Spring Match with Davidson Cancelled; UNC-G Steps in as Replacement

Davidson has backed out of its February 28, 2009 match with Wake Forest, scheduled as the headline match of the Wake Forest High School Rugby Showcase. Davidson's spring break begins on the 28th and the team notified Wake forest that it would be unable to field a team due to player availability. Davidson and Wake are in discussions to reschedule the match for later in the spring.

Meanwhile, UNC-Greensboro has accepted an invitation to replace Davidson and will travel to Wake to take on the Demon Deacons on the 28th. UNC-G is experiencing a resurgence of its program under the new leadership of former University of Tennessee and Chicago Lions player Jeremy Linne who has taken over as head coach of the team.

2009 ACI Tournament Field Announced

The field for the 2009 Atlantic Coast Invitational has been finalized, with eight of the twelve invited teams committing to the tournament in Tallahassee, FL the weekend of January 17-18, 2009. The teams attending are Boston College, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech, North Carolina State, University of North Carolina, University of Virginia, and Wake Forest.

In addition, WorldRugbyShop.com has again signed on as a tournament sponsor and will be supplying equipment as well as sponsoring the WorldRugbyShop.com All-Tournament Team.

The 2008 tournament, won by University of Virginia, saw nine teams travel to Raleigh, NC to participate in the inaugural event and tournament organizers had hoped for an equal or greater number at the 2009 tournament. However, Maryland, Virginia Tech, Duke and Miami are unable to attend this year's tournament due to scheduling conflicts.

Despite the missing teams, the tournament organizers are still very excited about the 2009 ACI and expect it to be a great success.

Tournament co-Director Andy Richards said, “Ideally we would love to have gotten all twelve ACC schools represented, but with eight high quality rugby programs in attendance it is still going to be a great collegiate rugby event. The fact that Boston College is flying down for the tournament is a huge step forward. But we’ll go back to the drawing board again for the 2010 event and see if we can come up with a solution that works for everyone.”

Additionally, the tournament has recently launched a new blog feature on its website, http://www.acirugby.com/, where coaches, players, and other high-profile individuals from the collegiate rugby community will be posting articles leading up to the 2009 event.

The Atlantic Coast Invitational is a rugby tournament of the men’s rugby teams from the schools that make up the Atlantic Coast Conference. The tournament is not sponsored by, endorsed by, or affiliated in any way with the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Wake Rugby Announces First Member of Class of 2013

Wake Forest is pleased to announce that Johnny McMurry has been accepted early decision to Wake Forest University and will join the Wake men's rugby team in the fall of 2009. McMurry plays scrumhalf and wing for national high school rugby power Gonzaga College High School in Washington, DC, the alma mater of current Wake standout Michael Wills. McMurry has four years of rugby experience and is also a starter on the school's nationally-ranked soccer team. The Wake coaching staff is hopeful that McMurray will immediately challenge for a spot in the first XV as the team will lose wing Critter Commins and All-Star scrumhalf Drew Legge to graduation this May.

Atlantic Coast Invitational Launches Blog

The Atlantic Coast Invitational today introduced a blog feature on its website, http://www.acirugby.com/. The blog will feature posts from various coaches, players, and other big names in the American collegiate rugby arena and will be updated frequently in the next 6 weeks leading up to the 2009 Atlantic Coast Invitational on January 17-18 in Tallahassee, FL.

The Atlantic Coast Invitational is a tournament of the men's rugby teams from the schools that make up the Atlantic Coast Conference. It was founded in 2008 as a joint effort of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill men's rugby team and the Wake Forest men's rugby team, along with 2008 host Raleigh Rugby Club. The University of Virgina won the inaugural championship, besting the University of Maryland 12-5 in a muddy, rain-soaked final.

Wake Rugby Partners with Triad Youth Rugby

The Wake Forest men's rugby team has entered into the beginning stages of a relationship with the Triad Youth Rugby Association. The partnership will officially kick off on January 11, as the team will host a skills clinic for the TYRA as part of the team's preseason training camp. Wake Forest will also host TYRA matches throughout the spring season. The first of these will be on January 31, as TYRA is tentatively planning to play both a U-15 and U-19 match as a curtainraiser for Wake Forest's showdown with University of North Carolina.

Wake Forest's involvement with TYRA will hopefully help strengthen the youth rugby presence in Winston-Salem. TYRA has simultaneously entered into a similar partnership with the UNC-Greensboro men's team in order to increase participation and involvement in Greensboro.

Any Triad youth interested in becoming involved with rugby are encouraged to contact TYRA Director Richard Ridewood at richard.ridewood@coats.com.

Wake Rugby Fundraising Raffle Underway

The Wake Forest Men's Rugby Team has kicked off its annual fundraising raffle. Tickets are $2 or 3 for $5. If you are interested in entering the raffle and supporting the team, please email team Vice-President Dave Poplaski at popldj5@wfu.edu. The prize drawing will be held on February 1, 2009 and winners will be posted here and notified by phone or email.

'08-'09 Wake Forest Men's Rugby Fundraising Raffle

Grand Prize: $500
Second Prize: $250
Third Prize: $100
Fourth Prize (6): $25
Fifth Prize (12): Wake Rugby Golf Shirt
Sixth Prize (20): Wake Rugby T-Shirt

Wake Rugby Legends Victorious at Homecoming

After the current Wake Forest squad defeated UNC-Pembroke 41-12 on Saturday, they remained on the field to play a second match against the Wake Forest Rugby Legends, a squad comprised of Wake Rugby alumni, coaches and supporters, rounded out by a few current players. The Legends scored early and often against the fatigued Wake team, winning 53-0. Alumni who suited up for the Legends included Achilleas Patounas '06, Justin Edwards '06, Hien Nguyen '07, Greg Wagner '07, Adam Blincoe '07, Rusty Hedrick '07, and Tyler Eure '08.

Wake Closes Fall with 41-12 Defeat of UNC-Pembroke

Wake Forest finished its fall rugby campaign with a mixed first and second side taking on upstart Division 3 program UNC-Pembroke on Homecoming Weekend in Winston-Salem. The inexperienced Wake side found themselves on their heels early as Pembroke ran out to an early 12-0 lead behind the stellar play of NCRU All-Star scrumhalf Rich English. Wake regrouped and two unconverted tries left them trailing 12-10 at the half.

The second half was a completely different game from the first 40 minutes, as Wake ran in five tries while Pembroke could not muster anything offensively. Wake freshmen wing Will Hank converted three of the five second half tries, while also touching down a try of his own. He was joined in the scoring column by fellow freshmen Brendan Shea and Charlie Crockett, both of whom scored two tries on the day.

