Underwater Rugby has been around for several years now – mostly in Europe I believe although I don’t know when it was first played.  A couple of the guys I play underwater hockey with had played it once or twice overseas and thought they would have a crack at getting it going in NZ.  It is governed internationally by CMAS who have published 40 or 50 pages of rules!

In NZ (Auckland) it has been going for 3 weeks now so we are all learning tactics etc.  At this stage most of the people playing are from the Fins underwater hockey club. 

Where: West Wave, Alderman Drive, Henderson

When:  7:45 pm Sunday nights.  We have the dive well booked from 8 pm to 9 pm.  (but NOT Sunday 7^th September as a large group of us will be going to Paihia for the Russell to Paihia Snorkel/Scuba Race that weekend)

Cost:  First night free, $10 per night after that.

Who to contact:  PM me if you want more info / phone numbers etc.

What do you wear?: togs, mask, snorkel, fins, water polo cap (blue or white for teams.  We will be able to sort out caps for people coming along to try the sport)

The game:

Underwater Rugby is an unusual sport in that both the ball and the players move in 3-dimensions.  We are playing it in the dive well at Henderson which is 5m deep.  The ball is slightly negatively buoyant so it sinks if you let it go (it is filled with heavily salted water).  There are 6 players in the water in each team (with subs waiting on the side of the pool – you can sub at any time).

DO NOT:

• Grab masks / snorkels / fins / togs
• Get rough – hit people etc.!
• Hold someone after they have let go of the ball (although it is a legitimate tactic to hold someone under UNTIL they let go of the ball).
• Grab someone who doesn’t have the ball
• Lift the ball above the surface of the water

If someone is swimming with the ball you can grab them and/or the ball but you cannot grab masks, snorkels, fins, togs.  If you have the ball you CAN fend someone off.  You can also push / lift someone off the goal

How do you score?:  Place the ball completely inside the goal – there is one at each end of the pool. The goal is a bin about twice the size of an office rubbish-bin (we are putting weight-belts in to keep them on the bottom).

Is it rough?  I would classify it as physical rather than rough.  It is a contact sport but you are swimming rather than running so it is not a high-impact sport.  We are playing in mixed teams and usually seem to have a couple of women on each team.  We also have a few secondary school kids playing and some old codgers in their 50s so it suits a wide range of people – as long as they are comfortable in fins, mask and snorkel.