Not sure what to bring/wear to practice? Keep reading…
What to Bring/Wear on the First Day:
Shorts: If you don’t have actual rugby shorts, any sort of athletic shorts will do. Avoid wearing shorts with buttons, zippers, large pockets, etc. Those garments can injure other players, and are easy to tear. Athletic pants without zippers/buttons are also recommended if it’s a chilly day/evening practice.
Shirt and Sweatshirt: If you don’t have a jersey yet, any t-shirt that can get dirty and/or be ripped will work. It’s handy to have at least two, one light and one dark, in case the team gets broken up to scrimmage. Having two shirts is also helpful in case one shirt rips, which is a common scenario. Bring an old sweatshirt or long-sleeve shirt too, in case the temperature changes. During the first practice you will likely need to observe contact drills, and wait to get waivers signed before jumping in, so having some sweats to throw on and stay warm is a good idea.
Cleats and normal shoes: Most ruggers wear soccer cleats (baseball or football cleats often do not meet regulations for rugby due to a cleat right under top of toes that can be dangerous while playing rugby). Show up in athletic shoes or sandals and change into your cleats once you get on the field. If you don’t have cleats, don’t let that stop you from coming to your first practice! Just wear a pair of running shoes until you can buy cleats. Some teams do their conditioning exercises on a track (when available), so you may be expected to bring running shoes anyway.
Water: Drinking water during practice is crucial for being able to survive an entire practice. Bring a reusable bottle, there are usually water fountains at the field, but it’s best to bring a full bottle and refill as needed at the water fountain.
Mouthguard: Even if you don’t expect to be doing any physical contact drills, you should have and wear your mouthguard during every practice. You should form your mouthguard to fit your upper jaw beforehand (instructions should be on the packaging), but even an unformed mouthguard is better than nothing. Getting in the habit of wearing your mouthguard at all times is just a good idea, and it’s always better to be safe than sorry. We usually have extra to give out so you can take it home and fit it to your mouth before next practice!
Towel: This is the only item that can be considered optional, but is extremely handy to have if you get dirty and need to clean up a bit before heading home.