The game, in many respects, is the original version of American football. Rugby, with its good-natured, rough-and-tumble vibe, has always attracted a small but loyal local following.

But this summer, a scaled-down version of the sport (with 7-man teams, vs. the traditional 15) will make rugby’s Olympic return on the international stage of the Rio Games. As a result, Bay State rugby can expect an added boost.

Almost to a man — and woman — local rugby devotees say it’s the sport’s sheer physicality that first attracted them.

“The physical challenge of rugby is what I love most, with the social connections being a close second,’’ said Amesbury’s Morgan Roberts, a 33-year-old Maine native who attended Boston University and now plays for the Boston Women’s Rugby Football Club.

“I wasn’t good enough at lacrosse to make the [Division 1] team at BU, so I tried rugby,’’ she said. “It was challenging both physically and mentally. It’s still challenging.’’

Tara Roberts, Morgan’s twin sister and teammate, said rugby is “very much a thinking game.’’

“The best players aren’t just physical, they’re smart,’’ she said. “They know how to recognize what’s in front of them, what moves to make, and what to expect two or three phases ahead.’’

Today, the sport is available to boys and girls through the Massachusetts Youth Rugby Organization and to men and women through the New England Rugby Football Union, which represents more than 160 rugby clubs in the Northeast.

The sport, said Morgan Roberts, has introduced her to many “great people with new game and life aspects for me to absorb,’’ a sentiment echoed by many local players.

Laurie Bourdon first started playing as an 18-year-old at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Three-plus decades later, she is the coach of the Algonquin Regional High School team, and still gets on the pitch with her Beantown RFC squad.

“My father had played rugby at Indiana University, and then for Boston Men’s back in the ‘60s,’’ said Bourdon.

“After watching a women’s rugby game with him while on a college tour, I knew I wanted to play. The attraction was the dynamic flow of the game and, of course, the tackling. Those aspects still exist for me, and keep me excited to stay involved through coaching.’’

The next generation appears eager to take up the game’s mantle.

“I think it’s awesome that each position fits a specific body type and is equally valued,’’ said Zoe Duffield, 16, a junior at Ipswich High and a member of the Essex County girls’ squad.

“Because rugby accepts all types of people, it truly can be for everyone.’’

Unlike many team sports, especially contact sports, rugby has identical rules for men and women. “This is the beauty of rugby from youth right up to professional,’’ Bourdon said. “The principles of the game are universal.

“There are misconceptions that rugby is unsafe, violent, and has no rules,’’ she said. “Every season we have to educate our parents and players. Safety is our number one priority, and there are actually a lot of laws.

“Violence has no place in rugby at any level,’’ Bourdon continued. “Yes, rugby is aggressive and it is physical; that’s why so many of us like it. It’s a sport outside the box.’’

Local boys and men are bringing the same passion. Trevor Patterson, a senior at Hamilton-Wenham Regional High, first learned about the sport during his sophomore year as an exchange student in South Africa.

“I like all aspects of the sport,’’ said Patterson, a member of the Essex County Bulldogs. “Individual effort is very important, but useless without the rest of the team . . . working hard in unison.’’

Patterson’s Bulldogs coach, David Hill of West Newbury, still plays occasionally for the Boston Irish Wolfhounds’ “old boys’’ team, affectionately called the “Greyhounds.’’ The game is growing in the Boston area, he said, and will continue to flourish with the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association recognizing it next year.

“Rugby has spots on the field for all shapes and sizes,’’ said Hill, 51, a founding member of Essex County Youth Rugby.

“All you need to start is a mouthpiece, cleats, and the love of excitement. At all levels of rugby, young to old, there are teams to play on. Rugby clubs have different skill level teams, so players always have the opportunity to play.

“What other sport has two opposing teams go at each other for 80 minutes, and then have a social after the match?’’ he said. “Rugby is about community. We teach players to respect their opponents, referees, fans, and themselves.’’

For details on youth rugby options, visit Massachusetts Youth Rugby Organization at myrugby.org. For adult teams, visit the New England Rugby Football Union at nerfu.org.

If you have an idea for the Globe’s “On the Move’’ column, contact correspondent Brion O’Connor at brionoc@verizon.net.