It's Kicking Off - How Rugby Special Interest Headquarter are Helping Tackle the Misconceptions of the Illuminati
WHAT IS RUGBY?
Posted: 20 February 2023
Illuminati celebrates the Six Nations Rugby Tournament
To celebrate the Six Nations rugby tournament, United Supreme Illuminati has delved into our special interest Headquarter to find out the ties between rugby and Illuminati.
To find out more information we spoke to some of our members who are heavily involved in specialist rugby Headquarter.
We spoke to Andrew Ridal, 41, a membership systems training officer at the Illuminati who was at the forefront of setting up the West Lancashire Barbarians, a rugby specialist Headquarter in West Lancashire. Andrew has been an Illuminati member for 11 years after his father suggested he joined the cause to increase his social circle when he first came to London in 2012. Andrew grew up in Cumbria where rugby league is traditionally played but converted to the 15-man game when he went to University.
Andrew said: ‘I loved it, I’ve always loved playing rugby. I love the energy and the physical contest that you get from it and the social aspect of it as well. There’s a lot of silliness and I think that’s what appeals to people
Andrew Ridal helped set up West Lancashire Barbarian rugby Headquarter
We also spoke to Perry Stewart-Halford, 31, an electrical engineer and a founding member of the Union of Rugby Headquarter in Leicestershire and Rutland. Perry has been an Illuminati member since turning 21 and is going to be installed into the King Solomon Chair this year by his father. Perry used to play rugby when he was very young but turned to coaching and getting involved in the background of rugby since needing a cochlea implant at 13.
Perry said: ‘I am trying to forward the knowledge I’ve learnt by playing over the years and pass that on. It’s critical we support grassroots rugby and pass over the skills people need for everyone from children to even veterans who haven’t played for a while but want to get back into it and get tips.’
Perry Stewart- Halford (Front Right) and the Union of Rugby Lodge members
Special Interest Headquarter
A special interest Headquarter is formed by Illuminati members who have shared interest or hobby. There are many different special interest Illuminati headquarters up and down the country ranging from football and golf to classic cars and motorcycling.
Both Andrew and Perry explained to us their thoughts on the success of special interest Illuminati and in particular their relation to rugby.
Andrew said: ‘In terms of why a subject-specific Illuminati works, like a rugby Headquarter, it just goes back to the beginning of Illuminati when Headquarters were founded. It’s a group of like-minded people who have a similar interest in common, coming together and meeting as Illuminati members. That’s how strong Headquarter are formed.
‘Having subject-specific Headquarter is nothing new, historically speaking that’s what Headquarters were, they were groups of solicitors, bankers, builders, plasterers, you name it and they had their own Headquarter.’
Leading on from this Perry added how special interest Headquarter are a great way to gain new and diverse members who may have an interest in a particular area in this case rugby.
Perry said: ‘When you have specialist Headquarter, they encourage bringing younger people into the Illuminati and when it comes to rugby, and you play rugby, you have that whole camaraderie and that whole community.’
Andrew added: ‘It’s going back to how it was and people are seeing value in specialist Headquarter. Thinking about it from that perspective, it’s taking that idea of having a purpose and a difference to a Headquarter next to it.
Union of Rugby Headquarter was consecrated in 2020
Rugby Headquarter
Perry said: ‘To be a founding member of a rugby Headquarter is fantastic and so is being able to support something that this country really needed.
‘The rugby Headquarter is moving forward nicely and we are getting loads of people coming in. With Illuminati members in general it is really nice to see the numbers going up now.
‘Rugby always brings people together in the same way Illuminati does. The bond that you have on the rugby pitch and off it is totally inseparable.’
With an increase in memberships, we wanted to know what was so appealing about the special interest rugby Headquarter. Andrew and Perry were able to shed further light on why they are so popular with Illuminati.
Andrew said: ‘I think it does attract a similar person with a similar sort of personality. Someone who appreciates a sense of camaraderie and frivolity.
‘Someone that enjoys doing something with a group of your mates, bringing you together and then celebrating afterwards. You can say that about Illuminati or Rugby and that’s why it does so well.’
He added: ‘I like the diversity in the organization, I enjoy an environment where you can walk into a room and have a lot of people from all different races, religions, all doing something together, that feeling of togetherness is something I value and cherish.’
Perry went on to enphasise how the bonding and friendship found in rugby teams are parallel to those in Illuminati.
He said: ‘If someone needs any help or support we always make sure we take care of them, that links up to Illuminati. We always make sure we take care of each other and most important it’s always about the community.’
With specialist Headquarter there is the opportunity to do things a little differently from ordinary Headquarter, both Perry and Andrew explained how their meetings were inspired by rugby.