Wake now moves into its offseason. Training will resume on January 10, when the team returns early from semester break for an intensive three day training camp leading up to the Atlantic Coast Invitational in Florida on January 17-18.

Wake Forest Spring Rugby Schedule Announced

1/17-18 Atlantic Coast Invitational Rugby Tournament (Tallahassee, FL)
1/24 Off
1/31 University of North Carolina (Home)
2/7 East Carolina University* (Greenville, NC)
2/14 North Carolina State University* (Home)
2/21 Appalachian State University* (Boone, NC)
2/28 Davidson College (Home-Senior Day)
2/28-3/1 Wake Forest High School Rugby Showcase (Home)
3/7 Off (Spring Break)
3/14 Off (Spring Break)
3/21 USA Rugby South DII Quarterfinals (Location TBD)
3/28-29 USA Rugby South DII Final Four (Location TBD)

*Denotes League Match

Wake Places 3rd in North Carolina Rugby Union Tournament

Wake Forest finished third in the 2008 North Carolina Rugby Union Tournament, besting North Carolina State 24-0 on Sunday morning in the tournament consolation game.

Wake began the tournament with its second side taking on the East Carolina second side in the B Division of the tournament. Wake won the match 17-14, with tries being scored by freshman flanker Jeff Millar and freshman scrumhalf Kip Lewis. Junior flyhalf JD Harrison converted both tries and added a penalty to lead Wake to the victory.

The Wake first side opened the tournament against Elon and the result was never in doubt as the Demon Deacons completely dominated territory and possession, running out 24-0 winners. Wake led 19-0 at the half behind a try from sophomore flanker Hunter Lostan, a brace from senior #8 Timo Kawira and two conversion from sophomore wing Scott Gillespe. After the break Wake tacked on another 5 points courtesy of a penalty try after they drove a 5 meter scrum across the tryline where an Elon defender infringed and prevented Kawira from touching down for a third time.

The second side was then back in action against the UNC-Chapel Hill second side and lost a heartbreaker 19-14 as UNC ran in a converted try on the game's final play. Wake tries were scored by flyhalf Harrison and sophomore center Kyle Rate. Harrison was again perfect with the boot, nailing both conversions.

In the A Division semifinal, Wake took on familiar foe East Carolina, ranked #3 in the country in Division II by eRugbyNews.com. ECU beat Wake twice last spring, including the South Championship game and Wake was eager to avenge those defeats. ECU opened the scoring with a try in the corner from NCRU All-Star wing Bobby Allen. The difficult sideline conversion was good and Wake trailed 7-0. The Demon Deacons responded with an impressive try from their forwards who drove a 5 meter scrum across the line for #8 Kawira to touch down. Gillespe was good with the conversion to knot the score at 7 apiece. A handling error in the Wake backline inside its own 22 allowed ECU to regain the lead and the teams went into the half with ECU ahead 14-7.

The second half began with ECU pressuring the Wake tryline, but a strong defensive stand turned into a Wake counterattack, culminating in junior lock Christian Jewett touching down between the posts. Gillespe's conversion tied the game at 14. Off the ensuing restart, Wake continued to pressure and the forwards notched their seventh try of the day with freshman flanker Brendan Shea this time doing the honors. Gillespe's touchline conversion was no good and Wake led 19-14. Finding themselves down in the second half for the first time all season, the experienced ECU side shifted into another gear. A try from NCRU All-Star center Matt Hughston tied the game at 19 and with 5 minutes remaining in the match ECU took the lead 26-19 with another converted try from Allen. With time running down Wake could muster very little in terms of an offensive attack and the match ended with Hughston scoring another try on an impressive individual effort. Final score ECU 33 Wake 19.

The loss to ECU meant Wake would play for third place on Sunday against NC State, who were unlucky to have lost to UNC-Chapel Hill 8-3 in the other semifinal. The third place match was all Wake Forest, as they defeated a less than full-strength Wolfpack side 24-0. Gillespe started the scoring with a try in the corner and followed that up by converting a try from senior scrumhalf Drew Legge for a 12-0 lead at the half. After withstanding a strong NC State start to the second half, Wake finished the day with tries from freshman wing Ben Cohen and junior prop Kenton Forte.

In the championship game, ECU picked up where it left off on Saturday against Wake, winning 49-14 over UNC-Chapel Hill. It was an extremely impressive display of rugby from the Pirates who proved this weekend that they are head and shoulders above the rest of the teams in the union.

Wake's fall season will come to an end in two weekends as the first side plays the Wake Forest Rugby Alumni on Homecoming weekend and the second side takes on UNC-Pembroke.

ALUMNI MATCH SET FOR NOV. 8

The annual Wake Forest Rugby Alumni Match will take place on the Saturday of Homecoming Weekend at 12pm on Poteat Field. Former Wake Forest Ruggers will lace up the boots to take on the current Wake first side, followed by the Wake second side taking on UNC-Pembroke. All Wake Rugby Alumni are encouraged to attend, even if they don't plan to play. If you do plan to play, please notify Alumni Liason Critter Commins as commcj5@wfu.edu so that we can get an idea of numbers.

Clemson Drops Wake to 0-2; Second Side Also Bested by Tigers

Clemson defeated Wake in a sloppy game in Winston-Salem today 24-17, dropping the Demon Deacons first side to 0-2 on the season. Wake looked better than it had the previous weekend against Coastal Carolina and actually led the Tigers 10-0 with 30 minutes remaining. But an extended period of undisciplined play by Wake, where it committed numerous penalties and completely abandoned any semblance of an offensive gameplan, allowed Clemson to run off a string of 24 unanswered points and put the game away. Wake showed some heart with a nicely worked try at the death, but by then the result was no longer in doubt. Wake's tries were scored by freshman winger Ben Cohen, freshman flanker Brendan Shea, and junior prop Ken Forte. Forte's try was converted by sophomore winger Scott Gillespie.

Wake's second side unfortunately imitated the first side, allowing Clemson to go on a 24-0 run to open the match. Led by inspirational play from captain and inside center JD Harrison, the Demon Deacons righted the ship and reeled off three tries to Clemson's one to close the game and finish with a respectable 29-15 scoreline. Freshman Gardere Carter notched his first career try and followed it up with his first career yellow card, while sophomore prop Devin Henry and Harrison also touched down. Senior David Poplaski deserves praise for playing 160 minutes of rugby on the day, anchoring the front row in the first match at hooker and stabalizing the scrum in the second game at #8.

Wake is off next weekend for fall break. Both sides will be back in action on October 25 at the North Carolina Rugby Union Tournament in Danville, VA.

