A shared passion - a rugby playing couple on rugby and faith

Ruth and Al Kennedy are a couple serious about their rugby. Al has been playing rugby practically since birth. Ruth’s main sport at university was rowing and she used to think the idea of women playing rugby was ludicrous. It was during her post grad years that Ruth was plagued by a friend to have a go. She did and absolutely loved it! She has been playing ever since. Ruth plays for Old Leamingtonians Rugby Club and Al for Broad Street Rugby Football Club in Coventry and for Warwickshire as well.

Christians in Sport have also had a significant role in their lives. Ruth and Al met on a dark and stormy night outside Sainsburys in 1992. Six months later they were leading the Cambridge University Christians in Sport group. Romance took much longer to develop though!

We asked Ruth and Al Kennedy some questions about rugby and their Christian faith.

Can you give a rugby highlight and lowlight?

Ruth: - Highlight: having the opportunity to come on as a sub in the national cup final at Vicarage Road - live on Sky.
Lowlight: straining a muscle in my groin a fortnight before the cup final, which probably cost me my place n the opening line-up. Being a Christian, in the grand scheme of things it is pretty unimportant, although that doesn't take away the disappointment.

Al: - Highlight: playing for Scottish Exiles against Portugal three years ago and having a good day with the boot, till I got taken off injured.
Lowlight: having a kick charged down at Twickenham in the Varsity Match and Oxford scoring a try.

Is Rugby part of your Christians life? - Why?

Al: yes - I think of every part of my life as being Christian. God has made me with the gifts I have. I do feel his pleasure when I kick a goal.

Ruth: the same - I think God loves us to enjoy ourselves and enjoy playing sport in terms of the actual game itself. Playing in a sports team gives you a very particular set of relationships by working, training, competing and socialising together, it's part of the world God's created, but it's also something he uses for his glory. I hope I'm a part of that.

How do you combine rugby with your Christian life?

Ruth: Old L's train once a week which is fairly unusual for a premiership club. I do some training on my own during the week. We play all our games on Sundays. How do I feel about that? - I think God wants me to be a Christian in that rugby club; being with those people is really important - I'm probably the only Christian they have contact with. Ideally I try and make sure I can get to church before or after the game. It's not always possible but being part of my church fellowship is very important to me.

Any examples of faith and rugby coming together?

Al: If you want to be successful at anything you've got to train, be disciplined about achieving your goals and do the right training. The same applies to faith. You have to work at it…..

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