UCC vs. UCD

This afternoon Meghan and I wandered down to the Mardyke Sports Arena to watch the UCC rugby team play UCD (University College Dublin).  We are the red players on the field.  Schools don't really have mascots here but we are called the UCC "Rebels" and the symbol that they use for athletics is a skull and crossbones.

Rugby is definitely a full contact sport.  This game is a lot rougher than American football and their uniforms consist of a lot less protection.  About 15 players from each team are on the field at a time and no one really comes off the field unless they get hurt.  Rugby has two 40 minute halfs.

Rugby is one of the most popular sports here in Ireland. After stopping into a sports bar after the game today it looks like there is a big European rugby tournament coming up.  The national team is called the Ireland Wolfhounds.

Some Irish follow American Football.  You have to call it American football here because football to them means Gaelic football, which is a different sport.  I met a "lad" at the pub the other night who knew who the Iowa State Cyclones were!  The International Students Society will be playing the Superbowl on campus on next Sunday night.  We have been asking around and it doesn't sound like they play it in any of the pubs in town.