Player: You never stop playing rugby

In the gloomiest of days for the football team, Lobo fans might look to the bright sun rising on the UNM Rugby team.

On Saturday, the Lobo ruggers beat No. 10 Colorado State Rams, 38-28 at Johnson Field.
Usually, about 100 fans show up to watch the rugby team play against a ranked opponent, said third-year member Drew Riordan.

The low turnout doesn’t seem to bother him, though.

It’s about playing rugby for the love of it — not for the glitz and glamour that goes with competing in marquee sports like baseball, basketball and football, Riordan said.
“I would rather play rugby than football,” Riordan said. “Anybody who has played rugby knows that when you play your first game of rugby, you don’t stop playing rugby… I love football, too, but you can only go so far in football.”

Riordan, who is 5 feet 6 inches and 185 pounds, plays the hooker position on the UNM Rugby team. He said he loves the physicality of the game.

“I (love) the tackling,” he said. “It’s a tough man’s sport. I mean, you don’t have pads or anything. So, if you’re tough and you like to hit people, it’s the perfect sport for you. Plus, if you’re a big guy you get the ball.”

To Riordan, American football is a flashy sport, whereas rugby is more of a team sport, he said.

“The team, it’s almost like a family, and that’s what I like about it the most,” he said. “Everybody gets to know everybody a lot better, and you get a lot closer with your teammates.”

Josh Aranda has played for the UNM Rugby team for four years.

However, the fifth-year senior’s season came to a halt two weeks ago when he broke his collarbone. He is finished for the season.
Aranda said, because rugby isn’t popular in the United States, the sport appeals to everyone.

“Although you get guys of all shapes and sizes to compete in this sport, you could still bring in a guy who has never played any sports in his life, and if he is willing to work, runs and plays hard, all you have to do is teach him the game,” he said.

UNM Rugby team members don’t receive scholarships, because it is a club sport and not part of the NCAA, Riordan said.
“The difference between the NCAA teams and the club rugby teams, is the colleges that are NCAA sanctioned, they can only play so many games a year,” he said. “But as a club team, we can play as many matches as we can.”

*Rugby vs. Oklahoma
Nov. 21
Johnson Field*