UrbanUpdate

Although you might not think it, rugby is “the fastest growing sport in America,” says Shalom Suniula, fly-half (think quarterback) for the Seattle Saracens and the U.S. national team. “With the Olympics [next year in Rio], it’s going to have a lot more exposure to give these top athletes here in America a chance. The outside world calls us the ‘sleeping giant,’ because they know how absolutely talented Americans are.”

For Suniula (and his older brothers, Roland and Andrew, both of whom play for Team USA), rugby is an around-the-clock job. While he dedicates his mornings and evenings to Olympic training, the 27-year-old is also working hard to promote rugby in America while working 9-to-5 as a coach. “In order for the USA to be a force in the future, we have to start playing at a young age,” he says. ”That’s what other countries are doing—people are touching the ball at a young age, they’re growing up with it in their hand, and learning how to handle it. They’re becoming better athletes.”

Training the next generation of American rugby players is a time-consuming task, so he has to tailor his diet and exercise around his core mission of spreading the rugby gospel. Suniula starts his days with a smoothie before a two hour workout (the focus is on strength and conditioning, so anything heavier and “I’m really likely to just see it on the ground later”). Then, it's a mix of snacks and leftovers throughout the day before evening practice where the focus is on strategy.

Suniula is optimistic as hell about the future of the sport in America. The company he coaches with, ATAVUS, travels the country and internationally, and he’s excited about the growing interest he sees in the sport. “We just got back from Tennessee where we had 90 people come out to learn more about it,” he says. “We even coach with our opposition from other countries. It’s a gentleman’s game, there’s a lot of respect in it.”

Rugby invites a lot of comparisons to American football, but Suniula admits that to an inexperienced eye it seems a lot more confusing. To him though, a big advantage of the sport is that it allows players to be much more tactical on the field. And despite all those collisions and the concern about broken bones, rugby isn’t actually a contact sport. “When you step out, you get to make all the decisions,” he says. ”I’ve never played football, but apparently everything’s being told to you by a coach from play to play. In terms of contact—I’ve never put on pads. That’s a huge difference, along with the helmet. I can only imagine with a helmet on, your peripheral vision is narrowed down and in rugby you need to scan and avoid getting blindsided. Rugby is actually an evasion game, not a contact game. I think that’s why kids like it, because the name of the game is to try and get away from being tackled. What kid doesn’t like playing tag?”

Breakfast20 oz protein shake, nuts, spinach, mixed berries, banana, almond milk, whey protein, coconut oil

Post workoutOatmealLeftover chicken

SnacksChicken with white rice and a secret, family recipe sauceChicken with kaleBroccoli, roasted sweet potatoApples, bananas

DinnerVeggie smoothie appetizer: greens, cucumbers, berries, kiwi, whey protein almond milk and waterSweet potatoBarbecue, usually steak and grilled vegetables

Luke Darby is a contributor to GQ, covering news, entertainment, and the environment. A Louisiana native, he now resides in Cleveland, and his writing has also appeared in Outside, the Dallas Observer, and Marie Claire.Related Stories for GQReal Life DietRugbyRugby