Rugby has reached the United States, and is making a huge impact across the landscape. However, this was not always the case, and the game still has a long way to go before it is able to crack the top five sports on the radar. That being said, rugby is alive and well within the United States.

Like most Americans who play rugby, I began playing at the age of 18 while when I first arrived at college. It seems to be the same story for most players my age (I'm now 23). I was an American footballer growing up and it was all I ever knew. However, because of the competitiveness of collegiate football I was unable to play after high school. So when I arrived in college I had an athletic void that needed to be filled. In came rugby.

Like most Americans I thought that rugby was nothing more than a bunch of drunken college kids going out on a Saturday morning, bashing their heads in and gaining yet another excuse to go out and drink all day. While that certainly is the case at some schools and with some clubs, I discovered there are plenty of clubs out there that take their rugby seriously.

'Like most Americans I thought that rugby was nothing more than a bunch of drunken college kids going out on a Saturday morning, bashing their heads in and gaining yet another excuse to go out and drink all day'

There is a thriving rugby culture in the United States that is waiting to burst into the national spotlight. Yes, the sidelines may not have been packed with fans. Often we play in open parks with no official stadium, but that makes no difference to what we want to accomplish on the field. While in college I spent every available Saturday I had on the pitch, travelling across the Midwest and competing in ferocious games. It wasn’t about the drinking, or the partying, it was all about winning. We wanted to win a Midwest championship, and we were willing to do whatever it took to win.

While in college I was coached by some of the best club players in the country, I also had the privilege of being coached by some former US. Eagles. It was skills I learned from these men, that I carried onto the pitch with me every weekend, and continue to use to this day as I play in the Rugby Super League. When we were not training as a team, there were camps organised by other top schools and USA Rugby, all with the goal of training the best players for the future of the game.

Off the field, I was taught by the Old Boys about rugby culture. I learned to appreciate the game, its traditions and history. Having this knowledge of what rugby has meant to so many people and so many nations, gave me a greater appreciation for the sport. I learned that I was part of something much larger than a simple game. I was part of an international family. A family that I am proud to be an active member of today.