In rugby, the rules require the ball to be passed back, and a forward pass is illegal. The opposite applies to the real world, where passing it forward (paying it forward), is encouraged. Rugby’s forward pass is allowed off the field to enhance communities. Rugby is a sport that teaches people what it means to be part of a community and has the innate ability to alter lives for the better.

Rugby gives back to the communities in many ways, as well as fosters a strong bond amongst everyone involved in the team and community. There are too many charities, organisations, and rugby fundraisers to mention in one article, but a few are featured below that have upcoming events in December 2014.

Athletes and everyone else involved in rugby can be proud when the club they work with or support does what is right and stands for something more than the sport itself. An example of how rugby can make a difference is demonstrated in California. OMBAC Rugby (Old Mission Beach Athletic Club San Diego, CA) is having a match against Saint Mary’s College of California Rugby on Saturday 13 Dec http://on.fb.me/1AgWf9z . The match will benefit the Toys for Tots foundation. Supporters get free admission if they bring an unwrapped gift. Free rugby and benefiting children sounds like a perfect incentive to attend a rugby match; not that anyone needs an excuse to watch rugby.

Travelling around as a rugby player, there is opportunity to take notice of areas in the community needing improvement. Simple observations such as these led world-renowned rugby players Ali Williams, Richie McCaw, and Dan Carter to start a charity called For Everyone Charitable Foundation (FECF) (http://foreveryone.org.nz) in New Zealand. FECF gives back to the community by providing small grants and resources for projects that may not otherwise get funding.

Some of FECF’s core values are trust and togetherness, which coincide with ideals of rugby. For the holidays, Westpac New Zealand is supporting FECF with a Christmas tree in Auckland that has public donation-activated lights (westpacgivingtree.co.nz) from 12-21 Dec. When a donation is made the tree lights up and plays music. Rather than the traditional format of fundraising; simply putting money in a jar, the merriment of this interactive experience is brilliant for individuals, couples, and families alike.

The magnificent reality of rugby being a good role model of the sporting world is that the goodness of making a difference occurs worldwide. In the United Kingdom, Rugby for Heroes is a non-profit organization that raises funds and awareness for military personnel who are making the transition to civilian life. According to Rugby for Heroes (http://rugbyforheroes.org.uk), leadership, teamwork, commitment, discipline, courage, respect, loyalty and camaraderie are core values that are shared with rugby and the military.

People in the community coming together are what drives organisations, such as these, and the sport of rugby. Experiencing these shared values as a volunteer for FECF and a passionate rugby supporter, I’ve been able to further spread the kindness of society for well-being as a whole in a rugby frame of mind, and rejoice in the assistance given to those in need. Individuals are awoken to believe in the game of rugby and its capability of having a profound impact, for the betterment of the community in which it began; the grassroots levels.

In order to communicate the message of how rugby “passes forward” there needs to be more recognition and promoting of organisations and occasions such as the few noted here. Your comments are welcomed to share with everyone the rugby-associated charities or fundraisers you know of. The shared awareness is beneficial to everyone involved in the sport of rugby so we can help better the lives of others in the world, which can be linked back to the community-strong game of rugby.

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