Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a full-contact team sport that originated in England in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its most common form, a game is played between two teams of 15 players each, using an oval-shaped ball on a rectangular field called a pitch. The field has H-shaped goalposts at both ends.

Rugby union is a popular sport around the world, played by male and female players of all ages. In 2014, there were more than 6 million people playing worldwide, of whom 2.36 million were registered players. World Rugby, previously called the International Rugby Football Board (IRFB) and the International Rugby Board (IRB), has been the governing body for rugby union since 1886, and currently has 101 countries as full members and 18 associate members.

The Running Eagles, LIFE’s Rugby team, reached the national quarterfinals in 2011 in its first season. Life U reached the national semifinals in the 2011-12 season, and finished the season ranked #2 in the country. In 2018 and 2019 Life U beat the California Golden Bears to become back-to-back national champions.

Life University has been successful in rugby sevens. Life U won the 2011 USA Rugby Sevens Collegiate National Championships. Life U won the spring 2012 Las Vegas Invitational, earning a berth at the June 2012 Collegiate Rugby Championship, where Life U went undefeated in pool play and reached the semifinals. The CRC tournament, played at PPL Park in Philadelphia, is the highest profile college rugby tournament in the US and is broadcast live every year on NBC. Life U won the fall 2012 South Independent 7s tournament. This victory earned Life an automatic berth and a chance to defend its title at the fall 2012 USA Rugby Sevens Collegiate National Championships, where Life U went 5–1 and finished second in the tournament, losing in the Cup Championship match to rival Arkansas State. In 2013, Life U went 5–1 at the USA Rugby Sevens Collegiate National Championships to finish 5th.

Learn more here:

https://liferunningeagles.com/sports/mens-rugby

https://liferunningeagles.com/sports/womens-rugby

 

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