We are a Rugby House

Anyone who knows Dan, knows that he is all about Rugby. It isn't too often that I find him wanting to watch really any sport, but with the Rugby World Cup going on right now, we have lots of Rugby playing at the house. I will say that I love it. I love seeing Dan get so excited and so involved. Of all the sports out there to watch too, I will say that Rugby is now my favorite (Megan Settles would agree with me on that one).

Meeting Dan, I hadn't known anything really about Rugby except they wear shorter shorts :). Rugby was one of my favorite things about Dan when we were first dating. I LOVED going to his games and watching him play. I loved traveling with him to his different tournaments. His last year playing, they went to Nationals in California and got 2nd place! It was awesome.

Here is my Rugby Buddy at one of Dan's games... Megan pretty much went with me to all of them which makes her the best roommate/friend ever.

When I first met Dan, he had longish/messy hair. They were all growing it out to look "tough". Once the season was over Dan cut it, but I still laugh and forget that Dan once had longer hair when we were first dating. Here is a picture of Dan when we were first dating and he had long hair :)

Things I learned about Rugby. There isn't really a sport out there that is as intense. No shoulder pads, no pads at all (I was nervous every game when Dan would play. Especially because Dan tended to get in fights). They tackle, punch, the whole works. Pretty much everything is allowed. Dan's position was the "Locke" (there were two guys on the field at a time that played this position). During the Scrum they were the power house (had to have really strong legs) to drive the team forward to get the ball. Dan also told me that if they messed up and did it the wrong way, you could break your neck.

We LOVE the New Zealand All Blacks. That's who we are rooting for. They are amazing. Here is the Haka they do before every game. Pretty intense when you, as the opposing team, have to just sit and watch. In this case though, Tonga (who also does a form of the Haka) did one as well so it was fun to see them battle it out.



Here are the good old days from when Dan played Rugby in College.




This is when Dan busted his head during a game. We took him to the ER and he had to get 17 stitches. Of course he wanted to go right back to the game after so here are some pictures of that and of course a picture of the injury. He has an eye brow scar now.

Here are the New Zealand All Blacks



This picture below is called a "Line Out". Dan used the be this guy that they would throw in the air to catch the ball. It basically is a throw in when the ball goes out of bounds. It was Megan Settles favorite thing to watch at the games.

Rugby is something that I have completely embraced. I know that if we have boys, they will certainly play if they love it. It is one of my favorite dating memories and still one of my favorite things about Dan. I love his passion for the sport. He is looking to join a Rugby Club and I am so excited for him to do that. I love spending Saturday's at the field and the smell of grass, blood and sweat ;). Really though, I am excited for him and for us to spend our Saturday's doing that again.