this web site, contact a coach or a current player and come to practice. The learning experience for rugby is just like any sport - "practice makes perfect!"
Quotes to live by:
"If you can dream it, you can do it!"
-Jan Pretorius