First Practice, or "Of Blisters and Cleatings"

So in keeping with the fact that I am a giant (though largely closeted) nerd, I was in Seattle for the Penny Arcade eXpo.  PAX has been a staple among my friends since it's creation, and I went the first 3 years before enlistment had plans for me that didn't quite line up with an annual fall trip to Seattle.  It was fun, I guess.  FortNite looks like an amazing game and I can't wait to see what Unreal Engine 4 can do, but to be honest after my first 90 minute line with a bunch of nonbathing devolved troglodytes, I was pretty much over it.  As a pretty blatant misanthrope I just truly didn't have the mental fortitude to do that dance more than about once.  So as much fun as getting to see old friends and nerd it up for a few days was, getting a practice in with Seattle's own Old Puget Sound Beach Rugby Football Club (OPSB RFC) was the highlight of my trip.
There are only so many drills you can do on your own and finally getting to run lines, test my hands, hit/clear rucks, and practice tackles was pretty much awesome.  My double-leg and single-leg takedowns (which are the only real wrestling I ever developed, aside from my front-headlock) will translate perfectly into rugby tackles, which is a great comfort since that is a lot of what 7s do.  The coaches were super kind and everyone was more than happy to help me if I just asked, making a pretty great learning environment for a new player.
Also, it was good to test my cleats on turf.  With mild compression socks I developed one of the nastiest blisters I've ever had, being so irate that the fluid in it was sanguineous.

This is the morning after first draining.

Not sure if because new cleats, because not in adequate socks for 2 hours of practice, or if the Wero Pro 8s just don't fit my wide-ass feet.  I'm trying to NOT look at this as an excuse to buy a new pair of cleats, as I know that is just me wanting to embrace my shoe/kit fetish, but only time will tell if I can hold off.
Also note the cleat mark on my ankle.  It sucks, and I'm not exactly sure what position I was in to make it happen.  Guessing I just took the ball into contact and the first man over me to clear the ruck stepped on it?  Odd stuff.
Either way, my love for this sport is confirmed.