Durham Rugby

This past weekend I had the privilege of being invited to watch a friendly rugby scrimmage between Durham's Eno River Rage and the Raleigh Kodiaks. The teams engaged in several sevens matches throughout the chilly afternoon, stopping for water and brief socialization in-between games. One rather jovial man enjoyed more than a few beers at every half-time, engaging in what he called the "true rugby spirit". Since both teams were ending their regular game schedules this weekend there was a sense accomplishment among the players, many of whom had just completed their first season. But the most amazing thing I witnessed during the games was the amount of friendship I saw developing among the players.

One of the teams, apparently, was short a few players, so after the first game a mass substitution occurred. This lead to the formation of the "Enodiaks", a sort of hybrid between the two clubs.

Even arriving at the pitch gave amazing insight into the ethos of rugby. The days events were held at the Raleigh Vipers Club, which consists of a house and two full-size pitches --by far the most well-funded team in the area. While the Vipers were not present during the games their open lending of their fields to other teams was yet another example of the generosity and friendship felt between those that play the game.

Immediately following the games both teams took off to what players know as "the third half", a party with free food, drink, and entertainment.

It was great to see the camaraderie, generosity, and community between the teams both during the games and at the after-party. And while rivalries do exist amongst the area's teams, the blind passion devoted to "crushing" others exhibited in similar type sports was refreshingly absent.

Local Rugby Clubs - Durham

The city of Durham, North Carolina, sports several rugby clubs for men and women of all age and ability. Most of the teams are very friendly to newcomers and are happy for new recruits. Several teams have also had success on the regional and national levels. This past summer, for instance, the Raleigh Vipers won the Division II National Rugby Championship and the North Carolina Kodiaks placed second in a large tournament based in Atlanta. Brief Descriptions of the teams are below:

The Research Triangle's premier rugby club is the Raleigh Vipers-- a club for the more competitive or seasoned rugby player. The club has men's, women's, and youth clubs and is currently working on raising funds to build a clubhouse.

The Duke Undergraduate team is for Duke Undergraduate players. The team has consistently made it into the regional championships for the last three years. Although the team is not large in terms of size, the tenacity of this club proves that heart and brains are just as important as physicality in rugby.

The Duke Graduate team is mainly for (you guessed it) Duke Graduate students in all areas, ranging from Medical to Business School students. The team recently traveled to France, where it competed in an international rugby tournament with French local teams.

Durham's official club team is called the Eno River Rage. Anyone from around Durham is encouraged to play. In the summers this team sees an influx of Duke players, as the university teams temporarily shut down.

The North Carolina Kodiaks are a more laid-back, all inclusive team, competing in tournaments with many different types of clubs. Players beginning their rugby experience will find the team to be very good way to learn the game.

To play for a side you can go to their respective web-site and look for practice schedules. It's very easy and probably quite inexpensive to join. The University of North Carolina and North Carolina State also have their own teams you may join, although UNC's rugby team is on a temporary suspension following a scandal involving hazing.