Saturday's a rugby day! You wake up, chug a hangover gatorade, put on your finest pair of rugby shorts and eat the most carb-laden breakfast that you can find. Then the thought hits you: you did not properly prepare for the long, hot day ahead of you. If you’ve got a little bit of time before you’re supposed to head out to the pitch, check out these tips.
1. Water, water, water.
2. Bring some snacks.
When you play up to four games a day, you’re going to need to keep yourself fueled up. I’m not talking your leftover pizza or Mexican food from the night before (well, if you’re in the pack, by all means go for it) but light snacks like fruit, nuts, granola bars and maybe stuff for sandwiches, if you're down for that.3. BYOB
Don’t be that person who neglects to bring their own libations to the pitch. Hook yourself up with a case of beer before you arrive, or throw in some cash with your teammates for some. Rugby players generally aren't stingy people, but that will keep you on everyone's good side for sure. You'll definitely earn bonus points if you bring your own cooler.
4. Douse yourself in sunscreen.
SPF 15, 30, 50+, whatever you've got in your kit, use it. Spending the day in the heat only gets worse when you add a sunburn into the equation. Hopefully, your teammates or the hosts of the tournament have tents set up, but even with that, you can never go wrong with a little extra protection from the sun.5. Enjoy the day ahead of you.
When it comes down to it, all that really matters is that you enjoyed the hell out of your day. Although it’s really an awesome feeling to bring home some hardware, it’s also awesome to know that you spent the day having a blast with your teammates, whether y'all are on the pitch or off. Take lots of pictures, laugh a lot and make the most of the time that you have playing this amazing game with the awesome people that you play it with. Now, with that being said: Happy rucking!
P.s. Please don't forget your mouthguard. That's the one thing you can't borrow.
