Picking up the ball and running with it

Prescot Cables' game at home to Mossley at the weekend was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, caused by torrential rain falling on already wet ground. So, it was time to find a sport with a relaxed attitude to mud (or where a safe and meaningful game can be played in wetter conditions than football).

I therefore made my first trip for some time to Waterloo FC, who were playing Sandal. I have been an occasional visitor to Blundellsands if Prescot Cables have not been playing or I have not wanted to go to an away game. Since I have been taking pictures for Prescot, I have been more inclined to travel away, so my visits to Waterloo have been even less frequent.

P.G.Wodehouse had Bertie Wooster describe rugby (union) thus, "Rugby football is a game I can't claim absolutely to understand in all its niceties, if you know what I mean. I can follow the broad, general principles, of course. I mean to say, the main scheme is to work the ball down the field somehow and deposit it over the line at the other end. In order to squelch this programme, each side is allowed to put in a certain amount of assault and battery and do things to its fellow man which, if done elsewhere, would result in 14 days without the option, coupled with some strong remarks from the Bench." Fortunately, we will be staying on the sidelines with a camera.

Both codes of rugby present a different photographic challenge to football: players are usually holding the ball when running with it, passing is by hand, and offside is simply being in front of the ball, which makes for a more structured flow of action. I usually watch from the side of the pitch rather than my normal football location behind the goal. I have never tried watching rugby union from the end of the pitch - I have with league, and got some good pictures of players running, but missed out on a lot of tackles.

Running and tackling are of course common to both union and league. Union, however, has its own photo opportunities: contested scrums (observe the nice straight feed in the example below),

and line outs, which seem to take a bit of time to organise, but are worth it from the photographer's point of view.

Another photogenic part of both codes of rugby is passing the ball - in union the best shots often come after the ball emerges from a scrum, ruck or maul.

For once at this time of year, I have not been talking about floodlights, as, in common with many rugby clubs, Waterloo kick off at 2.15 in the winter, allowing the game to be completed without adding to the electricity bill.

The rest of the pictures from the game can be seen here.