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In his , Jon Call, better known as , set out to answer the question. He went down under with the , donning their distinctive navy blue uniforms and submitting himself to a series of rugby challenges.
Things begin pretty simply, with Juji learning to line-out and pass the ball. Even as someone known for his strength and flexibilityhes famous for that capture him performing a split across two chairs while pressing a loaded barbell over his headthe rugby moves dont quite come naturally. I dont think this is gonna go very well, he says, even as he manages a semi-respectable showing.
He moves on to kicking, trying to punt the oblong rugby ball through the goal. (His cameraman loses $100 on a side bet on whether one of the Rebels can hit the crossbar.) Everyones laughing and having a good time, leading Juji to say he loves the sport.
But he hasnt gotten to what gives rugby its reputation for toughness: the tackling. Juji realizes that on-camera, as it dawns on him that hes just been doing the light stuff. Perhaps realizing whats to come, he admits, I dont think Ive been tackled in my life.
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Soon enough the Rebels have him hitting the tackling sleds, pushing almost 300 pounds across the field. He drives the sled a fair distance, pulling up a chunk of sod in his cleats before declaring it a great leg workout.
Its one thing to tackle a sled; actually getting tackled is another challenge entirely. The Rebels look almost gleeful as they set Juji up with a tackling pad, then knock him into a high-jump mat. Juji then drops his pad and takes a tackle with no protection. Is that what a normal tackle feels like? he says, incredulously.
You guys get tackled like that all the time? The Rebels assure him they do, then tell him it doesnt hurt as much if he runs fasterbasically tricking him into taking a near full-speed shot, and, as the video title promises, getting smashed.
Watch the full video below: