UNM rugby coach Shannon Robinson has spent the last few months in search of women eager to score a touchdown or long to tackle others.
Robinson, seven-year coach of the men's rugby coach, is forming a women's team that is composed of all collegiate players. The team is the predecessor of the Atomic Sisters Rugby team, which is a combination of UNM students and community members.
"I think we really have the potential to compete really well on a national level," he said. "We have fielded a team, but are still looking for more members. We are looking for tough women who have always wanted to go out and play football and mix it up with the boys."
Robinson has coached the successful men's team, which is now ranked fourth in the Western Region of USA Rugby and made it to the Sweet 16 of the national association's equivalent of the NCAA Tournament. The men's team also fields six former high school All-Americans.
As proud as Robinson is of the men's team, he said the women's team has greater potential to be the more successful of the two.
"The schools in the Mountain West Conference all happen to have strong rugby teams and BYU's is considered one of the best teams in the nation," he said. "On the other side, there are few women's teams, so our group could really go far with proper training and technique. Helmets and shoulder pads are weapons, so without those, it's really less dangerous."
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Robinson said that women can excel at the high contact sport because injuries can be minimized if people learn how to tackle properly using similar methods to those employed by wrestlers.
"Women are tough and can handle as much, if not more, than men," he said. "People don't give them enough credit."
While he works with All-Americans on the men's side, Robinson said he also teaches men who have never played the sport before.
He said that people who don't know much about rugby shouldn't let that keep them from trying the sport.
"The difference with women is that they don't have to unlearn things that are used in football that a lot of men have already picked up," he said. "A point guard who played basketball in high school already knows how to pass, which is a skill you need in rugby. A runner learned how to run in high school, which is another skill you need."
The women's team hits the road this weekend to play in Colorado on Saturday, while the men's team faces the University of Arizona here in two weeks in a match scheduled to be played at Johnson Field.
Robinson said that the rugby teams have room for everyone because the sport offers roles for people who are of any size and who have any level of speed.
"All we ask is that you work hard," he said. "That's what makes it such a good sport for all students. They don't have to do anything especially well, they just have to be willing to think when they play."
Robinson said that both teams are looking for players, but the men's is much more competitive right now.
"Women can come and try out at any of our practices that are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at the south end of Johnson Field at 4 p.m.," he said. "They can work out with our women and open their eyes to a whole new sport that really is a lot of fun."