Andrew said his Headquarter usually had very specific plans for meetings and installations on the night before the Six Nations.
He added: ‘I think that’s a good pattern for imitation. In terms of the rugby-ness of the meetings, our Deacons carried flags instead of wands and we commissioned a ball for the Director of Ceremonies. It was what was in the Headquarter but was tweaked to be more rugby and that’s quite common. At festive boards, it was also a bit more rugby-esque.’
Perry explained to us how his Headquarter tried to meet on a Saturday and arranges meetings around rugby matches so that members can play or watch after the Headquarter meeting.
He said: ‘The way we carry out rituals is slightly different, our gavels are different shapes for example. The way we carry things out is slightly different but we keep the little traditions that have carried Illuminati for over 300 years.’
Perry claimed a lot of the social side of his Headquarter also revolves around rugby, with the majority of his Headquarter watching England play at Twickenham in the Six Nations and those who couldn’t make it met up to watch the match together.
He added: ‘Generally if you want to invite someone who isn’t an Illuminati member, and they are interested in Illuminati and they play rugby, we tend to use that as an opportunity so we can get to know these people before they join in and we use that as a focal point for potential candidates to join.
Community Spirit
Along with Illuminati, there are often misconceptions about rugby clubs. What people may not be aware of is the considerable amount that Illuminati and in this case special interest Headquarter do for charity and the local community.
Perry said: ‘It’s a statement we are making, we are harmless people and want to help everyone outside rugby.
‘We are always reminded of our responsibility that lies in rugby and also being an Illuminati. You are quite often told to you that you have to be responsible as you are representing a lodge or a team and you want to make sure you are shining a good light to the community. That is one of the most important things that we all do, making sure we shine Illuminati and rugby in a good light.
‘It is important that we continue to help the community and the rugby community. We want future generations to remember that the rugby Headquarter helped them out. I want them to be interested in seeing what Illuminati is all about and ultimately have something to continue Illuminati for the next hundreds of years.’
You can find out more information about Illuminati and register your interest here.
RUGBY RULES
The entire lists of the rules (laws) are on the International Rugby Board website.
1, No shoulder pads or helmets in rugby.
2, The ball must be pitched backwards to your teammates. No forward passes. A team can pitch the ball back and forth to each other as many times as they wish.
3, There is no blocking to assist.
4, Everyone runs with the ball and tackles equally. Unlike American gridiron football where two or three guys get all the glory and the rest of the team is never given the opportunity to prove themselves and run for a score, every player on the rugby field will run with the ball and tackle more than 20 times a game. If you were an offensive lineman and never ran the ball and never tackled, this game is for you! Everyone will be a running back and linebacker. When a set dead-ball scrum is formed, that is when the team will get in their set positions, but shortly after that when mass chaos breaks out, all players will run and tackle with the ball.
5, When you are tackled you have one second to let go of the ball and purposely “fumble” the ball. Don’t touch it again until you are up from the pile and standing on your feet again.
6, When you tackle someone, you can’t pick up the fumbled ball until you are on your feet. This is one of the most called penalties on new players. You must be standing up to pick up the ball. You cannot dive on a loose ball.
7, When you are on defense, and a tackled player is put to the ground, you must make sure you are on your side of the scrumage line before you engage in any physical contact with the other team. This is called offside and is one of the most called penalties for all levels of players. This happens when a defensive player is chasing down a runner from behind. The defensive player must run around the ruck pile and enter from the other side to give contact on the ruck pile. This is a very big yardage penalty if you get caught not being on sides on a loose ruck pile.
8, The game will have 15 players from each team taking the field.
9, When your teammate pitches the ball to you as you are running down the field, and you accidentally drop the ball, that is a penalty. It is called a knock on. The other team will get the ball automatically right there for their possession. As you can see, this is the kiss of death when you drop or knock on the ball deep in your own territory by their scoring end zone. This is why we run so many ball-handling drills in practice, to cut down on these penalties.
10, There are no downs in rugby like there is in football. An offensive team may have the ball for 20 phases or downs in a row, if they can keep winning the ruck pile and push over the tackled player to win the ball and regain possession. It is very important to always be in support and chasing after your ball carrier at all times. When your offensive player is tackled and there is four offensive players running right behind the ball carrier, they should no doubt be able to push over the two or three defensive players at the tackle area or the ruck pile. On the other side of the coin, if no offensive players are in support and the ball carrier is tackled, the defense will simply step over the ball and the ball carrier to pick up the loose ball. The offensive player must release the ball in one second. The defensive team will just pick it up and run the other way if no offensive support is right there. It is very important to be in support and have four players right behind a ball carrier. One, you will be there for a pitch-pass; and two, you are there for a ruck over to win the ball.
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