Getting mauled

PALMER — Ruggers rejoice — the Mat-Valley Maulers are back in business.

The local rugby club, which formed in the 1980s and competed in the Alaska Oosik Rugby Union until the turn of the century, has begun practice and is looking for fresh blood.

“We’re kind of resurrecting the team,” player/coach Jake “Tug Boat” Anders said Thursday at the team’s first official outdoor practice at Sherrod Elementary in Palmer.

Anders said that, until this year, local rugby players had been traveling to Anchorage to play with one of the three teams in the city.

“They had guys on the teams that were commuting from the Valley,” Anders said. “Finally, all the guys from the Valley got together and were like, ‘Jeez, why are we driving all the way into Anchorage?’”

So far, Anders said he’s heard from about two dozen area residents interested in the sport, but the Maulers are always looking for more.

“We encourage anyone to come out and give it a shot,” he said.

Rugby is played with a large, oblong ball, which players on teams of 15 are allowed to pass to teammates, but only backward. Essentially, the object is to score a “try,” which is accomplished when a player touches the ball down inside the opposing team’s goal. Defensive players do whatever it takes to stop offensive players’ progress, typically by tackling or knocking the offensive player to the ground.

“Not many people know much about rugby,” Anders said. “It’s probably one of the most misunderstood games.”

Many people believe that the sport is nothing more than a chance for a bunch of guys to run around and smash into each other, but Anders said that there’s actually a lot more strategy and skill that goes into the game.

“It’s a lot more organized than that,” he said.

He did admit, however, that the physical nature of the sport is one of its big selling points for many players.

“You’ve got to be a little bit crazy,” he said.

Palmer’s John Clark played with the Maulers back when the original team was up and running. After taking a couple years off from the sport, he said Thursday that he decided to join back up as a way to help grow the sport in the Valley.

“I wanted to see if I couldn’t put a little effort toward the home team,” Clark said.

Clark said the biggest draw of the sport, for many players, has nothing to do with what goes on between the lines.

“The best thing about it is the camaraderie,” he said. “You can go out there and literally beat the tar out of one another for 80 minutes, and usually the team that sponsors the game has a barbecue and a keg of beer afterwards. The social aspect of it is really good.”

Clark said knowledge of the sport isn’t necessary for giving it a shot. He said pretty much anyone with a background in athletics can quickly learn the sport, and believes it’s attractive to a wide range of athletes from other sports.

“Anybody that’s ever played football, wrestled, soccer, lacrosse, any of those sports are real compatible with rugby,” he said.

Anders said the more experienced players on the team are more than happy to help out newcomers.

“We’re as much coaches as we are players,” Anders said.

The Maulers will be practicing every Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at the Sherrod Elementary soccer fields. Anyone is welcome to check out a practice, Anders said, and the team is open to anyone willing to give it a

shot.

“There’s no try-outs or anything,” he said. “We’re about as open as it gets.”

Thursday’s practice, in fact, featured a couple players who’d never even held a rugby ball. Wasilla’s Ceasar Barrera said he wrestled and played football in high school, and figured rugby would be a good way to stay active in a contact sport.

“I like to hit people,” Barrera said.

While practices are mostly non-contact, Barrera said he was encouraged by Thursday’s practice, and said he’s going to try and become a regular member of the team. Playing rugby, he said, could be a great way to get back into competitive athletics.

“I wanted to get back in the game.”

Anyone interested in joining the Mat-Valley Maulers, or just visiting a practice, can contact Anders at (907) 727-4276.

Contact Matt Tunseth at 352-2265 or matt.tunseth@frontiersman.com