FALL BREAK BRAWL LEAVES DEACONS AT 0-4

On Oct. 11, Wake Forest Rugby kicked off the Fall Break weekend by making the trek to Blacksburg, VA to take on Virginia Tech in a make-up of their Sep. 20 rainout; despite the improved playing conditions, the Demon Deacons still endured an unforgiving 80 minutes.

Straight away, Virginia Tech capitalized on a mishandled opening kickoff to score their first try only minutes into the match, but the Deacons quickly followed suit by making the most of a Hokie handling error and marching deep into Virginia Tech’s territory, where poor defensive decision-making set senior Johnny McMurray up with a penalty kick that gave Wake Forest their first points.

Wake Forest’s momentum was short-lived, as the Hokies’ sharp footwork and passing skills resulted in 4 unanswered tries across the next 15 minutes.

By slowing down play for a few phases, Wake Forest found the composure they needed to apply some pressure with their kicking game and inch their way to within 5 meters of the try line, where a defensive penalty gave freshman Austin Cunningham the opportunity to quick tap and force his way through to score his first collegiate try.

Unfortunately, Wake Forest’s slow support at the breakdowns allowed Virginia Tech to take possession and score 3 more tries before heading into the half leading 48-8.

Virginia Tech continued to dominate possession and rack up points throughout the second half, though the Deacons picked up the speed of the game during the final 20 minutes, which featured line breaks from McMurray, Cunningham and Johnny Passarelli.

With 12 minutes left in the match, McMurray kicked a penalty to touch that set Wake Forest up with a line out just 5 meters from try line. From the throw, the Deacon pack set up a maul that drew in enough defenders for senior scrumhalf Jack Zimmerman to peel off the back, fend off a few would-be tacklers and touch down for Wake Forest’s second try of the match, which McMurray also converted.

Virginia Tech still had the last word, scoring one more try before the final whistle concluded the 84-15 Hokie win.

Next up, Wake Forest will shift their attention towards preparing for their homecoming match against Maryland, which kicks off at 2pm on Oct 19. The Demon Deacons are looking forward to having stronger sideline support than usual, as the Wake Forest Rugby Foundation’s alumni team will be playing a 12:00pm curtain-raiser that is sure to draw a crowd.

WOLFPACK PREYS ON DEACONS' INCONSISTENCIES

While visitors enjoyed sunny weather throughout Wake Forest’s Family Weekend festivities, Saturday’s unseasonably warm temperature was no treat for Wake Forest Rugby as they hosted their in-state rivals, the North Carolina State Wolfpack.

Suiting up in pink socks for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, players were amped to put on a good show for the larger than usual crowd, but from the opening whistle, it was clear that the contest would be an outright brutal experience for both sides.

Given their considerable size advantage over the young Deacon squad, NC State tried to strong-arm the game’s tempo throughout the initial 20 minutes, but the first points of the match still went to Wake Forest with a penalty kick from senior Jack Zimmerman.

Maintaining possession and keeping play very tight, NC State made small but consistent gains and scored two penalty kicks before strong pressure from the Demon Deacon defense forced a Wolfpack handling error.

Wake Forest capitalized on the resulting turnover and shifted the game’s momentum with some quick thinking and big runs. Highlights included an interception by senior Bryce Lambert and a strong line break from freshman Austin Cunningham, but impatient play near the try zone allowed NC State to regain possession and kick away from Wake Forest’s pressure each time.

In the 86-degree heat, both sides were happy to hear the halftime whistle and leave the game on hold at 6-3.

NC State scored a third penalty kick at the start of the second half, but quickly found themselves with their backs against the wall as the Demon Deacons were awarded a lineout just 5 meters away from their scoring try line.

Senior scrumhalf Jack Zimmerman was able to clean up the mishandled lineout throw, slip a few tackles and set up a ruck just inches from the try line. With support close behind and the defense on the back foot, freshman Tim Peterson retrieved the ball from the base of the ruck and drove through a defender to score the first try of the game. The missed conversion put the score at 8-9 in favor of the visitors.

The next 20 minutes resembled the beginning of the match, with possession being kept very close and the forwards seeing most of the action. The Demon Deacons were able to force errors and pressure the Wolfpack deep into their own territory, but were consistently stopped short by handling errors and penalties.

