What do Daniel Craig and Bill Clinton have in common besides the fact that they are both womanizers? They both played rugby. In my opinion Rugby is overall a better sport than football. Sure, football is a great sport. I enjoy going to a football game from time to time because there are not a lot of rugby games and it’s exciting to see that running back get lit up and put on the ground. People think that rugby is a brutal game and more dangerous than football, maybe because helmets are optional in rugby and the players do not wear pads. Actually, rugby is a better sport because there are less long-term injuries, the rules are safer, and there is equal opportunity playing time for all of the players. Plus, rugby has a much longer tradition and it is an international sport. It is played almost everywhere in the world.

There are less long-term injuries in rugby because the way a player tackles is a lot safer. You have to bring the opponent down - you cannot drop them and you can not high tackle around the neck or higher then the mid section of the body. So there is less head to head contact and less concussions in rugby than there is in football.

Rugby is a physically demanding sport, and rugby players tend to be overall more physically fit. They do not just concentrate on running or kicking –most members of a team prepare to play all positions so there are less pulled muscles and back injuries.

The rules in rugby promote safety first. Rugby observers may believe that rugby is more brutal but I would disagree. The tackles and hits are cleaner. The plays have to be done by the rules, which are generally more respected in rugby than in football. The referees in rugby are more explanatory then the football referees. If you make a mistake and cause a penalty the referee will explain what you did wrong so that you understand the right way to make the play and do not do the same thing next time. Serious attention is paid to playing the game properly, with respect for rules.

As a member of an American football team a player knows that there is a good chance he may not get into the game to make a big play. One of the foundations of playing rugby is that players have equal opportunities to make a key play like a tackle or score a try (that is a touchdown in rugby terms). In rugby all players play both offense and defense, which makes the chances of being involved in a clutch play greater. Rugby is also a much more friendly sport than football because there is a strong sense of brotherhood that extends to the entire team, coaches and even former players who support the sport. I find that having played both sports that the sportsmanship in rugby is very much more friendly.

Overall rugby is a better sport then American football. It is more fun to play, and, with plays like backward passing, more fun to watch for everyone. There is less of a chance of getting a major injury, the idea of equal chance allows everyone to play, and the referees make its possible for every body to stay focused on the playing properly and safe. If you would like to ever watch a rugby game you can always go BBC and look for a game or just look on the internet.