Former Rhodes Scholar Compares Rugby Football With American Game--Declares English Sport Equally Exciting

The following article was written for the Crimson by E. S. Griffith, professor in the Department of Government. Professor Griffith played Rugby football in England when he was a Rhodes Scholar in 1917.

In these days when the limelight even of the Carnegie Foundation is turned upon football, it is interesting to compare our game with the English variety. The latter is, I believe, the older of the two.

Superficially, at least, the games are quite different. True, the same kind of ball is used, but the men play in track suits and not in padded armor plate! Furthermore the total playing time is considerably longer, and the time out is very much less--a boon to the spectators.

Play starts from a kickoff, much as in our game. Tackling is the same, but more often on frozen ground, and as noted previously, there is no padding to break the fall. After the ball is down, eight men of each side lock arms, in a close formation or "pack", and shove directly against the opposing pack. The ball is thrown between the two groups by the referee, and the front line of each pack tries to hook the ball with the feet and kick it backward through the pack to a back who waits for it. Success in this operation depends upon the power of the pack as a whole to shove hard, and upon the footwork in getting the ball back.

Once the ball is out, both packs break up and take part in the ordinary play. The back who has received the ball passes it to another player as soon as he is in danger of being tackled and this process keeps up usually until a player is downed, when the packs immediately form again. This style of running and passing, somewhat similar to basketball, is a large part of the game. However, passing must always be to a man who is is back of the passer. If there is no one available the man may drop the ball and dribble it with his feet, as in soccer. Here again he may pass it to another player, but always to one who is behind him. The foot dribble and pass is also the type of play which usually follows a ball going out of bounds. The two teams form long lines at right angles to the side of the field, but jostling each other, and the ball is thrown in.

If a player is able, he reaches in the air and bats it to one of his backs, but usually he must be content with getting it down at his feet and commencing a dribble. The defense against an opposing team rushing down the field with a foot dribble is usually to dive for and fall on the ball, and take the kicks intended for it. Touchdowns and goals are scored substantially as in the American game.

No article would be complete without mentioning that football is to the English student a game to be played and enjoyed two or three times a week, and not a religion the celebration of whose rites occupy the chief time, energy, and thought of its acolytes for weeks and months! There is much to be said for each point of view, but as a player I enjoyed the English variety more. On the other hand, the American attitude has in it far greater possibilities for learning the joy of sacrificing for a cause