Give love a try: survey reveals that singles find rugby fans attractive!

Those looking for love this fall may want to put aside their hockey pucks: there’s a new sport driving singles wild – rugby union. Indeed, a new EliteSingles survey has revealed that, surprisingly, more than half of singles want to date a rugby fan.¹ In other words, the upcoming Rugby World Cup might be good for your lovelife!

So what is it about rugby that is so alluring? And, if you want to jump on the Rugby World Cup bandwagon, then how can you bag yourself a fellow fan? EliteSingles has the answers!

It might be time to start liking rugby

Just in time for the 2015 Rugby World Cup (the RWC), the survey polled 2400 singles ² to discover their opinions on romance and rugby. The results validated what those in BC, Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador have been saying for years: rugby should be getting more attention! In fact, 58 per cent of singles surveyed declared that they would prefer to date ‘’someone who is really passionate about rugby.’’

This means that those who rate rugby are the most dateable sports fans (sorry, hockey nuts!). Rugby fans were the clear champions – only 31 per cent of singles surveyed said that they’d like to date someone who is into a different sport. Of course, it’s also important to keep in mind that, when it comes to sports and romance, the only real no-no is saying no: just 12 per cent of singles would date someone who ‘’hates all sports!’’

Rugby enthusiasm is not just for the guys!

The survey also revealed that this passion for rugby (and rugby fans) was not just a dude thing. In fact, flying in the face of certain dated stereotypes, the results showed that women not only want a piece of the sports action, they may be more keen on it than the men! Indeed, 80 per cent of women surveyed indicated that they find rugby fans interesting and sexy, as opposed to 78 per cent of men who think the same.

However, before men start inviting female rugby fans round for a thrillingly romantic session of Rugby World Cup action, it’s important to note that, while women like rugby fans, they don’t necessarily want to watch the game while on a date. Indeed, while the majority of men (52 per cent) would prefer to watch the RWC ‘’with a date,’’ just 39 per cent of women feel the same. Their preference is to watch ‘’with friends,’’ with 50 per cent of women picking this option – a clear case of tries before guys!

All aboard the hype train: fan support and the RWC

One reason for the fact that Canadian singles are suddenly interested in rugby is that the 2015 Rugby World Cup is about to kick off – and this means that single men and single women around the country are jumping on the bandwagon. In fact, the survey results highlighted an interesting trend (one that that held true for every country involved): the percentage of people who say that they love rugby rises during major international tournaments.

In Canada, this trend was particularly noticeable, with rugby enthusiasm more than doubling during the RWC (rising from 21 to 46 per cent). This makes the Canadian national team the most-supported North American team in this year’s tournament: even at peak interest, the US Eagles can only drum up support from 34 per cent of singles surveyed.

The quickest way to impress a rugby fan

So, singles are attracted to those who like rugby and, thanks to the number of singles boarding the hype train, Canada’s number of rugby fans is currently at double strength. But how can an interested person make the most of this RWC fever?

The best way to flirt and impress a rugby fan – according to the survey – is to know the rules. In fact, 41 per cent of singles would find themselves swooning over someone who can explain what happens in a scrum or call a red card before the referee has raised his whistle. If, however, the words ‘kick it into touch’ sound like gibberish, then don’t fret, you can still score during the game: 21 per cent of singles are most attracted to those who cheer loudly, while for 20 per cent all that is required is that someone support the same team.

Another way is to simply be Victoria’s DTH van der Merwe. While the Rugby World Cup trophy may be a pipe dream for the team this year, van der Merwe can be happy in the knowledge that he’s already won one major victory – the survey saw Canadian singles voting him the sexiest member of Canada’s World Cup squad.

Sick of playing the field? Do you want to meet Canadian singles? Make a winning play for love – try EliteSingles. Just click here to register.

About the author: Sophie Watson

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