With just under 15 minutes on the clock and the heat weighing heavily on both sides, the visitors sliced through a disconnected Deacon defense on two occasions, extending their lead to 8-19.

In the closing minutes of the contest, some well-placed kicks kept Wake Forest within scoring distance, but the home side was never able to convert the opportunities into points.

With 3 games remaining in the ACRL Fall XVs season, the Demon Deacons head to Blacksburg, VA on Friday, Oct. 11th to make up an earlier rainout against Virginia Tech.

An Eye-Opening Experience at Clemson's Homecoming

After last week’s rainout against Virginia Tech (rescheduled for Oct. 11), the Demon Deacons were eager to test their developing skills against a tough Clemson program under the Friday night lights of Death Valley.

The Tigers’ homecoming crowd provided a festive atmosphere for both teams’ second ACRL test and, with a handful of players still on the injured reserve roster, the match also served as a debut for new recruits who welcomed the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities and gain invaluable experience in an open play setting.

The evening’s starting lineup included 7 underclassmen, but the Demon Deacons eventually played as many as 9 freshman at once, 3 of whom have learned to play rugby within the past 5 weeks.

The young club’s eyes were quickly opened to the ACRL frontrunners’ aggressive pace when an unfortunate bounce off the opening kickoff led to an icebreaking Tiger try that set the trend for the next 20 minutes of play. The tenacious Deacons regained their composure and absorbed more of Clemson’s pressure in the closing minutes of the first half, making some strong defensive stands and pushing the game deep into Tiger territory before going into the break at 34-0.

The Demon Deacons started the second half with new intensity, but a steady Clemson defense finally forced a turnover and put them on the back foot. Periodic substitutions gave the Deacons a steady supply of energy and helped them demonstrate commendable fight throughout a gritty battle that ended 68-0.

The Deacons will have another chance to test their mettle when the NC State Wolfpack visits Poteat Field on Oct. 5; Coach Justin Goonan has made it clear that the team will be focused on tactical decision making and providing support on both sides of the ball as Wake Forest looks forward to another opportunity to demonstrate growth.

Wake Drops Heartbreaker to UVA in Conference Opener

You could not have painted a better picture for a home season opener than what the Demon Deacons and University of Virginia had in Winston-Salem on Saturday. Both teams were eager to kick off the 2013 season and begin a new chapter under new coaching regimes. From the opening kickoff, both sides showed plenty of butterflies to be settled as simple handling errors and mindless penalties kept the flow going back and forth for the first 20 minutes of action. Then, just before halftime, Wake Forest was awarded a penalty 5 meters from their attacking try line and James Watson (Captain) was able to slip through for a try to put the Demon Deacons ahead 5-0. At the break, the competition was still equally matched up, although just after the restart, a penalty allowed the home side to inch further in front with a penalty by Johnny McMurray making it 8-0. Virginia’s persistence finally paid off when, on an attacking lineout, one of their forwards was able to slip through from 20 meters out for the first try. Continuing to build on their momentum, the Cavaliers only needed 5 minutes to break the Deacons defense and find the try zone again to move ahead for an 8-10 lead. Wake refused to let up and was able to absorb Virginia’s attack in some high-pressure situations. Unfortunately, on a very loose ball, UVA’s backs were able to round the corner and display some quality skill work which led to their final try of the day and a successful conversion which extended their lead to 8-17. During final push in the closing minutes, the Deacons were able to narrow the gap as Johnny McMurray took a quick tap from 5 meters away and dive over for the home sides second try of the match. However, the conversion narrowed the defecit to 17-15 with under 10 minutes remaining. Wake pressured the UVA line repeatedly in the last minutes of play, but were unable to get the winning points. Looking ahead, UVA will enjoy a bye week to address their season opening mistakes while Wake Forest has a quick turn around for their Friday night match at Virginia Tech on September 20th.

