MMA Referee Marc Goddard plays first-ever rugby match
Marc Goddard, a highly respected MMA referee, played his first-ever game of rugby on Boxing Day at Old Halesonians Rugby Club.
Marc can usually be found in between some of the most ferocious fighters on the planet, so somewhat ironic that on Boxing Day he saw himself in the middle of a scrum in Stourbridge.
“I’ve always had such an appreciation for the game of rugby, so when I was invited to play on Boxing Day, I decided to give it a go and it was amazing,” he said.
“I played in the second row and as flanker, which I really enjoyed because you get to do a bit of everything! Although, in the first couple of scrums, I kept grabbing the leg of my own teammate, like I’d do in wrestling, and he kept hitting me off!
“The game was a friendly but at the end of the day, it’s rugby. It was good-natured but still physical and respectful.
“Rugby has always been a game I’ve admired immensely. My younger brother played to a really good level all his life. If I hadn’t gone into MMA, I think I would have played rugby too. That’s why, when I got the opportunity to play, I jumped at it.”
Marc got involved in the team through his son, who joined Old Halesonians last year and currently plays in the U10s.
“I’m so glad my son has taken to rugby. There’s so much camaraderie in the sport, and I really admire the ethics and values the game promotes,” he added.
“I think there’s a lot of crossover between rugby, MMA and wrestling. There are quite a few boys in my son’s age group who do both – it’s actually how he got into it, through the other boys persuading him to give rugby a go.
“I’ve even attended some rugby training sessions and taught the boys some wrestling techniques to help with their rugby skills."
Inspired by his Boxing Day game, Marc has plans to return to the pitch in the near future.
“I’ve been asked to play in a couple of games since Boxing Day, but I’ve been so busy with work. I’ll 100% get back into it—whether it’s training or playing a game, I’ll be back for sure.
“I don’t want to wait until next Boxing Day to play again!”
As Marc can attest, it’s never too late to start playing rugby. Find your local rugby club and give it a go.
