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By Carlos M. Arias
Arizona Daily Wildcat
October 3, 1996
Sustaining a concussion, dealing with an injured knee, working in a dairy farm, drinking beer out of a penis-shaped glass, scoring twice while playing rugby in the country known for its rugby tradition - those are some of the vivid moments that four UA freshmen remember of their trip to New Zealand during the summer.Flyhalf Zach Harrison, 19, wing James Allgood, 20, fullback Chris Kron, 20 and halfback Michael Fair, 19, spent eight weeks in two different cities playing rugby for amateur kiwi teams.
"While having a lot of fun, it was definitely a different sensation," Kron said.
He scored twice in the sixth and final game he played in for the Te Puke team. Not bad for a guy who suffered a concussion in his first game.
"For them it was like nothing happened," Kron said. "I don't remember anything after suffering the concussion at that game and after scoring twice at my last game, but the result was the same. They gave me a beer after the game."
Allgood could not play because of a knee injury he sustained during training in New Zealand. He is expected to undergo surgery soon. He has played rugby since he was 12 years old.
"It was cool," Allgood said. "We made a lot of friends and some people gave us shelter and a job painting a church."
Harrison, with three years of rugby experience, said he played two games in Auckland during the eight weeks the four UA rugby players were there.
"They (the New Zealanders) were great and the experience was nice," Auckland said. "People over there showed us around the towns we stayed at."
For the New Zealanders, rugby is to them what baseball is in America, Harrison said.
David Sitton, UA rugby team head coach, said members of his collegiate club would be sent to New Zealand in the future to get more experience in a country where rugby is the main sport.
"I don't have to ask them what they learned there," Sitton said. "I already know what they taught them. It is up to them to put it in practice and become the leaders of their teams."
Fair, who played four games in Te Puke, said New Zealanders do not practice or condition as much as college students in America.
"They have been playing rugby all their lives," Sitton said.
"They are used to the game and really understand it well."
Kron said the New Zealanders could not believe that Americans played rugby. The longer they were there, though, the more similarities they found.
"We saw them playing soccer, basketball, tennis, golf and especially cricket," Allgood said.
The four said they enjoyed their visit and plan to go back again on the next trip the rugby team is organizing for this summer.
On Saturday the UA rugby team will play Wyoming, Colorado and Colorado State at Wyoming.
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