Equipment Stolen From Union Rugby Club Before Playoffs

A high school rugby team is trying to replace nearly $4,000 of equipment after someone stole it last weekend.

The Union Rugby Club plays some of their home games in state this Saturday, but they'll be in Little Rock for the first round of the playoffs. The catch is, most of the kids' cleats and shorts, as well as the team's balls and medical supplies were stolen last weekend.

There are 40 high school aged kids that play for the Union Rugby Club. Each one pays $150 and tons of hard work to be one of the 15 who makes it on the pitch.

Team manager, Tracy Todd, said, "Our team this year is fifteen as one, fifteen boys play as one.

Todd had parked her SUV filled with uniforms and equipment in back of a restaurant in Brookside last Saturday; when she came outside she noticed something was seriously wrong.

"This was all the way and they'd come here and popped it off and popped the door open," she said.

Someone had broken into her SUV and stolen most of the team's equipment. Gone were eight rugby balls that cost $50 a ball, most of their cleats, all of their shorts, and a case that had everything from mouth-guards to medical supplies.

"We have butterfly clips, we have knee-braces, ankle-braces, we have sports rollers, bio-freeze," Todd said.

The total amount stolen came to $3,800.

Coach Steve Ingram, said, "These kids worked hard for their money, they've paid their money, it's their gear. You're just taking it from kids and, for me, it's just not right."

The thing with rugby equipment is it's very specialized, meaning they can't just buy it here in town so they have to special order it. They're not sure if they'll get it all in by Saturday's match.

"We don't care who you are just bring it back," Todd said.

Todd and Ingram aren't sure what the thief plans to do with the equipment since it's so specialized. They say this weekend will be tough, especially since the playoffs are a big deal for the kids.

"I'm not mad, just frustrated more than anything because, to me, stealing is as low as you can get," Ingram said.

Police tell me they have no leads.

Todd is hoping the thief has a change of heart and says they can return the equipment to the equipment shed next to the field, no questions asked.