Why Rugby is the Best Sport

By Mike Sexton, Head Coach FWRFC

Three weeks ago I was sitting in CDG Paris, waiting for my flight, and all I can think is “wow.”

I happened to see two of the arguably best matches in the history of the World Cup (at minimum quarterfinals) live in the stadium of one of my favorite countries in the world, with one of my best friends in the world, watching the best rugby teams in the world and two of my favorite rugby teams in the world. I made friends with people from all over the world and ran into international friends I never thought I would see again.

The rugby community is just incredible.

Everywhere we went in France, maybe we couldn’t speak the language but when rugby came up we were treated as family. Rounds of beers and laughter were the order of the day. I have been invited to visit a number of places and hope that some of these folks come to the states to visit us.

The matches in Paris, much like my matches during my playing days, were the background of something much bigger. Every Tuesday and Thursday I met my team for practice and had to learn how to push, lead or follow. I would get beat up, bruised and battered because on a Saturday they were counting on me to be there for them.

But that is somewhere between 8-10 days out of a season. The rest of the time, they needed me to help them move, celebrate the birth of their children, lift them up at a wedding, mourn the passing of a loved one, help raise money to cover medical bills, or just to be a good mate and make them laugh at the bar.

The actual game is almost insignificant except it is the glue that binds us. Atheists and Christians, Jews and Muslims, conservatives and liberals, all, on the day, walk across that white line and look to their left and their right and say “I got you mate, because I know you got me.”

20 years later, I’m friends with people I played one or two seasons with. I see people I haven’t seen in years and we hug like we were long lost brothers.

Like family. Rugby is a family with a caveat. It’s a mafia family. You have to give to the family. Blood, sweat or just money, but you have to give to it and they will give back to you.

I can’t tell you the name of any restaurant or the name of any of the beers (or ciders) I drank. Can’t tell you the name of the hotel, or the street our flats were on. Can’t tell you the names of the tour guides. But I have a list of names of my new expanded rugby family that I will never forget.

We are blessed to be part of this family. When our playing days are over there is still so much more to give and receive. I never thought, the day I asked the A&M men’s rugby club president “so how do you play rugby?” it would lead to my best friends, my wife and international travel most people dream of.

This sport is more than a game and we are all blessed to be a part of it.