Why Rugby?

The Saint Martin’s ethos of forming warrior-poets - men who are valiant and willing to fight, and yet contemplative and full of wonder - finds its recreational expression in rugby. A young man can relate the texts he reads in class to his work on the rugby pitch in a manner unlike all other sports. When entering into a scrum, his arms clasping his teammates' sides, lunging forward into the opposition, the boy remembers the phalanxes at the Battle of Thermopylae that he read about in class moments before. And boys are better friends after caking each other in mud, throwing each other to the ground, and hitting each other at full speed. The warlike spirit of the game of rugby allows our young men to build courage, practice doing difficult things excellently, and growing in friendship with their brothers.  

A winning rugby squad cannot consist of merely two or three star players carrying the load. No, in fact in no other sport is fraternity and unity more essential than in rugby, where no less than all 15 players must be communicative, aware, and together in arms. Rugby is the ultimate team sport, unpretentious and indiscriminate in its grit and toughness, and in its joy in victory. 

The nature of rugby is a physical reflection of the spiritual battle, a reminder to our boys that the true war is not of flesh and blood, but the unseen fight occurring within their souls. After being knocked down, will you get up? Will you help your brothers to your right and left when they are down? Will you run besides them? Will you build them up, encourage them, or tear them down? Will you look the enemy in the eye and yell, “Mon Joie”, our battle cry of Faith? Rugby allows our boys to practice the dispositions of courage and resilience on the pitch, so they are inclined to answer the call of their vocation, and fight the good fight in their Faith.