Wake hosts #19 Clemson

Wake Forest plays host on Saturday to Clemson, a Division I side ranked #19 in the country by American Rugby News. Kickoff for the first side match is scheduled for 1pm on Poteat Field.

http://www.americanrugbynews.com/artman/publish/college/ARN_Top_25_new_1.shtml

Tyler Vanston Awarded Rugby Scholarship

Freshman center/wing Tyler Vanston was recently named one of the inaugural recipients of the Kevin Higgins Scholarship by the United States Rugby Football Foundation. This scholarship is given to standout high school rugby players who pledge to continue their education and rugby in college.

For more information on the Kevin Higgins Scholarship, visit http://www.usrugbyfoundation.org/site/pp.asp?c=9fLHJVOxHmE&b=4040743.

To read more about Tyler, visit http://www.usrugbyfoundation.org/site/pp.asp?c=9fLHJVOxHmE&b=4614111

Coastal Carolina Defeats Wake 24-14

Wake Forest fell to Coastal Carolina 24-14 on Saturday in Conway, SC. After dominating the first 15 minutes of the match, Wake took a 7-0 lead after senior wing Critter Commins finished off a nice series of phases with a try under the posts which was converted by junior flyhalf JD Harrison. Coastal then began to dictate the style of play, using a very forwards oriented attack which led to a try in the corner that was uniquely converted with a toeball from Coastal's lock. Coastal continued to exert their smashmouth style of play throughout the remainder of the half and looked to threaten the Wake tryline on numerous occasions but were turned away by strong defense from the Demon Deacons. As the half wound to a close, Wake found an offensive spark and moved the ball inside the Coastal 22 meter line. On a defensive 5 meter scrum, Wake's forwards, who won the scrum all afternoon, stole the put in and #8 Timo Kawira picked off the base of the scrum and touched down near the corner. Harrison made good on the difficult conversion and Wake went into the break up 14-7.

The second half belonged almost exclusively to Coastal as Wake was unable to ever establish an offensive rhythm. Three tries by Coastal, one being converted, sealed the match for the Chanticleers as Wake was unable to put any points on the board in the second stanza.

While Wake showed promise during this match, it was an overall poor performance by a team that has high expectations for the spring league season. Wake's league rivals ECU, Appalachian State and NC State are performing extremely well this fall, meaning that Wake will need to raise its level of play if it hopes to repeat the success of its initial Division II season in which it finished second in the South.

One huge positive for Wake was the performance of its second side, which tied Coastal 14-14. The first Wake try was scored by freshman Charlie Crockett, while the second try was a penalty try awarded after freshman Jeff Millar was high tackled by a Coastal player on a breakaway. A number of Wake second siders will likely see significant action next weekend with the first side as Wake faces off against Clemson in Winston-Salem. Kickoff is currently scheduled for 1pm on Poteat Field.

Wake v. UNC Cancelled

After two days of steady rainfall in Winston-Salem, Wake Forest's scheduled Saturday matches with the University of North Carolina were cancelled. A waterlogged Poteat Field was not going to be able to withstand two full matches of rugby, so Wake informed Carolina that only one match would be able to be played on Saturday. Wake offered to play either a first side or second side match, but Carolina indicated strong preference to play two matches. Efforts were made to reschedule the match for Sunday, but Carolina had significant player availability issues that prevented that rescheduling. Wake and UNC will likely face off later this season in either the North Carolina Rugby Union Tournament on Oct. 25-26 or in the Atlantic Coast Invitational on January 17-18. Additionally, the Tar Heels have agreed to travel to Winston-Salem on January 31 for a preseason friendly prior to the start of league play for both teams.

Wake Forest will travel to Myrtle Beach, SC next weekend to play Coastal Carolina University. Kickoff for the first side match is scheduled for 12pm with a second side match to follow.

Wake Falls From Rankings

After opening the season ranked #20 in the county in Division II by erugbynews.com, Wake Forest has fallen from the rankings, the victim of not having yet played a first side match while other teams around the country are in full swing. Wake can regain its spot in the rankings with a solid showing against the University of North Carolina this Saturday. UNC is a Division I team who last year finished third in the South D1 competition. UNC opened its season last weekend with a sloppy 12-8 victory over North Carolina State but is sure to be playing improved rugby this weekend against the Demon Deacons. The match kicks off at 12pm on Saturday at Poteat Field. A second side match will follow.

Seven Wake Players Named to All-Star Team

Seven Wake Forest players were named to the North Carolina Rugby Union Men's College All-Star team after a tryout was held this past weekend in Chapel Hill on the University of North Carolina campus. The team is coached by Andy Richards, the UNC head coach, and will play in the South College All-Star Championship on Nov. 1 in Greenville, SC. The players who made the team are:

Kenton Forte, Junior, Prop
Matt Storck, Sophomore, Prop
Christian Jewett, Junior, Lock
Ross Hilton, Junior, Lock
Timo Kawira, Senior, #8
Drew Legge, Senior, Scrumhalf
Ben Cohen, Freshman, Wing

Last year six Wake players made the team, including Jewett, Storck, and Kawira. They finished second in the tournament, beating Georgia and then losing in the final to the Mid-South (Tennessee and Arkansas).

Wake Defeats Davidson 18-17

In a sloppy game between two inexperienced sides, the Wake Forest second side defeated Davidson 18-17 on a beautiful Saturday afternoon on the Davidson campus. Davidson opened the scoring early with an unconverted try as Wake Forest looked completely out of sorts. But the Wake forwards settled down, lead by the solid play of captain Dave Poplaski and freshman flanker Brendan Shea, and Wake eventually responded with a try of its own when flyhalf JD Harrison lofted a perfect kick to the corner where it was gathered in and touched down by freshman outside center Ben Cohen. The touchline conversion fell short, but Harrison was good with the boot on penalty goals twice more before half and Wake went into the break up 11-5.

Davidson scored another unconverted try to start the second half and cut the lead to 11-10, but Cohen responded by matching his second try of the day after a solid individual effort where he chipped over the Davidson defenders into the tryzone and then outpaced the defense to touch down. Harrison converted to put Wake ahead 18-10. Davidson responded with another try, this one converted, to close the gap to 18-17. The Wake defense then held on for the final ten minutes as Davidson pressured hard to win the match and the final whistle blew with Wake inside their own 22 and on their heels.

In all it was a great day of rugby and Wake showcased some impressive depth as no fewer than 26 players took the field for the Demon Deacons with at least a dozen playing their first ever official rugby match.

Wake is next in action on Saturday against the University of North Carolina, who escaped with a 12-8 win over NC State on Saturday. Both a first and second side match will be played. Kickoff for the first side match is at noon on Poteat field.

