WHAT do you get if you cross the impact of a rugby game with the serenity of snorkelling? The answer is the latest sport making waves around the world.

Underwater rugby was invented in Germany, in the late ‘60s, and has seen a steady rise in popularity in Europe, with Australia jumping in the pool six years ago.

The University of NSW’s underwater rugby team is the only team in NSW participating at an elite and amateur level.

“The Australian version of underwater rugby really began in Sydney,” UNSW underwater rugby president Thibault Tabarin said.

“A team member visited Norway, and brought back this weird ball that didn’t float on the water, and told us, ‘wait until you see this ball’ and we started from there.”

media_camera Take a deep breath: players hold their breath in 10-30 seconds bursts

But what is the sport? Having more rules in common with hockey than rugby, players battle it out underwater in 10-30-second bursts, trying to put a ball filled with saltwater into a basket the size of a wastepaper bin.

The sport, which Tabarin described as both physical and gentle, has made its way around Australia through word of mouth, with teams springing up in almost every state.

“When a former UNSW player moves to another city, they set up another underwater rugby team. We now have teams in Canberra, Melbourne, Hobart, Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane,” Tabarin said.

media_camera UNSW Underwater rugby team members.

The sport is tough on players’ lungs, but according to Tabarin, anyone can get involved.

“We have people from all levels who come along to play,” Tabarin said,

“We have a 55-year-old who plays for fun, and we have others who play at a higher level.

“The skills of the game can be picked up with time and patience. The fitter you become, the more you enjoy the game, so it works as a fun sport and as a way to be fit.”

media_camera The University of New South Whales Underwater rugby team.

The team will be heading to Berlin as part of the world championships in November, with players currently looking for sponsorship.

For more information visit uwrugby.wordpress.com