play on! (5 pics) amateur rugby

[squirl033]

something a bit out of the ordinary for me... i rarely do sports photography, but today i thought i'd try something different, so i went to a playfield park a few miles away to shoot a rugby game between two amateur clubs. the light wasn't great, especially at the beginning, though it got better toward the end of the game. i shot these with both my 5D and 40D, depending on which lens i needed at the time... the 100-400 was too long for the near-sideline shots, so i used my 24-135 for those...

 

[david1701]

I like them, especially 3, I rarely get kicking shots to come out nicely.

Also they play real rugby in america :O won't they get hurt without body armour

 

[Freester]

Nice first attempt. Like the sharpness and the colour. #2 is potentially the best of the set but I think the focus in on the player behind right of the ball carrier. The rest would be better if you cropped in more on the action.

On a personal note really nice to see these. Reminds me of my year in Atlanta working. I joined one of the local rugby clubs out there. All ex Hockey and College Football players. They played a simple, direct, physical game. Fun times and a pleasure to be a part of.

What teams are in this set?

 

[squirl033]

I like them, especially 3, I rarely get kicking shots to come out nicely.

Also they play real rugby in america :O won't they get hurt without body armour

LOL! yep, we do have a few crazies here that get out and do battle without helmets and pads. i was one myself, many years ago. played 3 years at a prep school in Victoria, BC, and two more on my college team in Tacoma, WA. i recal the first time i saw the game, i was scared stiff thought i'd break every bone in my body, but after i'd played a bit, i realized that aside from an assortment of contusions, scrapes and bruises - usually hidden by mud and not felt till one got in the shower after the match - serious injuries were fairly rare. in 5 years playing, i got my hand broken once, and sprained an ankle. the same 5 years in American football would likely have taken a much higher toll... it's the "armor" that hurts you!

 

[squirl033]

Nice first attempt. Like the sharpness and the colour. #2 is potentially the best of the set but I think the focus in on the player behind right of the ball carrier. The rest would be better if you cropped in more on the action.

On a personal note really nice to see these. Reminds me of my year in Atlanta working. I joined one of the local rugby clubs out there. All ex Hockey and College Football players. They played a simple, direct, physical game. Fun times and a pleasure to be a part of.

What teams are in this set?

these were the Eastside Rugby Club (Redmond, WA) Axemen and the Bend, OR Roughriders.

as for the focus, sometimes the players outrun the AF, even with USM! LOL! it was also a rather dreary day, light wasn't very good, so i was shooting wide open to keep the shutter speed up. hopefully i'll be able to shoot another match with better light, and can employ some lessons learned and get better shots!