Rugby in Movies

Rugby has appeared in several different movies over the years. It is not as prevalent as American football in Hollywood films. This is due to the fact that US gamblers and spectators are not as familiar with the sport of rugby. Despite this fact, there have still been a number of great movies that focus on rugby as a theme.

Invictus

Invictus was directed by Clint Eastwood and is set during the Rugby World Cup of 1995. At the time South Africa was hosting the event. Betting bookies did not expect them to win. Despite unlikely odds, South Africa ended up surprising the sporting world.

Alive

In 1972 a Uruguayan rugby team was involved in a plane crash. They spent days trapped on the Andes mountains. A 1993 film called Alive was made detailing their ordeal. The team captain takes on a leadership role to help maintain the group’s survival. The theme of teamwork is important to the story. The survivors help each other and come up with ways to protect themselves against the elements.

Jungle Cry

Jungle Cry is another true story about rugby players. This one concerns a team made up of children. With the help of a coach called Rudraksh Jena, they went on to win the 2007 Junior Rugby World Cup. This was not expected by sports gamblers as the team was made up of underprivileged tribal children. The main message of the film is that anyone can achieve their dreams if they try hard enough.

Forever Strong

Forever Strong is not a direct biopic but inspired by a number of true stories. The story follows a player of rugby union games who ends up having to compete with a team coached by his father. In contrast with Alive, Forever Strong is a much more personal drama.