The sport is wildly popular in Europe and South Africa.
In the United States, it has generally been dominated by teams from the West and Midwest.
But Sunday afternoon, one of rugby's national titles belonged to a team from Tampa Bay.
The Tampa Bay Krewe, under the direction of Coach David "Dai" Morgan, defeated Doylestown, Pa., 29-17 in overtime to capture the USA Rugby Division II National Championship at Glendale, Colo.
In Saturday's semifinals, the Krewe downed Snake River, Idaho, 33-23.
"I have played team sports of some sort since I was 5," said Krewe captain Tyler Cathey, a Tampa attorney, who tied the match on a score with one minute remaining in regulation. "But this is the greatest array of individual talent I've ever been around. And it is certainly the greatest team.
"Everyone had a stake in this. Everyone had a part to play. We get the victory, but I believe it is a huge triumph for the sport in Florida generally and in the Tampa Bay area specifically."
Morgan, a Welshman, is in his first season with the Krewe. His long-term goal is to raise rugby's profile and increase the sport's participation at all levels.
"There are other clubs in our area and we don't necessarily need to make them our arch-rivals," Morgan said. "Our goal is to work together, build the base of this sport and make the Tampa Bay area the place to be for rugby."
Sunday's national-championship accomplishment was a giant step in that direction.
The Krewe players are teachers, salespeople and laborers. A half-dozen nationalities are represented. There are college-age players. There is a 46-year-old.
"But now we've really got something in common," Cathey said. "And we'll have this forever. It was an awesome, competitive match and we had to earn everything we got. Now we can celebrate. It was a weekend we'll never forget."
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