THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, June 19, 1996 TAG: 9606180134
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 126 lines
IN FOOTBALL, it has been called a gridiron. In baseball, a diamond.
The playing surface in rugby is called a pitch, but battlefield might be more fitting.
Saturday at Princess Anne Park there were five battle zones and 40 teams in the 11th annual Virginia Beach Falcons Rubgy Sevens tournament.
A T-shirt hanging in the organizational tent told the story of how the wars often go: ``Give blood, play rugby.''
Brenden Bender of the Chapel Hill, N.C., Mastiffs took the message literally.
He stood patiently next to the Princess Anne Volunteer Rescue Squad ambulance as Joe Tottossy poured water over his head - the water turning a rosy pink as it dripped onto the ground.
Tottossy was trying to clean a wound that turned out to be worse than it looked - yet still a typical sight at a rubgy event.
``I had fallen on the ground and I guess somebody thought my head was the ball,'' said Bender, who also had blood dripping from a badly scraped elbow. ``They gave it a swift kick and . . .bam.''
One of Bender's teammates stood by in support, holding ice on his own badly bruised shoulder. A doctor, he was wondering whether the gash would require his expertise in stitching.
``It's holding up pretty good right now,'' Tottossy said. ``You can probably wait until the next break to do it. Just keep direct pressure on it until then.''
Bender and his physician teammate nodded and shuffled back to their playing site, Bender holding a small bag of ice and gauze over the wound - oblivious to pain.
The scene was typical on this sauna-like afternoon when players were participating in one of the most physical sports. They came mostly from the East Coast, but also from as far away as Jamaica. Some teams came to qualify for national competitions, others came to play and party.
The action kept Tottossy and the other paramedics hopping throughout the day, running two ambulances and a rescue car back and forth to the hospital for X-rays and attending on-site mishaps in between.
``This is my first rugby event,'' said Tottossy, an Army transportation officer stationed at Fort Eustis who volunteers with the rescue squad during his spare time.
``We try to have an ambulance out here during all events and there are always injuries. Youth football, soccer, softball, but this is definitely a sport where you have plenty.''
Before looking at Bender's head, Tottossy and his peers had seen one broken leg, a broken ankle, a couple of badly sprained ankles and cuts and bruises too numerous to keep count of.
They wouldn't see the pain and suffering the next few days as sore muscles and aching joints set in.
Many of the injuries were due to the hard and extremely dry playing surfaces, dangerous for ankles and bare skin.
The kind of contact experienced in rugby is one of the main attractions for Annie Collier and a growing number of women who have taken up the sport.
This year's tournament featured a division for women.
``That's exactly what drew me in,'' said Collier, a soon-to-be doctor. ``The full contact. It's none of that `what a woman's sport should be' stuff, yet it can be elegant at times. The more you play, the more you learn, the more you appreciate it.''
Added teammate Kimberly Nicado: ``And it's a great way to get some of those aggressions out.''
Collier is the president of the Tidewater Women's Storm club team formed last February. Nicado is another club officer.
Once the battles are over, there is arguably no sport better than rugby at forming treaties.
Once the final whistle is blown and emotions are subdued, all involved are usually off to a party that includes songs and toasts.
``It's a great way to meet people,'' Nicado said.
Saturday, players in the 40 teams rushed to the 67th Street Beach and Cabana Club for the postgame celebration and awards ceremony.
``It a guaranteed social outlet,'' Collier added. ``The spirit of everything draws you in. . . . It's all a part of it and it makes the game special.
``You come out and play against these people and knock heads for the course of the game and before you know it, you're all the best of buds.'' ILLUSTRATION: [Cover, Color photo]
TURF WARS
Staff photos by L. TODD SPENCER
Team Jamaica and a team from Washington, D.C. square off in a scrum
during Sunday's action at Princess Anne Park. The compact alignment
is akin to basketball's jump ball.
The Princess Anne Volunteer Rescue Squad was kept busy over the
weekend, dealing with such serious injuries as this broken ankle by
Rupert Scott of Wilmington, Del.
ABOVE: Everything you need for a day of rugby in 90 degree heat:
hat, ice, beer, jersey and water.
LEFT: Then after the game, folks like James Madison's Dustin Rodgers
settle in for the traditional songs, toasts and libation. The party
took place at the 67th Street Beach and Cabana Club.
This year's tournament featured a women's division - with teams
representing Washington, Hampton Roads and Maryland.
RUGBY
Here are the results of the Virginia Beach Falcons' Rugby Sevens
tournament.
Qualifier Division
1. Maryland Exiles
2. Norfolk Blues
3. Richmond
MVP - Kevin Gettings
A Open
1. PAC (Potomac)
2. Rugburns
3. Washington Irish
B Open
1. Roirawia Brooklyn
2. Newport News
3. UNC Chapel Hill
Women's Open
1. Washington, D.C.
2. Tidewater I
3. Maryland
by CNB