melin X USA Rugby
Gearing up for the World Stage
We’re hyped to announce our partnership with USA Rugby as they gear up for the World Stage. It’s tough to find a sport that embodies the same principles we have here at melin - train hard, play hard and most importantly, Have More Fun. But we seem to have found that in Rugby.
That fondness led us to partnering with USA Rugby on our recent Americana Collection, adorning our best-selling Odyssey with the iconic, retro USA Rugby Crest.
We know Rugby might be new to some of you, so we broke it down below, particularly our office favorite, Rugby 7s.
Rugby…It’s Football Without Pads, Right?
The game of Rugby was new to a majority of us in the melin office but there were a few who were already fans…and somehow our entire Operations team played growing up. Ask anyone who’s played the sport, and they’ll tell you that it’s a culture steeped in hard work, selflessness, and fun.
Now it’s easy for the untrained eye to call it football without pads. That’s not exactly the case although there are a lot of similarities. In fact it is the inspiration of football. The sport originated in the early 19th century in England. Ironically enough and according to popular legend, it actually came to life during a game of football…the original football though, aka soccer. The sport quickly gained popularity and spread throughout the country, with rules eventually coded in 1845 by the students of Rugby School. By the late 19th century, Rugby had taken its popularity worldwide, becoming a staple in countries like New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and France. To this day, Rugby is one of the most popular sports across the globe.
How is Rugby 7s different?
We’ll start very simple. It’s fun, it’s fast and the athletes who compete are absolutely fearless.
Rugby 7s is a variant of the original game of Rugby, which is played with 15 players on the pitch for each team. The biggest difference between that game and the game of Rugby 7s is the number of players on the pitch. You guessed it, 7s has 7 players for each side. This leads to what we talked about initially, the fast pace of play. There’s more open space meaning more action and electric plays.
For those of you looking for a crash course in all the official rules of Rugby 7s, take a peek here. It’s simple…but complex.
‘It’s like backyard football, king of the hill. It’s nonstop for 14 minutes straight…You’re gonna see coast-to-coast action, nonstop and just pure speed.’ -Malacchi Esdale, Team USA - Rugby 7s
melin x USA Rugby: A Perfect Match
We pride ourselves on our product, highlighted by the craftsmanship and durability of every hat we make. Well, we see the same attributes in every USA Rugby player. Just as dedicated to being the best in their sport, committed to high-level performance and as durable as one can be.
Gearing up for the World Stage
Both the men’s and women will be venturing across the pond to compete on the world stage this Summer. Rugby 7’s is such a fast-paced game that anything can happen. And both the men’s and women’s teams have had great showings in the past few years.
‘Every time we make it to a final and the national anthem is playing and I get to salute the flag, is a moment I will never forget.’
-Sammy Sullivan, Team USA - Rugby 7s
Follow along over the next few weeks as we give you a behind the scenes look and exclusive access to both teams, including both men’s and women’s Captains, Kevon Williams and Naya Tapper.
Join us as we cheer them on this Summer!!