Wake Open Season Against Davidson on Saturday

Wake Forest will kick off its fall exhibition season with a match against Davidson College, in Davidson, NC. Kickoff is scheduled for 2pm. Wake will be fielding its second side against the Division III Wildcats, who are in the process of ressurrecting their program.

Wake Ranked 20th in eRugbyNews Preseason Poll

Rank Men DII College
1 Coast Guard
2 Salisbury
3 Utah Valley
4 Middlebury
5 N. Colorado
6 East Carolina
7 Regis
8 Santa Clara
9 Missouri
10 Col. Sch. Mines
11 Texas State
12 St. John's
13 Loyola Mmnt
14 Cal Maritime
15 E. Stroudsburg
16 Rutgers
17 St. Bonaventure
18 South Florida
19 Vermont
20 Wake Forest

Fall Practice Begins

The Wake Forest men's rugby team begins practice for the fall season on Thursday, August 28. Returning 12 of 15 starters from last year's South DII Finalist team and adding a strong recruiting class led by outside center Tyler Vanston from Charlotte and flanker Brendan Shea from Connecticut, this year's Wake squad has high expectations. They will play a challenging fall schedule, highlighted by matches with Division I teams North Carolina and Clemson. Senior inside center Mike Wills will captain the team, and senior scrumhalf Drew Legge and senior wing Critter Commins also return to lead a loaded backline. Senior #8 Timo Kawira leads the forwards along with senior prop Dave Poplaski.

Wake Finishes Third at Triad 7s

A Wake Forest team comprised of current and former Wake players finished third in the social division at the Triad 7s on Saturday. After dropping their first match in pool play 12-5 to NC State in a match which they should have won, Wake rebounded to defeat the Triad Old Boys and Cherry Point to advance to the semifinals. In the semi they faced a very strong Roanoke team who ran all over Wake, defeating them 36-14. Roanoke went on to win the tournament over Camp Lejuene in the final, while Wake took third place by besting NC State 12-0 in the consolation match.

Wake to play at Coastal Carolina, Fall Schedule Finalized

Wake Forest's first and second sides will play at Coastal Carolina University on October 4. Wake was originally scheduled to play at Georgia Tech on October 4th, but Tech was forced to cancel after a rescheduling of the Georgia Rugby Union Tournament.

Coastal Carolina is a very big, physical, and talented Division III side out of the Palmetto Rugby Union. Last fall they won the Palmetto Rugby Union tournament, defeating Division I University of South Carolina along the way. This past spring they finished second in league play to eventual national runners-up Furman University and were ousted from the South DIII playoffs with a one-point loss at Elon. This will be a good test for Wake Forest.

Wake's schedule for Fall 2008 is now finalized and looks like this:

Sept. 13: Intrasquad scrimmage
Sept. 20: @ Davidson (second side only)
Sept. 27: University of North Carolina (Family Weekend; first and second sides)
Oct. 4: @ Coastal Carolina (first and second sides)
Oct. 11: Clemson (first and second sides)
Oct. 18: Fall Break- no match
Oct. 25-26: NCRU Tournament (first and second sides; location TBA)
Nov. 1: OFF
Nov. 8: First side vs. Wake Rugby Alumni; Second side vs. UNC-Pembroke (Homecoming Weekend)

Match Confirmed with Davidson for September 20

Wake Forest's second side will open the season at Davidson on September 20. Davidson's team is in a rebuilding process after being forced to take a year and a half hiatus due to lack of numbers.

Wake Forest to compete at Triad 7s

A Wake Forest side made up of current players and recent alumni will compete at the Triad 7s in Greensboro, NC on June 21. Confirmed players include:

Andrew Gentles '05
Achilleas Patounas '06
David Buckingham '07
Greg Wagner '07
Tyler Eure '08
David Hobson '08
Mike Wills '09
Drew Legge '09
Kenton Forte '10
David Sage '10
Steve McMillen '10
Patrick Kane Director of Men's Rugby

Second Side Match Confirmed for Nov. 8

The Wake Forest second side will face off against UNC-Pembroke on Nov. 8. The match will follow the Wake Forest first side taking on the Wake Rugby Alumni. UNC-Pembroke's rugby team is in only its second year of existence, but is a solid squad with a number of former high school rugby players and a very experienced and qualified coach.

Fall 2008 Schedule Close to Finalized

The Wake Forest Men's Rugby Team's match schedule for the fall 2008 season is almost complete. Confirmed matches for the first and second sides are as follows:

Sept. 27: Wake vs. University of North Carolina (Home-Family Weekend)
Oct. 4: Wake vs. Georgia Tech (Away)
Oct. 11: Wake vs. Clemson (Home)
Oct. 25-26: NCRU Tournament (Away-Location TBA)
Nov. 8: Alumni Match (Home-Homecoming)

Matches for the Wake Forest second side on Sept. 20 and Nov. 8 are currently in the planning stages. The second side will likely take on UNC-Pembroke on Nov. 8 at home after the alumni match.

Alumni Match Set for Homecoming Weekend

Wake Rugby Alums should start making plans to attend the 2008 Alumni Match, set for Saturday, November 8 at 12pm on Poteat Field. The Alumni will square off against the current Wake Forest first side, who will be looking to avenge their 38-0 throttling at the hands of the alumni in last year's match. A cookout will take place at the field after the match while the Wake Forest second side takes on UNC-Pembroke. All Wake Rugby alumni are encouraged to attend and either lace up the boots or just catch up with old friends and teammates while enlightening the current generation of Wake ruggers about the team's storied past.

Senior Eure makes South College All-Star Squad

Wake Forest senior flyhalf Tyler Eure has been selected for the USA Rugby South Collegiate All-Star team. The team will travel to Glendale, Colorado in three weeks to compete in the USA Rugby Collegiate National All-Star Championships. This is the second time in three years that a Wake rugger has been named to this squad. In 2006, Wake Forest outside center Javin Hutchinson made the team after a stellar freshmen season. Unfortunately, Hutchinson only played two more rugby games for Wake, as he decided to give up the sport in order to chase the glory of being a varsity athlete on the Wake Forest track and field team. Last year Eure was named as an alternate on the team, but did not travel to the All-Star tournament in Rochester, NY.

Two other Wake players, junior scrumhalf Drew Legge and junior center Mike Wills, were also in consideration for this year's squad and attended the tryout camp in Atlanta. Although both players performed extremely well at the camp, neither made the team as they were passed over in favor of players who returned from last year's team. Wills and Legge will be the linchpins of Wake's backline next year and will certainly challenge for a spot on the 2009 South All-Star team.

