Everything that is stated below in this manifest is not a set of stereotypes about rugby players but the reality of Russian amateur rugby. My personal observations for the past 7 years. But I won’t lift my brow if anyone will see himself in some points. Because all of us are grassroots and there’s something common among us.

We are rugby

We, grassroots, are the main driving force of rugby development. We are different: huge and tiny, fat and slim, lazy and energetic, optimistic and apathetic. We are not ideal players and mostly do not possess the qualities advocated by the rugby union code. But this game can’t exist without us.

About training

We don’t like to train we like to play.

One round on the pitch and a couple of arm swings are enough to warm-up even before the most intensive training.

We feel terrible when a training lacks players but can skip sessions because of ‘important business’.

We see no point in practicing the simplest things, therefore since the very first training we make behind-the-back passes and one-hand carries.

The main issue on a training is communication between players. Therefore, we scarcely can hear what a coach tells us.

The last thing we think about in a game is own health, speaking nothing of an opponent’s health. But we don’t want to train in rain or snow because we can fall ill by chance.

We practice together very seldom, but it always surprises us when we don’t see progress on competitions and team play.

About matches

Not everyone visits all training sessions on a regular basis but everyone wants to perform at a competition. First XV, of course.

Even if anyone miss a training he is still essential on the pitch, therefore, he is very upset when is substituted or kept on a bench in the decisive moment of a match.

The majority of us believes that the destiny of a match can be decided by him alone and likes to break through on his own. Just because of that the rest of the players don’t bother himself hastening to support but wait whether he’ll succeed or not.

The referee is god only at test rugby level. At the grassroots level, he is a godling at best. Therefore, one can argue with him hoarse and try to prove him wrong.

The result of a match is not important while a nice photo from a tournament to update a social profile is.

About attitude to the game and other players

We like each other but if anyone starts to fail on the pitch it becomes difficult to inhibit a «soccer player» in oneself.

It doesn’t matter whether a player is World Cup or national tournament winner when we watch live on TV how he makes a handling error, he is a goddamn rookie.

More than a century of rugby development is not a big term to start looking back at history and learn from other’s experience. We know how to play rugby ourselves and play our rugby.

We do not know all the rules, but those we know must be obeyed at all times and God forbid the ref to miss something in them.

Outside the pitch

Some of us watch rugby matches, others don’t, and there are those who alway want to watch but still don’t.

Our wives and girlfriends not always understand us at first and always are afraid for us, but still let us train and play after all.

Donate 500 rubles for the club existence is a hell of a burden and drink 2-3 liters of beer every weekend is a trifle.

We are not always ready to come up at a training but still consider that to miss a club meeting in a pub or trip for a barbecue with friends is woeful.

We are much more close-knit team outside the pitch than on it during a game

We are not the Knights of Oval Ball, we are ordinary people. We don’t need solemnities and glory, we just want to play rugby!