Boat race (game)

One theory on the name is that it is acronym for "beer on a table", an alternative explanation may come from the Australian term for drinking a full beer in one continuous motion i.e. "to skull" or "skulling" and that term's homonym in the single crewed rowing race "sculling" & hence a boat race.

The Concise Macquarie Dictionary [1] has this entry for boatrace : Colloq: A competition between teams of beer drinkers to see which team can drink its beer the fastest; a drinking competition.

Common rules include those regulating the number and gender of drinkers, the vessels from which the liquid must be consumed and punishments for spilling.

The game is a long-established tradition amongst many Australian amateur Rugby Union leagues.

Players receiving points for their on field performance then become the participants for the boat race after, but may sub out for injury.