Leader of women's rugby takes hard knocks with grace

Rugby is a rough sport, but that doesn't deter a determined group of 15 local women from playing. The Charleston Hurricanes Women's Rugby Football Club actively competes and just returned from a tournament in Memphis last weekend. Erica Colls, 28, a Massachusetts native who lives west of the Ashley, is the team president.

Q. How did the tournament go this past weekend?

A. We placed fourth (out of four teams) in the South, behind Orlando, Miami and Memphis. We lost to Orlando in the first game, embarrassingly 89-0. We held them for the first 20 minutes, but after their first score and the continuous hard hits, we lost confidence. Orlando is a very strong team. We lost against Memphis, too, 19-7. It was a very close game though, and we played very well. They simply capitalized on a few of our mistakes, and we couldn't get into the try zone, aka end zone in football, enough.

Q. Where does the women's team practice and play?

A. We practice at the Ansonborough Field near the (S.C.) Aquarium field. We play where we are allowed access. Fields are hard to come by. In the past year, we've played home matches at Tank Loop Road Fields in North Charleston and James Island County Park.

To play, we travel to places like Jacksonville, Savannah, Atlanta, Columbia, Fayetteville, Memphis and Chattanooga.

Q. What are fees to play on the team?

A. $75 per year or $30 per season (spring/summer/fall).

Q. Do most of the local players have collegiate backgrounds?

A. Yes. If they did not play rugby, they may have been another athlete. USC, UConn, Lake Forest, Shippensburg, Winona, Kenyon, Air Force Academy and Geneseo are some of the schools (represented).

Q. How would you suggest a newbie get involved?

A. Just let us know via e-mail or phone you'd like to play (contacts are listed on www.charlestonwomensrugby.org). We'll send you some information about the game, its laws and positioning, etc. Then show up to practice.

Q. How did you get into rugby?

A. I had always thought I'd be a college soccer player, but when I ended up at UConn, I knew that wasn't going to happen. I'd only be a practice player or someone who sat the bench. I needed to be involved with a team sport, and rugby provided that and more.

Q. What do you like about it?

A. As a sport, it's physically and mentally challenging. And socially, it's like a counterculture, like fraternity or sorority. Rugby players around the world will open their doors to help each other in a heartbeat.

Q. How do men react when they hear you play rugby?

A. If I'm out and wearing the usual dress or at work in business attire, men are a bit surprised, but typically think it's pretty cool. Guys like that I can get dirty and play a tough sport, but clean up well. Or at least, that's the impression they give me to my face.

Q. A Charleston men's rugby player says there's a stereotype of rugby players as "barbaric ruffians who like to get drunk." Is that true?

A. There's a saying that rugby is a ruffian sport that gentlemen play. I think many ruggers have a work-hard and play-hard mentality. Most of my college teammates, myself included, have or are candidates for higher degrees, and careers that wouldn't allow "barbaric ruffians." The Charleston women also have career professionals.

Q. Rugby is like football without pads. Is it inevitable that you get bumps, bruises and scrapes?

A. Yes, I currently have a black eye and may have a broken nose, and torn ligaments in a finger. (But) I've only had one other black eye in 10 years of rugby. A few bumps and bruises are inevitable in a season.