Fall Season Underway, Hopes are High for New Look Deacon Squad

After two full weeks of testing, training and team building, the 2013-2014 Wake Forest Rugby season is finally underway! In a year that marks the 40th anniversary since the team’s origin, there are plenty of other reasons to celebrate. Catching the most attention this summer is the introduction of new head coach, Justin Goonan. Before firmly planting himself on campus, Coach Goonan welcomed new and returning faces into the squad with a preseason camp that included skills sessions, performance tests and team-building exercises. The extra time together before starting classes proved to be greatly beneficial as the players outlined their goals for the season as well as for the program. Also bringing excitement will be the new competition structure being introduced by the Atlantic Coast Rugby League. Beginning this fall, the conference will host the XV's competition in the fall, while reserving the spring as a strictly Sevens period. As the new Olympic sport gains more and more interest and support, Wake Forest, along with its other conference members, is very excited for the innovative competition structure and aims to compete very heavily in both seasons. Of course, even more exciting than the conference news is the new addition of the freshmen who are ready for their college rugby debut. In the forwards, Mark Bernstein (Greenwich High) and Tim Peterson (Fairfield Prep) have put their high school rivalry aside and are ready to team up to make an impact at the college level. Joining the young forwards are a class of backs that are ready to test their skills and pace with a veteran backline that returns 7 players with first-side experience. Mitch D'Eramo (Fairfield Prep), Austin Cunningham (Union County) and Miguel Abella (Phillipines U-19) are making a statement to earn their starting jersey and become a threat to opposing defenses. Wake Forest Rugby welcomes this class of freshmen as well as a number of other former high school athletes that have joined the team as newcomers to rugby. Yesterday, Wake Forest Rugby made its first step into the new era during a round robin scrimmage in Raleigh, NC hosted by NC State. Wake faced off against former NCRU D2 rival ECU and UNC-Wilmington, a familiar opponent from recent seasons. The first match up with ECU was a picture perfect start to the season highlighting some amazing skill and athleticism from senior players. With a final score of 47-5, multiple Deacons found their way into the try zone while the entire squad began to implement new attack and defense strategies that were introduced during preseason training. In the second runout of the day against UNC-W, many of the newcomers received their first taste of the speed and physicality of match-level rugby. Though the scoreline was not in the Deacons’ favor, the experience was still very productive and beneficial in giving new players the opportunity test their skill levels and understand the flow of an actual game. Now shifting its attention to the conference season opener this Saturday against the University of Virginia, the squad is focused on recovery and mentally concentrating on improving from yesterday's performance. The season home opener is scheduled to kick off at 2:00pm Saturday on campus at Poteat Field. All are welcome to come out and support the Demon Deacons!

A Note From Coach Goonan

Wake Forest Tabs Justin Goonan as New Head Coach

Goonan, center, was an assistant coach for the 2012 USA U-20 team

that captured the IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy

 

Winston-Salem, NC-The Wake Forest University men's rugby team has hired Justin Goonan to be the team’s new head coach.  Goonan joins the Demon Deacons with an impressive resume, having played college rugby at Texas A&M and then in the US Rugby Super League with Old Blue and Boston. While in Boston, he served as an assistant coach with Boston College and in 2012 he was a member of the coaching staff for the USA U-20 men's team that won the IRB Junior Rugby World Trophy. For the last year, Coach Goonan has lived in London pursuing a Masters degree in Strength & Conditioning at the University of Greenwich and interning with the famed London Scottish.

Inheriting a team that struggled last spring, going winless in ACRL conference play, Coach Goonan is eager to build a successful program along with the large number of returning players in key positions.  Wake Forest Rugby Foundation President Andrew Gentles, who led the coaching search committee, had this to say: "We had dozens of solid candidates apply for the position, but Coach Goonan really stood out.  From our first interview with him I knew he was the right man for the job and I'm thrilled that he has accepted the challenge of leading Wake Forest rugby as we rebound from last year and continue to raise the level of the program."  For his part, Goonan said, "This is a fantastic opportunity to coach college rugby at a high level. Wake Forest University is very well known as an academic institution and their rugby program has a talented and committed group of returning players along with strong administrative and alumni support.  I'm looking forward to getting back to the States and plan to hit the ground running.  Right now, my focus in on learning more about the players and establishing a platform for our pre-season camp."

Goonan will be assisted by Trent Justice, who has been an assistant coach with the team since 2010 and will stay on in that capacity.  Former head coach Patrick Kane is also expected to remain with the program as an assistant.  Wake Forest begins the ACRL season on September 14 when they host the Virginia Cavaliers at Poteat Field.