Oracle of DelphiI wanna be a Wallaby...
October 13th 2006 08:58
I made a comment on a cool and helpful site I came across (yes Joy, that’s you) about “what are you? what do you write about?” Made me realise that I should post some sort of intro as to why I write about rugby...I don’t know, is this a bit ‘twee’? Do bloggers do this? Well, I’m doing it anyway...
If you’re here, you know about rugby. Rugby Union. Not thugby... woah...I’m game...Ouch...who threw that?? Sorry league fans, I don’t have anything against your game. No that’s a lie. I find it boring. But that’s another post altogether...
My husband is an ex player and coach. All my stepchildren play or have played and I used to host a junior rugby web site. I was brought up in rugby loving countries, my father instilled in me a love of boxing (and yes, rugby) and my brother introduced me to motorbikes and racing cars.
More than anything, my dream job is to be a Wallaby. Alas, I'm not just a wannabe, I'm a neverwillbe...
I’m female, only 5’8”, you don’t need to know my weight (besides forwards never reveal their true weight), always wear 2 colours of nail polish, have a massive collection of vintage clothing and shoes and did I say I’m female? A very girlie female?
Wallaby Forwards generally are about 6’2” and about 120kg and well, they’re men.
And although some metrosexuals have infiltrated the ranks, rugby players are groomed and gorgeous but never pretty.
Yes, I could aspire to be a Wallaroo...but let’s not turn this into a rant about the Sisterhood because I am a woman and I am a feminist and I can be whatever I want.
I respect and follow women’s rugby but just like I want to be Lara Croft and Indiana Jones and Carl Sagan and Dr Fiona Wood and Wonder Woman and a Jedi Master...all unattainable and inexplicable... I wannabe a Wallaby.
I'm tired of hearing that rugby is an elitist game, that rugby fans are “tragics”...what does that mean anyway? Rugby is only complicated if you're a lazy thinker and sure, sometimes seasoned players and coaches don’t get the rules...but that’s okay. There’s always room for improvement. I’m a Gamma Type that way.
Rugby may be perceived as a violent sport but I actually think soccer incites violence.
With rugby, the ‘violence’ is controlled, the aggressiveness is trained, the chivalry is instilled and they don’t hide behind armour and fancy ads (hypocrisy alert: I have a big issue with Rugby ads...but that’s another post..)
Rugby is an equalizer, a game for all shapes and sizes...both sexes too. It’s a game that takes no prisoners on the field but commands camaraderie off field. Many great opponents are firm friends in civilian clothing. What happens on the field stays on the field.
Rugby teaches respect and teamwork without sacrificing individual brilliance. Rugby, believe it or not, teaches young men that women are not a secondary ‘race’ and teaches young women that they can be an Amazon in Canterbury clothing (geddit...no?...).
This is a war of equals (please...no jokes about Wallabies v All Blacks), opponents trained to channel their brain into brawn into victory.
There is a lesson in there and if I was Yoda, I’d articulate it, I would.
If you’re here, you know about rugby. Rugby Union. Not thugby... woah...I’m game...Ouch...who threw that?? Sorry league fans, I don’t have anything against your game. No that’s a lie. I find it boring. But that’s another post altogether...
My husband is an ex player and coach. All my stepchildren play or have played and I used to host a junior rugby web site. I was brought up in rugby loving countries, my father instilled in me a love of boxing (and yes, rugby) and my brother introduced me to motorbikes and racing cars.
More than anything, my dream job is to be a Wallaby. Alas, I'm not just a wannabe, I'm a neverwillbe...
I’m female, only 5’8”, you don’t need to know my weight (besides forwards never reveal their true weight), always wear 2 colours of nail polish, have a massive collection of vintage clothing and shoes and did I say I’m female? A very girlie female?
Wallaby Forwards generally are about 6’2” and about 120kg and well, they’re men.
And although some metrosexuals have infiltrated the ranks, rugby players are groomed and gorgeous but never pretty.
Yes, I could aspire to be a Wallaroo...but let’s not turn this into a rant about the Sisterhood because I am a woman and I am a feminist and I can be whatever I want.
I respect and follow women’s rugby but just like I want to be Lara Croft and Indiana Jones and Carl Sagan and Dr Fiona Wood and Wonder Woman and a Jedi Master...all unattainable and inexplicable... I wannabe a Wallaby.
I'm tired of hearing that rugby is an elitist game, that rugby fans are “tragics”...what does that mean anyway? Rugby is only complicated if you're a lazy thinker and sure, sometimes seasoned players and coaches don’t get the rules...but that’s okay. There’s always room for improvement. I’m a Gamma Type that way.
Rugby may be perceived as a violent sport but I actually think soccer incites violence.
With rugby, the ‘violence’ is controlled, the aggressiveness is trained, the chivalry is instilled and they don’t hide behind armour and fancy ads (hypocrisy alert: I have a big issue with Rugby ads...but that’s another post..)
Rugby is an equalizer, a game for all shapes and sizes...both sexes too. It’s a game that takes no prisoners on the field but commands camaraderie off field. Many great opponents are firm friends in civilian clothing. What happens on the field stays on the field.
Rugby teaches respect and teamwork without sacrificing individual brilliance. Rugby, believe it or not, teaches young men that women are not a secondary ‘race’ and teaches young women that they can be an Amazon in Canterbury clothing (geddit...no?...).
This is a war of equals (please...no jokes about Wallabies v All Blacks), opponents trained to channel their brain into brawn into victory.
There is a lesson in there and if I was Yoda, I’d articulate it, I would.
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Comment by Cibbuano
20/20 Filmsight
Science News
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
Where does your husband play/coach? In Sydney?
Comment by DuskDevi
Rugby World Cup 2007
May I just for a second or 2, become a sycophantic fawning fool and say...WOW, it's you!!
Okay. I'm good.
Tis a great game.
My husband played 1st grade in Sydney for Eastwood...back in the day, when half-time existed only to have a cigarette and video refs were babies.
He coaches juniors and Colts.
Thanks Cibbuano!
Comment by Cibbuano
20/20 Filmsight
Science News
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
Yes, old-timers have often told me about how hard the game was in the past. I guess they don't make forwards like they used to.
Comment by DuskDevi
Rugby World Cup 2007
They used to eat Backs for breakfast.
Now they eat carbs.
Comment by Cibbuano
20/20 Filmsight
Science News
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
Comment by DuskDevi
Rugby World Cup 2007
Now they bite the head off the fresh catch and chew on coconut husks for fun.
I'm an Islander.
Comment by Cibbuano
20/20 Filmsight
Science News
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
Comment by DuskDevi
Rugby World Cup 2007
I'm not a Melanesian Islander, wasn't born there, just spent my formative years there...my formative rugby loving years.
And no, I derive no pleasure from bulldozing "skinny, white boys"...not with my slender so-not-a-forward-not-even-close-to-being-a-rugby-player-but-will-continue-to-dream legs.