Take Sevens rugby in November for example. The shorter, faster version of the game is a summer activity for most, yet the New York Sevens has 95 teams signed on and ready to play.

It's easy to understand why this format is popular. Clubs around the Northeast play a rigorous and physically demanding schedule in the fall, culminating in playoffs in early November. College, club, women, men, it doesn't matter; it's a long and tough season.

So what poses as a break for a rugby player? More rugby of course, but in a slight deviation that makes it more fun yet demanding. In Sevens, teams play with seven players instead of the usual 15 on the same size playing field. Suddenly there's so much more room to run.

But Sevens also allows for more opportunities to play more opponents because the games are only 14 minutes long. This opportunity brings teams from not only the Northeast, but the world. Like its summer partner, the Saranac Lake Can-Ams, the New York Sevens brings with it a distinctly international flavor.

"Lots of teams from Canada, especially Montreal, like to go down," said Montreal Wanderers coach and former Canadian International player Colin Robertson. "We even had a warmup tournament."

Although warmup seems a somewhat optimistic term when none of the gametime temperatures were above freezing.

"We're really excited to go," said Robertson. "We're just a young club with a bunch of guys who have never really played Sevens. So what's a 30-year-old like me doing going down? I have no idea. I just love to play."

The international attraction builds on itself. Canadians love to play the Americans, and the ever-increasing number of American teams are able to play a wide variety of foreigners.

"Normally we play Sevens all summer but it is pretty much the same teams," said Princeton Athletic Club's Jeff Heisler. "So the idea that we get to play against teams we normally don't interact with, and play a different level of competition, that's something we really like."

During the 2004 Premier Champions held in Los Angeles, the Samurai were a perfect example of the international community found in rugby. As a professional team that brings in players from all over the world, the Samurai were deadly in their ability to attack from all parts of the field, and where a joy for any rugby fan to watch.

The 2004 tournament also served as a warmup for the Mexico national team as they prepared to play in their first big-time international tournament at the USA Sevens. They were joined by the British Army, Bermuda Nomads ... you get the idea.

The NY Sevens features four teams in its premier division including New England champions New Haven, Rockaway, Long Island, and New York powerhouse Old Blue. But things gets more diverse in the club brackets.

The Buffalo Freaks are back to defend their title against the anxious New York hosts. This year they will also face a strong Canadian invasion as the Montreal Exiles, aforementioned Wanderers, Ottawa Castors, Rugby Club de Montreal, two teams from Sherbrooke, and the St-Jean Barracudas from the French-speaking side of Montreal to round it out.

A similiar situation exists for the women, where les Quebecois have les bragging rights. The Town of Mount Royal's Yang team (they have a Yin team too) took last year's championship by winning all five games while outscoring their opponents 204-7.

While New York's own are brilliant and loaded with talent, Rugby Club de Montreal will be among those Canadians who want to unseat TMR.

For many of these clubs, they have already met, albeit in slightly warmer, more rural circumstances. In some ways the Saranac Lake Can-Am Tournament held each summer Upstate serves as a similar break for the rugby mad.

There it's a 15-a-side tournament in the middle of Sevens season, and teams come from all over North America to play and talk rugby with new opponents. It's a festival that brings in teams from the South (Mason Dixon Touring Side), the North (Ottawa Indians), the West (Air Force).

Saranac has also been a supporter of greater rugby endeavors such as the annual USA v. Canada women's test match held in New York each August.

For these tournaments the teams are usually split up into premier, competitive, and social divisions. The divisions are essential because the quality of teams varies tremendously, ranging from Old Blue's grit and power, New York women's speed, and TMR's teamwork.

While the social teams are the most popular and not expected to challenge the top teams, they still put out the grueling effort required just to play rugby.

Rugby is, after all, a game that requires immense dedication. Even in Sevens, where the physicality of the game is reduced, players must cover vast amounts of territory that are usually filled by over twice the number of players. There are few breaks and no places to hide, even for those who don't expect to hoist a trophy at the end of the day.

From Montreal, the Wanderers will take three teams of varying expectations and each team is expected to give it their best.

"Any kind of competition, even a social competition, it seems it becomes all business once you get on the pitch," said Robertson. "I don't know why you'd play any other way."

But then he added ... "of course, taking a trip down to New York on America's Thanksgiving is not a bad thing either. Not a bad thing at all."n

Alex Goff is the editor of GoffonRugby.com where he covers American and Canadian rugby issues of all divisions and levels.