Rugby is an 80-minute battle of endurance, power, and grit. Every play demands peak athleticism, every collision tests durability, and every sprint pushes the limits of human performance. But beyond brute force and fast breaks, success in professional rugby hinges on something deeper: adaptability, mental toughness, and an unwavering commitment to growth. Few players embody that balance better than Luke White and Nate Augspurger of the Chicago Hounds.
They play vastly different roles on the field—White, the battle-hardened bruiser in the forward pack, and Augspurger, the elusive, lightning-fast back—but share the same core philosophies: train smart, recover diligently, and lead by example.
For White, rugby is about power, precision, and surviving the physical grind in the trenches. Augspurger’s game is built on explosiveness, agility, and relentless endurance. Together, they provide a unique perspective on what it takes to compete—and last—in one of the world’s toughest sports.
The two sat down with Muscle & Fitness to break down the culture of rugby, the mental and physical toll of elite competition, and the keys to staying at the top in a game where only the strong survive.
How Rugby’s Global Influence Shapes the Chicago Hounds
Rugby has long been a global game, deeply rooted in the culture of countries like New Zealand, South Africa, and Australia. Over the last few years, the sport has gained momentum in the United States—particularly at the youth, high school, college, and club levels—as the U.S. prepares to host the 2031 and 2033 Rugby World Cups.
For athletes like White and Augspurger, the sport’s growth in the U.S. has been something they’ve witnessed firsthand. White brings an international perspective, having grown up in a rugby-first culture, while Augspurger—a product of American rugby’s early days—has seen Major League Rugby (MLR) evolve from an unproven startup to a structured, professional league. Together, their experiences paint a picture of rugby’s past, present, and future in the U.S., showing both the progress made and the work still to be done.
“Rugby in the U.S. has evolved a lot, but there’s still work to do,” says White. “When Americans see it for the first time, they think it’s amazing—no helmets, nonstop action—but they don’t always understand the game. The biggest challenge is bridging that gap, getting rugby into schools and homes earlier. The passion is there, especially at the club level, and the exposure is growing. It won’t be the next football or basketball, but I see it reaching a level where it competes with Major League Soccer or lacrosse.”
For Augspurger, who has played for San Diego, New Orleans, and now Chicago, MLR’s evolution has been just as much about building infrastructure as it has been about expanding its presence. The league’s early years were filled with logistical challenges—from inconsistent training facilities to long commutes for practice. But today, teams like the Chicago Hounds are setting a new standard, allowing players to push their limits and elevate the level of play across the league.
“The professionalism in MLR has come a long way,” Augspurger said. “When I first started, we didn’t have dedicated training facilities, and sometimes we had to drive 40 minutes just to get to practice. Now, with Chicago, we have a home base, top-tier equipment, and a structured program that allows us to train at an elite level. The sport is growing, and players are taking it more seriously than ever.”
Building the Hounds’ Identity
Success in rugby isn’t just about talent—it’s about team culture, the environment players create on and off the field that fuels performance. For the Chicago Hounds, building a winning culture means blending different backgrounds, playing styles, and experiences into a cohesive, hard-nosed unit. Veterans like White and Augspurger bring leadership and perspective from their years in the game, helping set a standard for what it means to be a Hound.
White, who has played for teams in Glendale, Los Angeles, and now Chicago, understands what it takes to find your place in a new rugby city. Having spent nearly a decade in the U.S., he has seen firsthand how the game is growing, particularly in Chicago, where the professional and grassroots rugby scenes are expanding every year.
“Everywhere I’ve played, I’ve felt at home, which is rare when you’re thousands of miles away from where you grew up,” he said. “Chicago is no different. The rugby culture here is strong—there’s a big amateur scene, and the support is growing every year. You start seeing more people in Hounds gear, recognizing us, talking about the team. That’s how you build something special.”
For Augspurger, team culture isn’t just about camaraderie—it’s about setting a standard. He believes that the best teams don’t just show up—they go the extra mile. That means putting in extra work, demanding the best from each other, and never backing down from the grind.
“The secret sauce with the Hounds is that we embrace doing hard things,” Augspurger said. “No one shies away from the work. When you have a team that shows up early, gets their rehab in, and hunts for that extra edge, that’s when you see guys performing at their best. It’s about setting a standard and living up to it every single day.”
By fostering a culture of toughness, work ethic, and accountability, White and Augspurger are helping shape the identity of the Chicago Hounds, ensuring that the team is built on more than just skill, but one built on character and commitment.
Strength and Speed Define Rugby’s Toughest Athletes
Training for rugby isn’t one-size-fits-all. The demands of the sport vary depending on a player’s position, meaning forwards and backs train very differently to optimize their performance. For White, a powerful forward who battles in the trenches, the focus is on durability, raw strength, and repeated high-impact collisions. For Augspurger, an elusive back who thrives in open space, it’s about explosiveness, reaction time, and top-end speed.
White, a veteran of MLR title-winning teams, knows that forwards take the brunt of the physicality in rugby. Whether it’s locking up in scrums, making dominant tackles, or powering through defenders, his training is built around maintaining strength and endurance over the course of a grueling season. In the offseason, heavy lifting plays a major role, but once the season begins, he focuses on keeping his body mobile and resilient to withstand the physical toll of each game.
“As a forward, it’s all about strength and endurance. You’re taking constant impact, so your body has to be durable,” he said. “In the offseason, we lift heavy to build that armor—deadlifts, squats, Olympic lifts—but during the season, it’s about maintenance. I do a lot of circuit training now, keeping my body mobile and ready for contact.”
Speed kills for Augspurger. As a back, his game is built around quick bursts, lateral movement, and acceleration. Unlike forwards, who need to win physical battles in tight spaces, backs rely on split-second reactions, footwork, and dynamic movement to beat defenders. His training mimics NFL-style agility work, ensuring he stays light on his feet and explosive in motion.
“Speed and agility are my bread and butter. I train a lot like an NFL player—cone drills, short bursts, high-intensity footwork,” he said. “The game is so fast that your movement has to be instinctual. One of my go-to drills is one-on-one tracking, where you work on reading defenders and reacting in real time. It sharpens my ability to win those battles in open space.”
Though their training styles differ, both White and Augspurger know that conditioning is the foundation of success. Whether it’s surviving scrum battles or breaking the defensive line, their relentless focus on preparation and physical resilience is what keeps them performing at the highest level.
Words of Wisdom
Rugby doesn’t just build strength, speed, and endurance—it builds character. Throughout their careers, White and Augspurger have had to evolve, push past doubts, recover from injuries, and continuously refine their craft. Now, as veterans, they know what separates those who make it from those who don’t: confidence, commitment, and an obsession with getting better every single day.
“When I was younger, people probably looked at me and thought, ‘He’s too small to make it,’ said Augspurger. “But I knew if I put in the work, I could push past those limits. If you believe in yourself and put in the effort every day, there’s no reason you can’t make it.”
For White, success comes from owning your identity as a player and trusting the skills that got you to the top. Their journeys prove that rugby rewards those who are willing to outwork the competition, stay true to their strengths, and continuously adapt. “Be yourself,” said White. “Play to your strengths and work on your weaknesses, but don’t try to be something you’re not. Confidence comes from knowing what you bring to the table.”
Follow Luke and Nate on Instagram at @whiteyaus and @nthanielchannel and catch both on The United States of Rugby now streaming on Roku. The series follows The Chicago Hounds’ second season in Major League Rugby as they look to establish themselves, the league and the sport in America ahead of the USA Rugby World Cup in 2031.