Wake Recruit Leads Team to State Title

Wake Forest rugby recruit Tyler Vanston scored three tries yesterday in leading his East Mecklenburg High School Rugby Team to the North Carolina U-19 Division II Championship. East Meck defeated the Raleigh Rattlesnakes 41-12 to claim the title. Vanston, a senior outside center, will be attending Wake Forest in the fall. Wake Forest Director of Men's Rugby Patrick Kane, who was in attendance at the match said of Vanston's performance, "The three tries scored by Tyler were certainly impressive, but was stood out most was his defense. He didn't miss a single tackle and every one was made with textbook form. He will certainly factor into our first side backline when he arrives here in the fall."

East Meck wins its first state championship after having opened its season in the first weekend of March with a second place finish at the inaugural Wake Forest High School Rugby Showcase. Unionville High in Pennsylvania, who defeated East Meck in the Showcase final, has also had a spectacular season, running through league play undefeated. Unionville plays in the Eastern Pennsylvania Rugby Union Semifinals today against State College High School.

Wake Forest #22 in Final Poll

The Wake Forest men's rugby team finished its inaugural season in Division II ranked 22nd in the country by erugbynews.com. Wake finished the 2008 spring season with a 5-3 record, falling to Division I University of Georgia in an exhibition match and losing twice to league foe East Carolina who finished the year with the #7 ranking.

The final erugbynews.com men's division II collegiate rankings are as follows:


1 Radford (1) 14-4
2 Coast Guard (2) 13-3
3 Salisbury (3) 13-1
4 Utah Valley (4) 6-5
5 Middlebury (5) 11-3
6 N. Colorado (6) 8-6
7 East Carolina (7) 11-4
8 Regis (8) 7-2
9 Santa Clara (9) 11-6
10 Missouri (10) 14-3
11 Col. Sch. Mines (11) 5-5
12 Texas State (12) 9-4
13 Michigan (13) 6-5
14 St. John's (14) 14-4
15 Loyola Mmnt (15) 7-3
16 Cal Maritime (16) 8-3
17 E. Stroudsburg (17) 9-5
18 Rutgers (18) 12-4
19 St. Bonaventure (19) 8-2
20 South Florida (20) 8-1
21 Vermont (21) 5-1
22 Wake Forest (22) 11-7
23 Georgia Tech (23) 6-2
24 Georgetown (24) 16-3
25 UC Irvine (25) 14-2

Wake Rugby Holds Year End Awards Banquet

The Wake Forest Men's Rugby Team held its annual year end awards banquet on Sunday in the Benson Student Center. After a nicely catered meal and a slideshow of the past year's rugby matches, the team handed out awards for the year's performances. Junior scrumhalf Drew Legge and sophomore center David Sage shared the award for most outstanding defensive player, while Sage also took home the most improved player award. Most outstanding forward went to freshman prop Matt Storck and most outstanding back went to junior center Mike Wills. Senior Dinesh Kirpalani was honored for his off-the-field contributions to the team with the "Unsung Hero Award," while Junior Matt Gottbrecht was similarly lauded for his efforts in building the team with the "Wake Rugby Man of the Year Award." Finally, senior flyhalf Tyler Eure was named the teams MVP for the 2007-2008 season. Eure, a four year starter and three time North Carolina Rugby Union All-Star, started every game for Wake Forest at flyhalf since taking over the position in the fall of 2005. Eure captained the team in the 2007-2008 season and led Wake to its most successful season ever. He graduates as one of Wake's all-time best rugby players and leaves some huge shoes to fill for next year's #10.

The team also honored head coach Barry Horewitch for his work in leading the team to the South Championship match in his first year as head coach, assistant coaches Brad Havins and Greg Dover, team physician Dr. Daryl Rosenbaum, faculty advisor Dr. Bill Marcum, and Director of Men's Rugby Pat Kane.

2008-2009 Wake Forest Rugby Executive Board

President: Matt Gottbrecht
Vice-President: David Poplaski
Treasurer: David Sage
Match Coordinator: David Taveira
Event Coordinator: Drew Legge
Alumni Liason: Critter Commins
Publicity Director: JT Pfeifer

Wake Drops Two in Atlantic Coast Invitational

Fielding a mixed side of first and second siders, Wake lost both its pool matches in the inaugural Atlantic Coast Invitational Rugby Tournament in Raleigh, NC on Saturday. Clearly tired and uninspired after a long weekend of rugby in the South Final Four last week, Wake held tight with Maryland in its first match, before Maryland pulled away behind the strength of their forwards to win 22-0. In Wake's second match, they were completely dominated 32-0 by Florida State, who proved to be the surprise of the tournament. Florida State's backline put together a number of fantastic movements, something that was rarely seen throughout the tournament due to the miserable weather and field conditions.

The semifinals of the tourney pitted University of Virginia against Florida State and University of North Carolina against Maryland. In the first semifinal, Maryland defeated UNC 19-11, utilizing their forward-based style to grind away in the muddy conditions. At times Maryland was driving mauls with as many as 13 players, and despite the fact that UNC had staked itself to an 11-5 lead, Maryland fought back in the second half to move into the final.

UVA defeated FSU 10-8 in the second semifinal, as UVA's Australian fullback notched a penalty goal with only seconds remaining in the match to steal the victory. This was Florida State's second last minute loss of the tournament, as the day before in pool play they were defeated by Maryland on a try on the game's last set piece.

In the final it looked to be all UVA from the start, as they dominated possession and territory and jumped out to an early 5-0 lead. But Maryland was able to slowly exert their style of play on the Cavs and eventually knotted the score at 5 apiece. The match looked to be headed to overtime, when Virginia put together a nice string of phases and touched down in the corner to take the lead with minutes remaining. Maryland fought hard to get the equalizer, but was unable to really threaten and Virginia won 12-5, capturing the first ever Atlantic Coast Invitational Rugby Championship.

Atlantic Coast Invitational Update

Duke has withdrawn from the Atlantic Coast Invitational, citing player availablility. That has forced a reworking of the schedule. Wake Forest is now in a 5 team pool with Maryland, Clemson, Virginia Tech, and Miami. Wake will kickoff the tournament against Virginia Tech at 9am on Saturday.

For the updated schedule and other tournament information, check out http://www.acirugby.com/.

Wake's Playoff Run Ends with 19-10 loss to East Carolina

Wake Forest fell to East Carolina 19-10 in the USA Rugby South Division II Championship game today in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. After dominating the early part of the match and leading 5-0 after a try by sophomore lock Ross Hilton, Wake saw East Carolina's backline capitalize on a few key Demon Deacon miscues, resulting in three long range tries for the Pirates. Wake staged a late game rally culminating in a try by junior center Mike Wills, but it was not enough and East Carolina now moves on to the USA Rugby Quarterfinals.

