I think the problem with the game is that, imho, it just isnât as fun to play as football - yet now, in its infancy it suffers from the same kind of parental apprehensions about safety.
You wouldnât necessarily know about the fun factor unless you have played both games, however. The game has been around for a long time, and kids in countries where rugby is popular (evidently) find it fun so hardly a deal breaker.
Another problem is that most public school systems tend to shed sports (not add them) in 2020, so rugby faces an uphill struggle to find a toehold in high school sports. It wouldnât compete directly with football in high school sports since afaik rugby season in the US is Jan-June. It would compete with high school basketball, track/field, and baseball on the boys side.
Another hurdle is that, like soccer, rugbyâs popularity struggles to break out of university towns (for reference see the movie Breaking Away, which revolves around cycling).
Not going to bleat on about this in a thread about the AB, but not surprisingly the game in the US is mostly strangled in its cradle for more than one reason.
Bunch of good points as to why rugby hasnât gained a huge foothold in the US. My kid played football through high school and then switched to rugby in college (and loves the All Blacks, just to keep this mostly on topic). Growing up watching football, I think FB is more exciting to watch, but he prefers rugby as a game. I also like that rugbybseems to have more rigorous penalties for dangerous play (prolonged suspensions in some cases). Rugby also seems to be something people can keep playing at a non-professional level long after college, something you canât say about tackle football. If I could go back a few years, I probably would have pointed him to club rugby to begin with, though the nearest club is a bit of a hike compared to the youth football programs.
(Could move this to the newer Rugby thread if too off topic? The Rugby Thread)
Yes itâs true that as you get older a collision sport becomes less and less a good fit, no question.
That aspect of the game, though, is why, as a kid, I found football so much fun. The complete and utter chaos that erupted at the snap was something I loved. Part of what makes a good player is reading whatâs actually going on, and I loved that, too.
Not often that a kid can be sent spinning into the air like a top and come down grinning ear to ear. I found it pretty joyful, and rewarding.