Rugby Bumper Sticker Survey

Rugby Bumper Sticker Survey

(and other promotional material)

by Wes Clark

To me, one of the most notable things about rugby is how it utterly differs promotionally from one of my other hobbies, historical reenacting. In American Civil War reenacting, where participants often march around the countryside armed and carrying bayonets, big sheath knives and swords, we go to great pains to point out that we're not glorifying war or celebrating violence. In rugby, the opposite seems to be true and bloodshed and maiming are considered selling points. For instance, there's a "Barbarians" club and Reebok manufactures a rugby boot marketed as the "Visigoth" (I own a pair). That nasty ol' death's head is the emblem of what would normally have innocent connotations, "School House Rugby."

Now, I have to admit I'm not a big fan of the death's head used as an emblem. It's just unheraldic, inelegant and I'm too much of a traditionalist and Christian to like it. It also doesn't help that the last major use of the emblem was by Nazi troops especially skilled and adept in all forms of nastiness, the Gestapo. And yes, it must be admitted that it's in frequent use in the U.S. military on patches and emblems.

The promotional slogans and bumper stickers I've seen - collected for your reading enjoyment below - invoke all sorts of mayhem and violence. Geepers! How politically incorrect! How... appealing!


Don't Ruck With Me!

Sure, "Scrum" is a weird name, but "Assault and Battery" was already taken.

Aggressive by Nature/Rugby by Choice

They wear numbers because you can't always identify the bodies with dental records.

There isn't winning or losing in rugby - only surviving.

Trample the weak - hurtle the dead.

Beer was invented to keep props from taking over.

"Support your Local Hooker... Play Rugby!"

Donate blood - play rugby.

At baseball games they play organs. In rugby they donate them.

Better to have lost at rugby than to have won at softball.

Join a game where there are no players and spectators, only perps and witnesses.

Whoso sheds his blood with me on this field shall be my brother - Henry V

Black and blue with pride - play rugby.

Rugby: If it wasn't a game the police would be called in to break it up.

Girls Just Ruck Better

Rugby: Where the only game you really lose is the one you don't play

Where else can you have this much fun with thirteen guys and a hooker?

Beer was invented to keep rugby players from conquering the world

Ruck and Roll

Rugby Players Wear Numbers Because You Can't Always Identify Them By their Dental Records Alone

Soccer: A game for gentlemen played by hooligans. Rugby: A game for hooligans played by gentlemen.

Soccer is a gentleman's game played by thugs. Rugby league is a thug's game played by thugs. Rugby Union is a thug's game played by gentlemen.

I went to see a fight and a rugby match broke out!

Screw ESPN. If you really want to see stars, play rugby.

Yes, Mom, I'm 40 and still playing RUGBY!

Whoever said giving birth is the worst pain there is has never seen his team lose in the Five Nations.

And the one with its own grim history: Rugby players eat their dead.