Cullis, two others selected to local rugby hall of fame

Local rugby has moved on without Ian Cullis and that's perfectly fine with him.Actually, he considers it a way to measure his impact on the game.Cullis contribution was honored by his selection in the inaugural class of the Cedar Rapids Rugby Football Hall of Fame on Aug. 29.“It's OK to do something, but if it continues without you then you must have done something right,” Cullis said. “The game has continued and to me that's the greatest gift. Men are still enjoying it, organizing it and playing it even though I'm now gone from it.”Cullis, who began playing at 19 in his native South Africa, served as a player and coach at the University of Iowa and area club teams. He was a member of Iowa's 1976 Big Ten champion team, arriving in America as a 25-year-old with aspirations to kick in the NFL.Cullis, the current mayor of Robins, guided the Iowa Select Side to the Midwest Championship as a player/coach in 1978.Rugby requires dedication and devotion, demanding players to train. Cullis was quick to laud the intangibles surrounding the game. He put in his time over the years like many, balancing training, competition and personal obligations.“It's not the kind of sport where you can just show up once or twice a week and expect to be any good at it,” said Cullis, who served as vice president for players of the Midwest Rugby Union. “Really, it's a game of discipline.”Cullis said rugby provides the chance to continue activity when football careers conclude.“I think American men are left too short with most of them never getting to a big game,” said Cullis, who was involved in area rugby for almost 30 years. “Here's an opportunity that b builds great team work, great camaraderie and it will give you every ounce of your athletic competition you want.”Tom Wertz, of Cedar Rapids, and Marion's Paul Matthews were also inducted. The trio will decide on future members.Wertz, 56, founded the CRRFC in 1978 and coached Cedar Rapids to a Division III national championship in 2003. He also served as president of the Midwest Rugby Union and as a member of the USA Rugby board of directors.Matthews, 47, played with the rugby club for 17 years, beginning in 1982. In 1991, Matthews played on a team that toured through England.