You're a brave dude, talking down Rugby to a Kiwi. ;-)

I like Rugby as it helps develop hand-eye coordination and teamwork that often is more useful in life than foot-eye coordination. Or more solitary sports for that matter even if the individuals assemble into a team.

FWIW, the most popular girls' sport in the US is artistic gymnastics where a common cause of elite retirement from the sport is permanent injury. Plus they may assemble into a team but in the end it's a solitary endeavor.

If you watch a good Rugby back line passing the ball around you can imagine the blast for a school team working properly together to excite the spectators with a running backline movement that typically lasts a heck of a lot longer than a football down. Check this out- yeah a few knocks, but the point is that once the backs get going, heavy hitting usually isn't a major factor since while you can't pass forwards, the other side can only tackle the man with the ball and a heavy hitter who ends up behind the opposing running line renders themselves irrelevant. Fitness, speed, hand skills and smarts matter more than big hits: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoX_eMrLs4w (against the US at about 8 mins and again at 10:30 fwiw)

As for soccer- sheesh, on TV I often see players writhing on the ground in agony- a lot more often than in a Rugby game. ;-) Looks positively dangerous to me. ;-)

Ever heard of Touch Rugby aka "Touch" in the US? It used to be a game that old timers can play to relive their Rugby salad days but these days lots of youngsters play it too. A really good competitive womens' team is something to be feared.

qoX_eMrLs4w