As a sport that was once reserved for preppy ivy-leaguers and boarding school students, Rugby is taking on a new role in the fashion world.

According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, luxury fashion houses are finding new lifestyle marketing concepts in the centuries old sport. In particular, the WSJ cited the 2004 launch of the Ralph Lauren Rugby collection, which in a statement by Ralph Lauren he described as “young and hip. It has an attitude, a point of view and it’s constantly changing. There’s a heritage and a sensibility, but it’s not necessarily about fashion, it’s about taste and style.”

So how is the Ralph Lauren Rugby label connecting with its potential customers? Primarily through its boutique Rugby retail stores, where it sells Rugby apparel and hosts a lifestyle themed café, and online at its Rugby.com, where it hosts a variety of Web 2.0 applications, including an interactive history of the Rugby shirt, an online Rugby fashion tool and a blog devoted to the Rugby lifestyle.