[004] Wednesday 09 September 2022.

[matthimatical]

I was going to do one of those fancy privacy charms so that the Slytherins can't read this, but I still don't know how to do it even though I've asked around and even went to Dad to see if he could help and --

Is anyone else interested in playing a game called 'rugby'? Apparently, it's a Muggle sport, so I guess it makes sense to write about in a

Comments

[buttonholed]

No, you don't have to play it with one boy and one girl and the loser does not have to wear a dress or get their photo taken or posted in a journal. That was part of a wager that Anna and I made. Usually rugby is played in teams of men, though some manly women have their own teams as well. The loser simply loses and the winner wins. Simple enough.

[matthimatical]

Ugh, a Slytherin. No one asked you -- So what you're saying is that 'rugby' doesn't really have any actual rules and you can just make them up as you go along? And why is it usually just men and not women? Why can't you play with mixed teams? Why isn't there a prize? Not saying that there has to be one, and anyway, I think games are better without them.

[buttonholed]

No. Not at all. You can play with mixed teams for recreation but not officially and there doesn't have to be a prize. But why on earth would games be better without them?

[matthimatical]

Everyone focuses too much on winning rather than having fun when there are prizes. It's very ugly but rather Slytherin, I guess.

[playingcupid]

I don't think I'd be very good. My boobs would get in the way.

[firstoutfirstup]

The practical answer would be to bind them down, but the bloke in me is smacking the shite out of my sensible side for suggesting that.

[playingcupid]

There must be some use for them. Like, maybe I could knock the opposition out with them or something. Hah.

[matthimatical]

Wouldn't that be painful for everyone involved? Not that I'd know what it'd be like to knock someone over with those though.

[with_bite]

Rugby is usually played as a fifteen-a-side game, though there can be seven-a-side tournaments, like the Hong Kong sevens. They're generally all fairly big blokes, but the backs are smaller than the forwards and sevens players tend to be a bit smaller as well since they have more field to cover with less than half the amount of players as a regular side, it's important for them to be able to move quickly and run for long distances as well as tackle. And unlike Quidditch, you only have one ball in rugby. It's oval-shaped and looks a bit like an egg

[matthimatical]

Thanks for all of that information, whoever you are (sorry). This is even more confusing than Quidditch, but I think I'll manage once I read it over several times or ask Dad. But where does the dress come in?

[with_bite]

This is Izzy. I could start dotting my i's with hearts for until you recognise my handwriting, but that's getting a bit silly.

There's no dress. That's just something Nick and Anna decided on to increase the game sakes, sort of like a dare.

[verydemanding]

Are there rugs in rugby?

[matthimatical]

You know, I never really thought about it that way, but perhaps you're right! Maybe that's why it's called rugby? I wonder who thought it would be a good idea to add '-by' at the end? Perhaps we should ask that Slytherin bloke up there, whoever he is.

[buttonholed]

Only if there are girls playing.