Rugby Day Fun Day

I think the most fun part of my trip so far has been the Rugby tournament. In the United States, we do not have any sporting events that compare to the atmosphere of a rugby game. Almost everyone dresses up in costumes, wigs, paint, and anything else that is festive. There was a family in front of us that wore ponchos and sombreros to the event. They even brought a cooler filled with ingredients to make tacos and had a Mexican picnic inside the stadium. You could tell they had a lot of experience going to games because they brought water fans and spritzers to cool themselves off. They even shared them with us so we could cool down as well!  The best part of the event was witnessing how excited everyone was to be there and how many of them got involved in all the different games. There were at least a dozen countries that participated in the event where they played two seven-minute quarters and the winner moved on to the next round. Our group had the privilege of watching the United States play in the quarterfinals when they beat Fiji in a major upset. However, it was short lived when we played South Africa in the semi-finals and they beat us by a large margin.

Despite the United States losing, I still had a great time and enjoyed seeing the culture that surrounds rugby in Australia. On the day we went to the game there was a small amount of cloud cover, but it was short lived when the sun came back out. Everyone in our group was shocked at how hot it was that day. We tried to put on sunscreen and stay hydrated but the intensity of the sun caused many people in our group to leave early. I even had to create a makeshift hat out of a noise maker because I forgot my Australian bucket hat. Although the U.S. lost in the end, I am still glad I stayed to watch them play South Africa. A few of us walked down to the front row of the stadium to watch the game and it was an eventful experience. A player from South Africa broke free from the main line, but an American defender named Bennett was waiting for him and made a terrific stop. Bennett stopped the South African and threw him down to the ground with one arm. I have never seen or heard such an intense stop in my life. You cannot appreciate how powerful and big the rugby players are until you watch them from the front row. Overall, the rugby tournament was an incredible event to attend. If anyone has an opportunity to attend a rugby game they should not let it pass.