LOUISVILLE, Ky - One of Kentucky’s most successful sports teams is filled with farmers, manufacturers, and, ironically, EMTs as well. Coming off an undefeated regular season last year, the Louisville Rugby Football Club is celebrating its 50th campaign of mud, blood, and aggressive facial hair.

"There's really a spot for everybody out here on the team," said Joe Parrish, the club's president. Parrish is a 10-year veteran of the team. He's also an insurance agent by day, a father to young children, and the owner of a thick brown mustache he says is maintained strictly for rugby. We didn't get to ask his wife for her thoughts on the lip sweater, but Parrish and others said their families are quite supportive of the sport that routinely sends them home with bruises, cuts, and aching bones.

"When I go to pick [my two-year-old] up on Sunday morning and it's tough to get him out of his crib, I definitely regret it every once in a while," laughed Parrish. "But I wouldn't trade it for everything."

In laymens terms, rugby is an evolution from soccer, created in the United Kingdon, and then morphed into American football. The rules are simple at first and then, like football, begin to get complex. Passing forward is a foul; and in traditional play there are no "downs," as one team advances a bloated ovular ball until either scoring, committing a foul, or turning the ball over. And we won't even get into the intricacies of scoring. While ruggers wear no pads like their American cousins the team assures us it is much safer their way, as legal tackles all take place below the shoulders and while in constant contact with the other player; leading to much less "blowing up," so to speak.

Still, there are injuries, and a lot of fast-paced play.

"My dad always told me you have to be slightly mad to play rugby," smirked George Davies, head coach for the club. Echoeing Parrish, he said he can find a spot for every type of person; large, small, tactical, brutish. All are welcomed, and all are supported. 

"People have lives outside of rugby; families, work, etc.," explained Davies. "But we always put out a squad of 23 each weekend with a whole bunch of supporters." In fact, the coach says a couple hundred routinely show up to cheer on the squad at each home game. Mind you, this is still a club sport. The city rents space in Seneca Park for practice, but makes the team set up and remove their own unique goal posts at each outing.

Still, to a man, the teammates say there's no place they'd rather spend a humid summer evening.

"I take off work early just so I can come out and play," said one young man.

"Heck yeah, [this is] better than being at home," smirked another.

Even from our short visit, it was easy to see comaradarie is just as important to these men as winning; and they do a lot of winning. Though the regular season begins in August, a healthy squad shows up each Tuesday and Thursday evening to practice, and they meet up for pints at Molly Malones after. A cold drink is even more refreshing after a full shift at work and a full-speed practice.

But they don't seem to care about the setting as long as they're together.