Rugby is internationally known as one of the most physical sports in existence.
It would only make sense, then, that former players from the Douglas High football program (widely characterized as one of the most physical in the region) have created a pipeline into the University of Nevada rugby club.
"Our coach is always joking that if we could get a couple more Douglas guys out for rugby, we'd be a lot more competitive," said Nevada senior Adam Johnson, who graduated from Douglas in 2003. "We're definitely not strangers to contact.
"Playing for Coach (Mike) Rippee, we learn toughness. None of us are afraid of contact."
Johnson, his brother Zach and Austin Glenn are all former Tiger football players on Nevada's roster this season. Another Douglas grad, Joe Dragon, also plays for the team.
In recent years, the Wolf Pack roster has also included former Tiger standouts Matt Wilcks, Paul Mannelly, Johnny Mannelly and Keenan Copp.
The Johnson brothers and Glenn were all linemen in their high school days. Each one has taken on a significantly different role in rugby.
"Other than the contact, there really isn't too much similarity between football and rugby," Adam Johnson said. "Even big guys like myself get a chance to run the ball in rugby.
"The strategies are different. It's more like basketball and soccer as far as defense and spreading the field."
Except, of course, you get to hit people.
"I've had a couple concussions," Johnson said with a laugh. "There are a lot of shoulder separations and things like that. My brother dislocated his finger in one match, but overall the injuries are pretty minor. You get bruised up pretty well."
Adam Johnson and Glenn both play the lock position, a tandem pairing that provides the push during scrums. Zach Johnson plays a position called eight-man.
"Basically, during a scrum you have three guys in the front row and then two locks behind the front line," Adam Johnson said. "The eight man is behind the locks.
"During open play, though, there aren't really set positions. You spread out on defense and there's really not much more to it. Anyone can run the ball, everyone is eligible. Kicked balls can go forward but passes must go backward."
Adam and Zach Johnson have each scored two trys, which occur when the ball is carried into the opposing team's in-goal area. A Try is worth five points.
Nevada plays in the most-competitive league in the Western United States. It includes national No. 1 California, No. 3 St. Mary's, No. 4UC Davis, Stanford, Chico State and Sacramento State.
"We do all right, but it's a tough league," Adam Johnson said. "We play each team twice and three teams in our league are in the top four in the country. We are senior-laden this season and we've been pretty competitive."
The big difference, though, has been Nevada's lack of depth.
"We're going out there against teams with 40 to 50 guys," Johnson said. "We're lucky if we get 20 to 25 out.
"You look at Cal, they've got five or six international players on their roster and multiple All-Americans. For us, we have a solid core of about 15, but there isn't much beyond that.
"It's a tough sell here for some reason. I don't know if it's the weather or because people don't know the sport, but we can't get our numbers up."
This year's squad will be playing for its playoff lives Saturday against nationally-ranked Stanford at1 p.m. at the Univeristy of Nevada intramural fields by the the east of Mackay Stadium.
"It's a deal where if we win, we're in," Johnson said. "We just have to beat Stanford, but they are still pretty good."
Admission is free for the game.
"We hope a lot of people from down in Gardnerville will come out," Johnson said. "Who knows, we may end up recruiting some new guys to come play with us. It's a blast. Once you get out and play, it's a great time."