Wake will take the week off from practice to rest up after a long weekend of rugby, but will be back in action next weekend at the inaugural Atlantic Coast Invitational in Raleigh, North Carolina. Wake will play Clemson and the University of Miami on Day 1 of the tournament.

Wake Advances to South Final

In a game that was exciting beyond description, Wake Forest defeated Georgia Tech 13-8 in triple overtime, as freshman prop Matt Storck scored a try in the corner to end the sudden death extra period and catapault Wake Forest into the final. Wake will face familiar foe East Carolina, who defeated South Florida 38-33 in the other semi final.

Wake to Face Georgia Tech

Wake Forest will face Georgia Tech at 10:30AM on Saturday, March 29 in the first semifinal of the USA Rugby South Division II collegiate playoffs. East Carolina will face South Florida in the second semifinal.

Wake and Tech last played in October, with Wake running out to an easy victory over the visiting Yellow Jackets, who travelled to Wake with a depleted side. The Georgia Tech side that Wake will see in Tuscaloosa will be a far different, and vastly superior team to the one that Wake defeated in the fall.

Wake Advances to Final Four with Thrilling Victory

In its first season in Division II, Wake Forest men's rugby has advanced to the USA Rugby South Division II Final Four with a 20-14 victory over Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, TN.

Like Wake Forest, this was also MTSU's first year in Division II. However, whereas Wake Forest moved up to Division II from Division III, MTSU was in Division II after having requested to be moved down after many years as a Division I powerhouse, including reaching the national Division I Sweet Sixteen as recently as 2002. MTSU had struggled over the last two years in Division I, but ran through their conference unbeaten this spring, and were ranked #16 in the country in Division II heading into the match.

The day began with Wake receiving the kickoff and subsequently dominating possession and territory for the first 20 minutes of the match. Twice within that period Wake passed up kickable penalties inside MTSU's 22, opting instead to run penalty plays in the hope of jumping out to a big lead early. But MTSU's defense was strong and despite having by far the run of play, Wake failed to move the scoredboard until midway through the stanza when senior wing David Hobson touched down in the corner after Wake's backline took advantage of an overload. Senior flyhalf Tyler Eure nailed the touchline conversion and Wake had a 7-0 lead and looked in complete control of the match. However, on the ensuing restart, Wake got a rude lesson on how quickly mistakes are punished at this level. After Wake's forwards failed to cleanly field the restart, MTSU won possession and put together a string of a half dozen clean phases, culminating in a try in the corner. MTSU's kicker matched Eure by slotting the difficult conversion and the match was suddenly tied at 7-7. Wake remained calm, and after junior scrumhalf Drew Legge made a break off the base of a ruck near midfield and was hit late after chipping over the MTSU fullback, Eure converted an easy penalty and Wake lead 10-7. As halftime neared, MTSU was awarded a scrum near midfield. After cleanly winning the scrum, the MTSU #8, an All-South player, picked and scored a fantastic individual try. The try was converted and MTSU lead 14-10 when the whitsle blew signaling the main break.

The second half was mainly a stalemate, as neither team made many forays inside their opponent's 22, and handling errors and penalties plagued both sides. At the 60 minute mark Eure brought the score to within 1, hitting a penalty goal from about 40 meters. MTSU's #8 continued to give fits to the Wake defenders, but was unable to duplicate his first half heroics. As the clock ticked towards 80 minutes and Wake still trailing by 1, Eure attempted a shot at goal from midfield. His aim was true, but the kick fell just short and with fewer than 5 minutes remaining, Wake was looking at the end of its season. MTSU had possession well inside Wake's half of the field and looked to be content to grind down the clock. Wake managed to turn over possession, however, and a break in the centers moved Wake close to midfield. Off the ensuing ruck, the ball was spun wide to sophomore lock Chrsitian Jewett, who fed high school teammate and freshman prop Matt Storck on the outside. Storck drew two defenders and sent wing Hobson into space. Hobson beat his opposite number and as a shocked MTSU crowd looked on, he raced 50 meters into the tryzone to give Wake the lead. Eure converted the try to put the score at 20-14 with only extra time remaining. MTSU frantically pressed off the restart and managed to turn the ball over, but couldn't muster any offense and after Wake regained possession at a breakdown and with the referee signaling full time, Eure booted the ball into touch, ending the match and sending Wake to the South Final Four.

While every Wake Forest player contributed to this historic win, the player of the game for Wake was undoubtedly sophomore outside center David Sage. Thought to be unavailable for the match due to a serious foot injury, Sage declared himself fit to play just hours before kickoff and gutted it out for the full 80 minutes, making a number of key tackles and solidifying the Wake backline.

Wake now moves on the the Final Four next weekend in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Matchups are to be announced, but Wake will be facing either Georgia Tech, who defeated Eckerd College 17-5 in their quarterfinal match, or South Florida, who defeated Auburn University 49-0. The final four is rounded out by Wake's league foe East Carolina, who absolutely obliterated Western Kentucky 80-3 in the other quarterfinal. East Carolina, ranked #20 before the quarterfinals, sould skyrocket in the national rankings after their massive win and are now clearly the favorite heading into the weekend.

Former Wake Rugger Finds Success in Coaching

Brad Luck, Wake Forest Rugby Class of '03, has continued his rugby career post-Wake Forest as a coach at his alma mater, Essex High School in Essex Junction, Vermont. After a standout career at Wake, where he lead the team to an undefeated league season and berth in the USA Rugby South Division III Final Four in his senior year, Luck returned home to Vermont. There he traded in his boots for a whistle and clipboard, becoming an assistant coach for the Essex High School team where he began his rugby career as a junior in high school.

After two years as an assistant, Luck took the reins as the head coach of the program in 2006 and found immediate success. Under his direction, the Essex team won the inaugural Vermont Rugby State Championship in 2006, and repeated as State Champions in 2007.

Essex is currently one of eight boys rugby teams in the state of Vermont. They travel throughout Vermont and New England and over the Canadian border to find opponents. Next week the team will begin its 11th season of competition, defending its back to back state titles with 45 players on the roster (which includes only 14 returning players). The team will begin with two weeks of indoor practice, hoping that the snow will be melted and ground thawed by the end of the month.


*Brad Luck is just one of many former Wake Forest ruggers who have continued their rugby careers as players, coaches, and administrators. If you are one of these ruggers, we would like to profile you on our blog. Please email Director of Men's Rugby Patrick Kane at pmkane78@aol.com so that we can get your information.

