At first glance, it looks like they're playing football. But, upon closer look, the ball is a little different, the field is a little different and the rules are a lot different. Plus, the girls are wearing no pads.

Welcome to the sport of girls rugby.

Coached by Mark "Murph" Marseglia, the Hibernian Banshees play in the Eastern Pennsylvania Rugby Union, which consists of about 300 girls on more than 20 teams.

Last Sunday, the Banshees, the only under-19 girls rugby team in the area, battled Unionville at their home field in Parkland. In front of family members and friends, the Banshees lost the first game, 10-7, and won the second, 10-0.

All members of the team attend Pennsbury or Neshaminy high schools, although the team is looking for players from other area schools.

"It's just like football and I love football," said Banshee captain Lyndsey Kanter, a senior at Pennsbury. "If you don't want to get hit, don't play rugby."

Despite the rough play, Kanter's mom, Trina, no longer has a problem with her daughter playing the sport.

"At first I didn't like it, but then I realized it's classier than soccer," Trina said. "The coaches and teams cheer for each other and that's why I'm OK with it."

The Banshees, founded in 2003, are an offshoot of the original girls team in the Hibernian Rugby Football Club, founded almost 30 years ago. In their first season, the Banshees finished sixth in the "developmental" division of the EPRU with a record of 1-2. Last season, the team finished third in Division III of the EPRU with a record of 4-2.

Marseglia, a resident of Morrisville, played rugby for 21 years before becoming a coach.

"A guy I worked with at U.S. Steel named Bob Ivone played at Neshaminy High School, and a teacher there named Dennis O'Brien started the [original] team here in Bucks," Marseglia said. "Bob told me about this great game and asked if I would check it out. One practice and I was hooked."

Despite its success over the years, the Hibernian Rugby Football Club has endured its share of tragedy and loss. On Feb. 9, Marseglia's daughter Becky, who organized the team two years ago, committed suicide in Florida. Two other club members, including a member of the boys team, the Bulls, also killed themselves in the past two years.

"The support from the parents and the energy from the kids have helped to keep me going," Marseglia said. "This sport has a great tradition. We are like a family and family sticks together."

To commemorate Becky, the parents designed a special crest and put them on all the Banshees' jerseys. The crest bears the words, "with you, Murphia," which was Becky's rugby nickname.

"They also retired [Becky's] No. 9 jersey and presented it to me as a gift," Marseglia said. "The No. 9 is worn by the scrum half, Becky's and my position."

The mission statement on the team's colorful Web site is "to promote and expand the sport of rugby to the youth of Lower Bucks County."

"Rugby is a great game for all, no matter size, shape, whatever," Marseglia said. "Rugby is close to basketball as well as football and soccer. The game teaches decision making and teamwork and is the best sport that I have been involved with by far."

Katie Atkins can be reached at katkins@phillyBurbs.com.