Rugby Book Club: Loose Head

We've reviewed a nice collection of books so far ranging from sports anecdotes, a cookbook, an examination of Argentine rugby, and a book on the 1920 and 1924 Olympic teams. That's why we thought we'd change it up a bit for our fall book. Keeping in mind that Halloween is just around the corner we wanted to go with a thriller and murder-myster in Loose Head: a Dex Reed rugby thriller.

The book is written by Jeff Keithly, who played for years with the Portland Rugby Club. The book draws on his experiences with rugby and with the club. Go out and support Keithly by picking up a copy of Loose Head and joining us in our book club. We'll review the book later in the fall.

To help you get amped for the book we talked with Keithly about the book and his rugby career.

Take the jump to see the interview.

This Is American Rugby: What was your inspiration for writing Loose Head?

Jeff Keithly: I played second row for the Portland Rugby Club, the Pigs, for almost 20 years, and one weekend we headed over to Caldwell, Idaho to play Snake River. Following the match, our Number 8, Oly, a legendary Northwest rugby player and one of my favorite teammates of all time, went on a monumental bender. He careened around downtown Caldwell, shutting down (or getting kicked out of) bar after bar. I finally stumbled over him in the hall outside my hotel room at about 3 am, and helped him to bed.

The following weekend we had a barbecue at one of the guys' houses, and I noticed  Oly's wife looking distressed. I asked her if she was OK, and she said one of the other wives had told her that, according to her husband, Oly had been "completely out of control" on our recent tour to Idaho -- which she took to mean "unfaithful." I told her, look, my sacred rugby oath precludes me from telling you what Oly did on tour, but I can tell you what he didn't do -- I was with him almost every minute we were gone, and I know for a fact that he was not unfaithful to you. I was able to set this nice woman's mind at rest, but I was pissed -- one of my teammates had violated his sacred rugby oath. But then I got to thinking -- what if one of the guys didn't just violate that oath? What if he saw it as an opportunity for blackmail, and profit? I started writing Loose Head the next day.

TIAR: Was writing about rugby something you've always wanted to do?

JK: I've made a living as a professional writer for a number of years but my goal has always been to work as a creative writer. The first rule of creative writing is to write about what you love. Rugby is the greatest sport on the planet and it's given me so much joy over the years. I didn't set out to write a rugby novel but Loose Head just sort of naturally evolved from my experiences as a player and a fan of the game. When I was about halfway through the book it struck me that there really is no decent rugby fiction out there, and there might be a market for this. But whether it's successful or not, I really enjoyed writing Loose Head, and I hope my love for the game of rugby, and the people I've met through it, comes through on the page.

TIAR: What kinds of experience from rugby did you draw for the book?

JK: I think my main inspiration was how much I've enjoyed being a part of a close-knit team. The bond I have with my mates on the Pigs, the guys I played with and toured with for so long, is something I've never experienced anywhere else in my life. I just saw a bunch of them a few weeks ago, at a golf tournament, and even though there were some guys I hadn't seen in 10 years, it was like it had been 10 days. Just glad to see everyone and get caught up, laughing, giving each other grief. It's still magic, even after all these years.We still see each other regularly -- it's a bond that will never be broken, and that's something I hope comes across clearly in Loose Head.

TIAR: Was there anything you wanted to include in the book but had to leave on the cutting room floor?

JK: Good God, yes -- I didn't set out to get anyone arrested. Loose Head is fiction -- I want to make that clear -- but many of the stories I included were drawn from my personal experiences on tour. For example, the incident with the International Gay Men's Square Dancing Association actually happened, but it took place in San Francisco when I was there with the NW Loggers, not in Sydney. There were many, many experiences that I could never talk about in print, even in heavily fictionalized form -- I don't think the statute of limitations has run out yet.

TIAR: What advice would you have for aspiring writers? Rugby players?

JK: For aspiring writers, find a story that excites you, and write it in a way that won't get you sued. As for aspiring rugby players, learn from John Weathersby's mistakes, and never, ever violate your sacred rugby oath. If you're ever tempted to break that trust, don't forget that your mates know just as much about you as you do about them. Always protect your teammates, and remember: what happens on tour, stays on tour.