Rugby question....New to London and would like to see a match....are their local teams like football?

Question

I've always liked Rugby, but only have seen it played at the Ivy League college level.

I am new to the UK and would love to see a match here as it seems to be a somewhat popular sport.

Any websites that detail the local teams, or leagues? What would be a good team to watch?

Thanks.

Answer 1

Yes, there are local club teams.

There are actually two forms of the sport; rugby union and rugby league. Union was traditionally a middle class Southern based sport and, until recently, was strictly amateur whilst League was traditionally Northern based, working class, and always professional. For over 100 years the two versions refused to have anything to  do with each other and there was considerable bad blood (for instance, union players who played even one league game were banned for life by the union governing body) It is only within the last ten years, following the professionalisation of Union, that the two forms are friendlier. (If you have watched it played at American Ivy League colleges, then you would have seen rugby union played)

In London, Union has always been the more popular version (although  League increases to spread rapidly at school level). Currently, the most central big team, based in West London in the Twickenham area, is Harlequins. They play at the highest possible level, in the Guiness Premiership. There are also three other Premiership teams in London: Wasps, London Irish, and Saracens (all of whom are temporarily playing at home stadiums just outside London for financial reasons)  

League is almost exclusively based in the north of England, but there are two League teams carrying the gospel of League to London. Harlequins (sharing a stadium and name with the Union team, but a seperate business from it ) play at the highest national level, the Superleague, whilst Skolars play at a much lower level, in the National League Division 2. The new League season begins in February.

Here's a link to Harlequins, for both the Union and League teams:http://www.quins.co.uk/default.ink

Answer 2

Depends if you ant to see Rugby League or Union

London-based Union teams include Harlequins, with London Irish, Wasps and Saracens in the vicinity.

The only London-based League team is Harlequins (different to union team but at same ground).

Go to the BBC Sport rugby web pages for more info, www.bbc.co.uk/sport and click on Rugby League / Union on he left