Anyone for some rugby?

JEREMIAH BARTZ/ Frontiersman sports editor

A pair of local rugby enthusiasts are kicking around the idea of resurrecting the Mat-Su Maulers, an amateur ruby squad.

The Maulers have not hit the field for more than a decade. But Rick Morlock and Todd Starr would like to see that change. So Morlock is leading the charge to bring 25-30 athletes together, and put the Maulers back in action.

Rugby - a sport said to have the speed of basketball, the contact of football and the strategy of chess - is somewhat of a cult favorite in the United States, when compared to some of the more recognized team sports in this country. But outside the borders of the U.S., rugby is hard to beat.

&#8220In New Zealand, rugby's like Christianity,” Morlock said.

To start, Morlock said, the Maulers will accept players with any or no experience in the game. The only requirement is athletes must be 18 years or older. There is no age maximum, Morlock said he has seen players compete well into their 50's, but there is an age minimum.

Morlock said those interested in a game of physical contact, that historically involves a slimmer chance of injury than sports such as football, should give rugby a try. Right now the Maulers are looking for anyone with any interest in the sport.

&#8220Coaches, players, administration, anything,” Morlock said.

There is a natural transition for players with football experience. But Morlock, who has been playing rugby since 1975, said there are also significant differences in the games that players must learn.

&#8220We'll convert anybody,” Morlock said. &#8220The hardest thing for football players is letting go. Rugby never stops.”

Rugby is played in two 40-minute halves on a grass field. Like football, each half starts with a kickoff. The ball is place at the middle of the field, and one team kicks to the other. But unlike football, the clock never stops. Any time taken for injury is added at the end of the half. The object of the game is to outscore the opponent by carrying, passing and kicking the ball.

On the rugby field anyone can play the ball. Players can run, pass, kick or tackle another play. But there is no blocking in rugby, and the ball can only be passed backwards. Once tackled, the ball carrier must release the ball, and make it available for a player on either team.

The Maulers will compete in the Alaska Rugby Union, with a group of team based in the Anchorage area. Morlock said there have been more teams in the past, such as squads from the local military bases. But rugby squads are again able to pop up in Southcentral Alaska.

Morlock said the Maulers would be certified and sanctioned by USA Rugby. Like sports such as hockey, rugby also has it's own national organization, and national teams for men, women, boys and girls.

Those interested in joining the Maulers, or helping resurrect the team, can contact Morlock at 376-0077 or Starr at 355-0077.