Crouch, Touch…….

Ah rugby, men in tight shorts….. at least that’s what a lot of men think when they see a woman who likes the sport, and try to explain the rules when watching down the pub, and if you play assume you’re a lesbian – so it’s been in my experience.

Let’s roll back the years to 2010 on 31st October 2010. I was playing a fantastic game, I was in my position (outside centre) and had been asked by coach to fill in as utility back (someone who can fill in all back roles) at various points. I have the ball, I’m running and there’s the try line…..a two person tackle – one high and one at the knees, and a very loud audible pop, followed by pain lots of pain. Apparently I had still kept hold of ball and was insisting on getting up, but found I couldn’t walk. Turns out that tackle to the knee had partially ruptured my ACL = playing days over. After my key hole op as the rupture has caused part of the ACL to prevent my leg from straightener and was able to move, I’m still at the club watching games and training session. I get told by coach that I would have been selected by my county team to play for them. I was gutted.

Understandably I couldn’t really get into the sport and stopped attending games and the club, it was upsetting seeing others play knowing I couldn’t. I was told by consultant that I can’t run as “your ACL is like a case of angina, heart attack may happen, you just don’t know when. ACL could go running for the bus, so we’re advising you not to run and that means being unable to play rugby.” You see, the nhs won’t operate until an ACL goes completely.

Anyways let roll back to present day: Rugby World Cup 2019! I have watched pretty most of the games and boy some of it has been fantastic, though the one thing I miss from rugby is the Crouch, Touch, Pause, engage. Oh I get it’s for “safety reasons” but you still see players collapse scrums, and there’s been quite a lot. You still get the copious resets, apparently the new whatever it is they say was meant to stop that.

With thanks to the England lads, I’ve almost gotten my love for rugby back. I’m not at that full level as still find it tough watching and find myself wishing I still played. Next step is to go and watch some teams play and see a few of my team’s (Leicester tigers) matches.