This interview first appeared in the Sports Edition of Fat Nugs Magazine, released May 2024.
In England, where the sport of rugby originated, there is an old saying: “Football (soccer) is a gentleman’s game played by hooligans, and rugby is a hooligan’s game played by gentlemen.” ~ East Bay Times
That’s because to play the game of rugby you not only have to be tough, fearless, and somewhat crazy, but it’s imperative to the continued success of the sport that all the competitors on the field treat each other with respect and decency.
The sport of rugby is simply too violent to be any other way. The athletes look up to one another and have mutual adoration for the skillset and discipline it takes to be hit in the face and then helped up off the ground by the same person who almost knocked your teeth out.
You don’t have to travel to Europe to play or watch rugby these days. The sport continues to gain momentum and popularity in the US, and we were lucky enough to have Nigel Bowman, the founder of Crewman Rugby out of Florida, join us for a Q&A session on all things rugby and cannabis. Come to find out, Crewman is the only rugby team in the US that is sponsored by several cannabis brands. Nigel has even created a line of cartridges that help to support the team’s financial needs.
An Interview with Nigel Bowman of Crewman Rugby
When were you first introduced to cannabis?
I was first introduced to cannabis by a friend in high school that I wrestled with. We would consume on a regular basis. Before and after our practices and meets we’d smoke a blunt behind my house in the alley.
Do you consume cannabis before you compete, or is cannabis something you consume for recovery or fun only?
When I first started smoking cannabis it was for fun, I didn’t realize how much it helped my recovery until about my junior year. Being an athlete who has fibromyalgia, I can personally say how much it helped keep me in daily training.
Do you consume before you compete, and would you consider yourself stoned or high while doing so?
I never have medicated to the point where I couldn’t perform in the sport of choice. There’s been plenty of times I got high and went and played sports. I can say that our team is very open to the use of cannabis. It’s a normal thing to have a 10-20mg edible before a game, just as I did when I played.
I’ve never personally seen a Rugby team or any team for that matter, so forward and out front with support for cannabis. Why do you all have that unique approach? What’s your goal with that approach?
My goal for the team was to be a source of advocacy and awareness in the rugby world and to promote the use of cannabis for recovery, as it’s a plant that helped comfort the pains in my playing days. Rugby is very much an alcohol-driven sport and I want to change that dynamic because cannabis is no longer taboo for athletes. It’s a grey area that is starting to be uncovered slowly and we kind of push that grey area as we are the only team in the US with nothing but cannabis sponsors. Overall, people have been very receptive to our approach so far.
Would you consider cannabis a performance-enhancing substance?
In the world of rugby, it is on the list of performance-enhancing substances, however, I do not agree.
What’s your favorite way to consume?
I mix it up for sure. Edibles before and after games I always recommend to the boys. I own Crewmen Vapes, so I guess you could say I get high on my own supply.
What do you want other athletes to know about cannabis?
Athletes should be educated on the benefits of cannabis. It’s something the NCAA and universities should teach now that they removed it from the banned substance list. I want athletes to know that it’s ok to consume before, during, and after matches. Try it and let me know how much better you feel after 80 minutes of a contact sport like rugby.
