If you’re travelling through Scotland in our motorhome throughout September and October, you might notice a few more flags than usual. Of course, we Scots are very proud of our heritage, so noticing the Scottish flag in most places that you go is not unusual. But the abundance of our flag only really happens once every four years, and it’s a signifier of a very important thing. The Rugby World Cup!
That’s right, you might not know it yet, but you’re going to be renting a motorhome during one of our favourite sporting tournaments. This is the time of the year when every Scot walks around with hope in their hearts and the thought of glory sparkling in their eyes. Of course, we’ve never actually won a Rugby World Cup. We’ve never even been to the semis, but that doesn’t stop us from getting our hopes up every four years – only to be bitterly disappointed at the end of October when we don’t see a new trophy in the Murrayfield cabinet.
This is also the time when the streets of our cities and towns are buzzing with anticipation and excitement. With countless venues across the country showing the games, there will be lots of opportunities to join in with the fun, but it’s important that you understand the game of rugby. So, for anyone who wants to get involved with the World Cup action – but hasn’t actually watched a rugby game before – here’s everything you need to know about the game and Scotland’s World Cup campaign:
How Does Rugby Work?
Okay, so here’s the 101. Rugby is a game played between two teams of fifteen players. The objective of the game is to score more points than the other team. Is that enough info? No? Alright, we’ll continue. Rugby teams score points by getting down to the other side’s “try line” and placing the ball down. Each side is allowed to tackle the other below the shoulders and attempt to “turn over” the ball to start their own attack.
If a player scores a “try”, then they win their team 5 points. They then also get a shot at goal, which is called a “conversion”, and will win their team an extra 2 points. Players are not allowed to pass the ball forward and so must find gaps in a team’s defence through carefully coordinated moves or sheer brute strength! Each half lasts 40 minutes.
Why Is It Worth A Watch?
As mentioned before, the Rugby World Cup brings about a certain buzz and enthusiasm in and around Scotland. Even when the games aren’t playing, there’s an air of excitement and anticipation. When the games are being played, however, it’s a great opportunity for you to make a few new friends and have a night to remember. For many people, Scotland is one of the friendliest countries anyway, but we’re even more friendly if our team has just won!
In all seriousness, though, a sporting event like this can be a key factor in a successful motorhome adventure. One thing you don’t want to do is see Scotland from the outside looking in. Instead, you should get out there and really experience the places and people. The Rugby World Cup provides a perfect backdrop to socialise and really live in the moment, so try to take advantage of it!
Where Is The Best Place To Watch The RWC?
When it comes to where you can take advantage of it, there are so many sports venues to watch the RWC – we’ve listed out five of our favourites in our blog on the best venues to watch the RWC in 2023. But the thing about Scotland is that there are tons of sports venues, and they all have their own merits. With this in mind, we’ll add five honourable mentions that deserve to be on that list, just in case you’re not passing through any of those destinations:
- The Foundry in Perth
- Lumins Sports Bar in Paisley
- Sunny’s Bar in Fort William
- The Icons Sports Bar in Falkirk
- The Ballroom in Dunfermline
If you find yourself staying near any of these venues during your Scottish travels, we would highly recommend that you pop in and experience the atmosphere. And if you’re still thinking about booking one of our vehicles, you can even risk arriving on the 29th of October. That’s when either our national mourning or the national celebrations begin, but we’re not going to place a bet on which one it will be just yet!