Wake to Face Middle Tennessee State in Quarterfinals

Wake Forest will travel to Murfreesboro, TN on March 22 to face off against the Blue Raiders of Middle Tennessee State University in a USA Rugby South Division II Quarterfinal Match. MTSU is currently ranked #16 in Division II by erugbynews.com and as recently as last year were a Division I team.

The other USARS Quarterfinal matchups are:

Western Kentucky University vs. #18 East Carolina University
Florida Atlantic University vs. Georgia Tech
Auburn University vs. #22 University of South Florida

Unionville Takes Showcase Final, Derwood Wins Consolation

Unionville High won the inaugural Wake Forest High School Rugby Showcase on Sunday, defeating East Mecklenburg High 31-0. The match was actually much closer than the scoreline would indicate, as East Meck played hard, but saw a number of scoring chances go lacking. Unionville, on the other hand, made the most of their opportunities, scoring a number of long range tries including an impressive ninety meter effort from flyhalf Joe Baker and a fifty meter strike from speedy winger Steven Taunk.

Earlier in the day, the Derwood Stags won third place over Gilbert, 32-5. Derwood held a slim 7-5 advantage at the break after an evenly matched first half. But Gilbert, who played a South Carolina league match on Friday night, showed the effects of a third game in the span of 36 hours and surrendered 25 second half points to the fresher Derwood side. Derwood was paced by a fantastic game from its fullback, who scored a highlight reel try after fielding a kick near midfield.

Unionville to Face East Meck in Showcase Final; Wake Beats Richmond

In the First Annual Wake Forest High School Rugby Showcase, Unionville High beat the Derwood Stags 21-0 and East Mecklenburg High beat Gilbert High 22-12 to set up a North-South showdown for the inaurgural title on Sunday morning at 11:30am. Derwood will face Gilbert at 10am in the third place match.

After the high scool matches, on Senior Day, the Wake rugby team bested University of Richmond 48-0. Wake Forest was paced by a brace from senior winger David Hobson, and singles from juniors Timo Kawira and Critter Commins, as well as touchdowns from sophmore flanker Trenton Justice and freshmen scrumhalf Dante Merlino. Senior flyhalf Tyler Eure notched three penalties, a dropped goal, and three conversions to round out the scoring.

David Buckingham, Wake Rugby Class of 2007, Continues to Impress at Men's Club Level

Courtesy of erugbynews.com

February 24, 2008 - An extremely muddy pitch set the stage for a grueling, hard-fought slug match between Division II rivals New Orleans and Memphis this weekend. Both teams came to the Feb. 23 match in Memphis with 3-0 records, having defeated all other division opponents by similar margins, and both teams seemed fully aware of the stakes at hand. The game began with a New Orleans kick off deep to Memphis. The home team quickly returned the ball to New Orleans territory, however, and a penalty call against the visitor soon resulted in an early three-point lead for Memphis, courtesy of a well-placed kick by the Memphis No. 10. Memphis tested the New Orleans back three throughout the game with a variety of kicks, which for the most part were handled proficiently. Fullback David Buckingham fielded one such kick for what became a key play. Buckingham made the mark call, took the free kick quickly and made a short run to the right side before sending a kick up the sideline. The Memphis wing and fullback converged on the kick, but neither was able to take it cleanly, allowing the ball to bounce once and up into the hands of Buckingham, fast in pursuit of his own kick. He took the ball up the sideline to the Memphis twenty two, where he offloaded to a perfectly positioned Kevin Kern who turned on the burners, outran the opposing prop and touched the ball down ten meters outside the posts. A hard running Memphis pack and centers spent a good deal of time in the New Orleans 22, but a tenacious defense managed to keep the home team out of the try zone for the rest of the half, which ended with New Orleans up 5-3. New Orleans flanker Kern and the pack delivered another clean line-out early in the second half, which led to a great run and ball presentation by second row Matt Oertling. That set up flyhalf Todd Fitzgerald to get off a pass in traffic to cutting wing Rob Hoffman, who powered his way through three Memphis opponents for New Orleans’ second and final try of the day. Center Pat Schubert was good on the conversion, which would prove decisive. Memphis continued to put immense pressure on the New Orleans defense. Without the help of fresh impact reserves Jim Hotard and Mike Grisco adding to the relentless defense of flanker Brent Dempster and center Eric Mackintosh, the capable Memphis attack may well have posted more points. Within the last ten minutes of the game, Memphis put up a converted try and New Orleans lost two players to the sin bin in quick succession for repeated fouls. However, the short-handed New Orleans side managed to hang on, winning the match 12-10. The victory raises their season record to 4-0 and puts New Orleans in first place for their division.

Wake to Honor Seniors Prior to Richmond Game

The Wake Forest men's rugby team will honor its seven graduating seniors before its last home game of the season, this Saturday against the University of Richmond. The match will kickoff at 1pm, with a brief ceremony for the seniors taking place shortly before kickoff.

The Wake Rugby Class of 2008 includes:

Tyler Eure
Owen Field
David Hobson
Andrew Jessiman
John Keough
Dinesh Kirpalani
Peter Rice

Co-captains Eure and Jessiman, as well as team executive officers Keough and Kirpalani, have been with the team since their freshmen year.

Wake loses Senior Co-Captain Jessiman for Season

Wake Forest will make its playoff run without the on-field services of senior co-captain and lock/#8 Andrew Jessiman, who was ruled out for the year with a torn ACL this week. The injury was suffered during the first half of Wake's match against UNC-W three weeks ago, but the team was holding out slim hope that there was no tear and Jessiman would be able to return for the stretch run. Unfortunately, that was not to be, and Jessiman's rugby-playing career appears to be over. Jessiman tore the same ACL last December, and rehabbed after surgery for 12 months in order to return for his senior season. Doctors have indicated that a second surgery is inadviseable and would likely be unsuccessful.

Jessiman broke into Wake's first XV as a freshman and has been instrumental in the rejuvenation of the Wake rugby program. Jessiman's on-field presence will be sorely missed as Wake advances into the postseason, but he will continue to provide valuable leadership from the sidelines as he helps nurture a Wake team consisting primarily of freshmen and sophomores.

Wake Beats NC St. 14-12, Clinches Playoff Berth in Inaugural D2 Season in Dramatic Fashion

Wake Forest escaped Raleigh with a 14-12 victory over NC state on Saturday, in the process solidifying a spot in the USA Rugby South D2 quarterfinals.

