PEORIA MAGAZINE May 2023

S P O T L I G H T

MUD, BLOOD, SWEAT – AND A FINE PARTY AFTERWARDS

Members of the Peoria Piggies men's rugby club practice at Catholic Charities Field

The Peoria Piggies rugby team prepares to celebrate 50 years of competitive play and respectful camaraderie BY PHIL LUCIANO PHOTOS BY RON JOHNSON R od Pauli wasn’t sure if he wanted to play rugby. In 1982, a friend invited Pauli to a Peoria Piggies home match, which he found interesting. But he was more impressed by the post-game gathering, known as a “social,” which the home squad traditionally hosts for both teams, by rugby tradition. Pauli was wowed that the two sides, after relentlessly walloping each other on the field for 80 minutes, could come together to share food, drink and goodwill.

The Peoria Bootleggers women's rugby club at practice

FOOTBALL WITHOUT THE PADS

“Great competition on the field became great camaraderie at the social,” recalls Pauli, 63. He soon joined the Piggies, starting a relationship with the club that has lasted decades. That’s not unusual, as many “old boys,” as aging and former players are known, have stuck around to nurture newcomers and keep the club thriving. Their extra effort is the reason the Peoria Rugby Football Club celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. “For a club to stay together for 50 years, it says there are some good, solid people at the core,” Pauli said.

In 1973, the club started modestly, with a ragtag group gathering at the Bradley University quad and playing amid the trees. For that initial squad, one of the first orders of business was figuring out the rules, which can seem complex but are fundamentally simple. It’s essentially football without pads, blocking or forward passing. But though the sport is physical, it rarely gets as brutal as football. Without a helmet or shoulder pads, a cheap shot on the rugby field — known as a pitch

30 MAY 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE