|
Hartford Men Fall In Rugby Tournament
The University of Hartford men's rugby season ended with a
27-19 loss to Hamilton College in Batavia, N.Y. The weekend
matches included the top four Division III rugby teams from
New England and New York. Hartford, unbeaten in the regular
season, entered as the No.2 team in the Northeast Rugby
Union's third division. (11/14/06)
Hartford Rugby
The University of Hartford men's rugby team (7-1) will
compete this weekend in Batavia, N.Y., for the Northeast
championship and a bid to the Eastern Regional in April.
Last weekend the Hawks finished second in New England among
Division III teams, losing to defending national champion
Bentley College. (11/10/06)Courtesy of courant.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Men's Rugby Team Splits Weekend Games
Jason Bernstein
Media Credit: joekeo.tripod.com
Hartford men's rugby suffered their first defeat of the season
when they got shut out on Sunday against Bentley College. Even with the lose to Bentley, season is not over. They will be
playing in the Northeast Rugby Union DIII Championship.
| | The University of Hartford men's rugby team split a pair of games this weekend. The loss ended
the team's bid for an undefeated season.
On Sunday, Nov. 5, the Hawks were blanked by Bentley College 15-0. Bentley
was able to take advantage of Hartford turnovers in the first half. Trailing by 12 at the half, the Hawks were unable to mount
a second half comeback.
In defeat, Hartford put up a fine defensive effort, holding Bentley to just a three-point penalty
kick in the second half of play. The game was very physical with the Hawks delivering a number of devastating hits on their
opponents throughout the contest.
Just a day earlier, Hartford had a thrilling come-from-behind 26-19 victory over
Keene State in overtime. About five minutes into the first overtime period, senior Jamal Fuller found a hole through the line
at around midfield and took it all the way to the in-goal for the try (worth five points). The two-point kick after was good,
giving Hartford a seven point lead. After the score by Fuller, the Hawks defense shut down Keene State to preserve the victory.
Hartford
needed some last minute heroics just to send the game into overtime. Trailing 19-12 with time running out on the game and
the Hawks season, Hartford got a try by team captain Brian Regal. Regal dove in from outside center and into the in-goal.
Regal's kick was good to tie the game at 19, just minutes before the end of regulation.
For much of the second half,
Keene State had dominated the action, erasing a 12-5 deficit to take a 19-12 lead. Keene State was able to take advantage
of two Hawks' losses of possession.
Hartford took a 12-5 lead going into the half. Keene State came close to adding
a try before the half, but a strong defensive effort by the Hawks left Keene State inches away from the in-goal as time ran
out in the first half.
Keene State started the game off strong, winning scrums and holding the ball in the Hartford
zone. Despite the slow start, the Hawks scored the first points of the game on a try by inside center Mike Nicoll. The play
started when scrum half Dave DePaula got the ball out to flyhalf Jay Neiswinter. Neiswinter then got the ball over to Nicoll.
Hartford failed to convert the kick, leaving the score at 5-0.
Keene State quickly tied the game at five. The game
would remain tied until late in the first half. The Hawks pushed the ball towards Keene State's in-goal. After a few unsuccessful
attempts by the Hawks, DePaula picked the ball up and scored the try. This time Hartford was successful on the kick to make
it 12-5.
Despite Sunday's loss to Bentley, the Hawks' season is not over yet. Hartford will be playing in the Northeast
Rugby Union DIII Collegiate Championships in Batavia, N.Y. on Saturday.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Men’s
Rugby Enjoys Historic Season
Posted: November 9, 2006 UNotes
The Hartford men's rugby team (in black and red) is pictured in a match earlier this fall against Southern Connecticut
State University.
Women’s soccer
and women’s basketball are not the only University of Hartford teams that will be competing in important tournaments
this weekend.
The men’s rugby team will take on Hamilton College in the Northeast Rugby Union Division III Collegiate
Championship tournament on Saturday, Nov. 11, at 9 a.m. on the campus of Genesee Community College in Batavia, N.Y.
The
winner of the four-team Northeast Regional tournament will move on to the National Championship tournament, which will take
place in South Carolina.
This is the first time in its 20-year history that the Hartford men’s rugby team has
qualified for the Northeast Regional Championship. The team is enjoying its best season ever, with a record of 7-1.
Men’s
rugby is a club sport, which means that it is not part of the University’s Division I intercollegiate athletics program.
The University’s men’s rugby team dates back to 1986, and its current 63-man roster is the largest in team history.
Hartford advanced to the Northeast Regional Championship after finishing in second place in the New England Championship
tournament last weekend. The Hawks beat Keene State 26-19 in the semifinal round, and lost to the national champions, the
Bentley Falcons, 15-0 in the finals.
Hamilton College, Hartford’s opponent in Saturday’s match, is the
Upstate New York champion. The winner of the Hartford vs. Hamilton game will play either Bentley College or New York Maritime
College, the Metro New York champion, in the finals of the Northeast Regional tournament.
For more information on
Hartford men’s rugby, go to http://www.hartfordrugby.cjb.net/.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Men's Rugby Undefeated After Topping CCSU
Jason Bernstein
|
Media Credit: Bob Adams
With a 15-9 victory over CCSU on Saturday, Hartford
men's rugby remains undefeated.
| |
The University of Hartford men's rugby team continued its undefeated
season on Saturday when they defeated Central Connecticut State University 15-9.
The game was very physical from start
to finish, with a lot of hard hits delivered throughout the contest. For the Hawks, preparation throughout the week was a
key to the victory.
"All week we did extensive running," said senior forward Thomas Reyes. "We focused on our passing
drills, running drills and hitting drills. It really paid off."
The team practices just about every day. Tuesdays,
Thursdays and Fridays are dedicated to creating game plans for upcoming games and going over plays. Monday and Wednesday practices
focus on sprints and conditioning. It isn't uncommon to see members of the team running laps around the campus on those days.
After
giving up an opening goal to CCSU (worth three points), Hartford bounced right back with a goal by Franklin Pargh to tie the
game at 3-3. The Hawks then added a try (worth five points) by junior back Brian Regal. A try occurs when you run the ball
into the opponent's in-goal. Regal, one of the team's two captains (junior Jay Neiswinter the other), got the try after receiving
a pass from junior forward Jamal Fuller. Fuller, running across the sidelines, flipped the ball to his right to Regal. Pargh
scored a goal after a try (worth two points) to make the score 10-3 Hartford.
Later in the game, Fuller added a try
to make it 15-3 in favor of the Hawks. An amped up Fuller flexed his muscles in celebration. Fuller knows that the try was
a result of help from his teammates.
"My team did a good job getting me the ball in a position where I could score,"
Fuller said.
Armed with a 15-3 lead, Hartford stepped up their defense, limiting CCSU to just two goals the rest of
the way. Late in the second half, CCSU was threatening to score, but the Hawks made a key defensive stop near their own in-goal,
preventing a CCSU try. The stop helped preserve the 15-9 victory.
Defense was vital in Hartford's win. Sophomore forward
Galen Trull won almost all of the game's throw-ins. Trull also had a huge run on offense in the first half. The Hawks also
dominated CCSU in scrums during the game. The team's strong defensive performance was a group effort.
"We worked hard for it as a team," Reyes said. "And together
we got the win."
Under the direction of coaches Ed Matteo and Denis Horrigan, Hartford is 3-0. This is the best start
the team has had since its inception in 1986.
"A good work ethic," Fuller said when asked what has been the key to
their success this season. "This year I feel like we're playing as a cohesive unit."
In other action on Saturday, the
Hawks' B-Side was victorious 25-5. Hartford received trys from Dartray Belk, Joe Belmont, Anthony Vlasica and Sean Kinane
in the game.
The University's men's rugby team is a club sport that is not a part of the University's intercollegiate
athletics program. There are currently 63 men on the roster, the largest total in team history.
The Hawks' next game
is on Thursday, Oct. 12 at 5 p.m. when they host Wesleyan University. The game will take place at the field on Mark Twain
Drive extension. Students can get there by following the dirt road that runs alongside the Public Safety building.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Men's Rugby Off to Best Start Ever
Posted:
October 6, 2006 from UNOTES
The University’s men’s rugby team, which is off to
its best start ever, will look to continue its perfect record when it takes on Central Connecticut State University on Saturday,
Oct. 7, at 1 p.m.
Come and cheer on the team at Saturday’s match, and see what rugby is all about. To get to
the team’s home field on Mark Twain Drive extension, simply follow the dirt road that runs alongside the Public Safety
building. It’s just a few minutes walk to the field where Saturday’s match will take place.
A Brief Rundown
of Hartford Rugby
Men’s rugby is a club sport, which means that it is not part of the University’s Division
I intercollegiate athletics program. The University’s men’s rugby team dates back to 1986, and its current 63-man
roster is the largest in team history.
The rugby season is a short one, and with a record of 2-0, the Hartford men’s
rugby team is off to its best start ever. The two wins, 27-10 and 8-3 decisions over Rhode Island College and Southern Connecticut
State University, respectively, have helped motivate squad members to continue their hard work.
The team practices
nearly every day of the week, with Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays focusing on going over plays and creating game plans for
upcoming matches. Conditioning practices, which take place on Mondays and Wednesdays, involve a series of calisthenics, sprints,
and laps around the campus.
Coaches Ed Matteo and Denis Horrigan, veterans of the sport, impart their knowledge to
help newcomers get adjusted to the game and to ensure that the veterans perform their best on the field each match. The squad’s
captains are Jay Neiswinter and Brian Regal, who are two of the longest tenured members, having played since their first semesters
at the University.
The team’s games are free and open to anyone who would like to attend, and team members would
appreciate any support possible from members of the University community.
Come and see what rugby is all about, and
support the team as it looks to continue its perfect record on Saturday!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rugby Team Looks to Change
The University of Hartford men's rugby team
is a Division III men's college rugby club.
The team has always had a reputation for being a rowdy bunch, both on
and off the field. This year, they look to change that stereotype into a more positive view and create a reputable, honorable
and respectable club. All of the players have good aspirations for this year's team and plan to win more games than they have
in previous seasons.
The 2005 team consisted of 39 men who are split into two teams - the A-side and the B-side, similar
to varsity and junior varsity.
Currently their field is behind the Public Safety building, down a long dirt path. The
name of the field is the Dead Hooker Field, supposedly given after a dead prostitute was found on the field. The University
is going to allow the rugby team to practice and play on the new fields that are currently being worked on.
"I am
looking forward to playing on the new field once it is finished," says player Eric McGinn.
The rugby team took some
hard losses in the fall 2005 season, leaving them with a 2-7 record, but they are looking ahead.
"We are a strong,
young team," says A-side player Dave DePaula, who has high hopes for the team this year.
Junior Thomas Reyes claims
one of the team's weaknesses is losing their veterans and getting inexperienced new players. Although they value new recruits,
he knows that experience is what the team really needs.
"Rugby isn't a sport you can just learn by watching; you need
to actually practice and play it to be good," said Reyes.
But they understand their weaknesses and are ready to push
that aside in order to win more games. For the spring 2006 season, they recruited a total of 45 young men who are eager to
help the rugby team succeed.
Rugby is a very unique sport, and not all colleges offer it. Picture football - but without
pads. The team has vigorous practices Tuesday through Friday, which consist of hard drills and lots of work. This sport attracts
a very diverse group of people, as it is appealing to kids of all ages and backgrounds.
"I joined because I wanted
to try something different," said sophomore Ryan Alphonse, who was sick of the ordinary sports like baseball and basketball.
For the spring 2006 season they play a total of eight teams in the South Conference. Unfortunately, only two of the
games will be at home when they play Boston College B-Side and Franklin Pierce College. The team's website is https://joekeo.tripod.com/index.html. (Courtesty of The Informer)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rugby: the off campus phenomenon
Men's and women's teams seek to gain popularity
Rugby is the fastest growing college sport
amongst men and women. How many of you know that the University of Hartford has both a men's and women's team?
The
men's team was started 16 years ago by Associate Athletic Director/Sports Center Director, Ted Stavropoulos. There have been
interruptions due to the team being suspended for various reasons, but they were back on track last fall playing in the New
England Rugby Football Union (NERFU) fourth Division.
Rugby is a combination of football and soccer, as both feet
and hands can be used. The ball can only be passed laterally or backwards, with the ball only being able to advance by running
or kicking the ball forward. You can't block like in football, and similar to soccer are the offside rules. Play is continuous.
The reason you may not have heard of rugby at Hartford is because the team is not allowed to play on campus due to
the fact that their half-inch spikes would ruin the field. In the late 1980's, a few players found an overgrown field a quarter-mile
behind Public Safety which happened to be part of the Annie Fisher School. They cleaned up the field and made it playable.
The team has since had an exchange with the Annie Fisher School to keep the field clean so they can use it. The team also
does community service for the school, which this year has included picking up trash from a nearby nature trail.
Apart
from this exchange, the team needs funding, which they receive through the club sports budget. The teams get money for equipment
and the use of the van for away games. Players have to buy their own jerseys, but as senior Nick Healy said, it works out
because the athletes want to keep them.
This year is a transition year for the men because they moved up a division.
In Division III of NERFU, Hartford [ended 15th of 16 teams] this year. Their coach, Ed Matteo, brings experience from the
Springfield Men's Club. Although Matteo is not a Hartford alumnus, many of the players at Springfield are. The team is also
looking to add 10 to 15 new players to their roster next year.
Of all the players they have so far, only two of them played
in high school, but as Healy explained, only prep schools have rugby programs in Conn.
Hartford rugby does have loyal
fans. Lacrosse players, alumni and people the players know come to their games. Healy does want to see more interest in the
sport and recognizes the fact that it is hard because the sport is not played on campus.
There are many rumors on campus
about the way the rugby players conduct themselves off the field. Healy insists they are not like a fraternity in that they
don't haze their incoming freshmen. "We hang out for a purpose [rugby] and we are friends on top of it. But rugby comes first,"
said Healy.
With the introduction of Title IX, which states that women's sports should get the same amount of scholarships
as men's sports, sports administrators across the country look favorably upon women's rugby as a sport that can eventually
even out the scholarship imbalance with men's sports, like football and wrestling. Football and wrestling can take 100 or
more scholarships, leaving the women's teams far behind.
Eastern Illinois University had a solution to that problem
when in 1999, Frank Graziano, the Director of National Events and Director or Collegiate Programs for USA rugby, was asked
to coach the first ever varsity women's rugby team. The team hasn't looked back since and finished this season 11-0.
Women's
rugby doesn't have that chance at Hartford because there aren't any football or wrestling teams. Things are looking positive
for them, however, because after having almost no girls playing last year, men's coach Matteo may have found someone interested
in coaching the team.
Both the men's and women's fall seasons are currently over, but play will start again after
Spring Break. (Courtesty of The Informer)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
)