The match started with Wake in full control. Flyhalf Tyler Eure slotted an early penalty and drop goal to push Wake to a 6-0 lead, and wing David Hobson followed with a try in the corner to push the Demon Deacon's advantage to 11-0 with 20 minutes gone. But NC State battled back, and began dictating the style of play, utilizing a very basic, but very effective, strategy of forward crashes and mauls. A converted Wolfpack try towards the end of the half left the score 11-7 at the break.

NC State's forwards continued to dominate possession and territory in the second stanza, but Wake's defense held firm. Wake managed very few offensive attacks, and those that they did execute went unfinished. One backline movement that had winger Hobson away for his second try was called back for a questionable forward pass, and a second linebreak by Hobson was stymied when the NC State winger put in a clothesline tackle that warranted at the very least a yellow card and instead inexplicably went unpenalized. Meanwhile, the Wolfpack continued to keep the ball in close and grind their way down the field, eventually resulting in a try with 15 minutes remaining in the match. The conversion missed badly and the score stood 12-11 in favor of NC State. With their postseason life hanging in the balance, Wake increased its pressure, but time and again saw its attacks go lacking due to penalties or handling errors. Finally, with 5 minutes on the clock, the referee awarded a penalty to Wake 45 meters out and between the posts. Flyhalf Eure, who last week had a substandard kicking day going 1 for 5, stepped up and calmly drilled the kick, giving Wake the 14-12 lead. The Wolfpack roared back, however, and had multiple opportunities in the final 5 minutes to retake the lead. The Wake defense hung on however with some season-saving tackles by Freshman Matt Storck and Sophomore Christian Jewett. The final whistle blew as Eure booted the ball into the NC State crowd and the Wake players celebrated, knowing they had narrowly escaped with the win.

The victory gives Wake Forest a berth in the USA Rugby South Division II quarterfinals, an impressive accomplishment for a team who last year only made the Division III playoffs because the Elon University rugby team decided to go on spring break rather than go to the playoffs. Wake will likely travel to Murfreesburo, TN to face Middle Tennessee State University on March 22. In the meantime, next week Wake hosts its first annual High School Rugby showcase, featuring high school teams from Pennsylvania, Maryland, North Carolina, and South Carolina. As part of this showcase, Wake will be taking on the Richmond Spiders in a non-league match.

Wake Forest v. North Carolina State Details

The match between Wake Forest and North Carolina State will kickoff this Saturday at 1pm on theUpper Pitch at the Raleigh Rugby Club's Poole Rd. Rugby Complex. Directions to the complex can be found here:

http://www.raleighrugby.com/root.jsp?kick=0.5693192650831519

Wake Forest extends a sincere thank you to the Raleigh Rugby Club for once again going out of its way to help collegiate rugby in the state of North Carolina by offering the use of its world-class facilities.

Jessiman Family makes Generous Gift to Wake Rugby, Alumni Donations Still Strong

The parents of senior co-captain Andrew Jessiman recently made an incredibly generous donation to the Wake Forest Rugby Program. The donation was by far the largest in recent memory and is tremendously appreciated by the team.

Meanwhile, the Wake Forest rugby alumni have continued their tradition of helping to support the club financially. The following Alumni have made donations to the team so far in 2008:

John Boswell
Thomas Snell
Matt Farrell

The Wake Forest rugby team is incredibly appreciative of the support it receives from it's alumni. Not only did these former players lay the foundation for the team's current success, but they have continued to support the team as it strives to be a successful Division II collegiate rugby program.

Wake Falls to East Carolina

In a thrilling match on Saturday in Winston-Salem, Wake Forest was defeated by East Carolina 18-11. ECU, which finished the fall season ranked #17 in the country in Division II by erugbynews.com, came in with a grudge as despite having started the spring season with two straight wins, they were inexplicably dropped from the rankings while Wake Forest made its rankings debut at #24. ECU started strong with two long-range penalty goals from their fullback and early on held a 6-0 lead. Wake cut the lead in half with a penalty goal from flyhalf Tyler Eure, but shortly before the half ECU's forwards punched in a try which was converted. When the whistle blew for the break, Wake trailed 13-3.

Wake Forest came out strong after the break and almost the entire second stanza was played in ECU territory. Wake's offense was far more fluid then the last time these two teams met back in September, but despite numerous line breaks and excellent ball retention, Wake always seemed to be lacking the last pass or last ruck necessary to convert a string of phases into points. With 20 minutes remaining Wake finally managed to touch down, with sophomore flanker Trenton Justice capping off a fantastic effort from the Wake forwards. Eure's conversion sailed wide, and ECU's lead was 13-8. Wake continued to pressure the ECU tryline, once crossing over only to have the ball ruled held up in goal by the referee. With time winding down and Wake desperate for points, flyhalf Eure slotted a drop goal to bring Wake to within two of the Pirates. As the Demon Deacons frantically tried to get in position to win the match, a handling error in the backline near midfield resulted in a loose ball that was scooped up by the ECU #12 who took it into the tryzone to seal the win for ECU.

ECU now moves into sole possession of first place in the conference at 3-0, while Wake is in second place at 2-1. Wake finishes conference play next weekend in Raleigh against 0-2 NC State in a must win match. A victory puts Wake into the South playoffs, while a defeat likely means that they are eliminated from post-season play. ECU finishes its conference play in two weeks against Appalachain St.

Photographer Bob Hebert was at the Wake-ECU match. His photos can be found here:
http://www.pbase.com/bobhebert/wakerugby2008

Showdown with East Carolina to Kickoff at 2pm on Saturday

Wake Forest's match with East Carolina is scheduled to kickoff at 2pm on Saturday, February 16 at Poteat Field on the Wake Forest campus. The two teams are tied for the division lead and the winner of this match is all but guaranteed a playoff berth.

ECU, ranked #17th in the nation in Division II by erugbynews.com, is 2-0, having beaten North Carolina State and UNC-Wilmington. Wake Forest, in its inaugural Division II campaign, is also 2-0, with victories over UNC-Wilmington and Appalachian State.

All local fans and alumni are encouraged to come out and support the Demon Deacon ruggers, who are looking to avenge a 31-7 loss to the Pirates in September at ECU.

A Wake Rugby History Lesson

1st row (L to R): Scott Juvelier (fullback), Dave Saunders (in-center), Hugo Lane (advisor), Jim McCormick (prop), Jim Atherton (hooker), Brian Hickey (prop), Eddie Silva (wing), AJ Chrzanowski (advisor), 2nd Row (L to R): Doug Gordon (out-center), Tia Fujiki (wing), Keith Ripley (lock), Cliff Barrett (lock), Walter Janke (wing-forward), Bob Gallicano (8-man), Rex Gillette (wing-forward), John Byrd (scrum-half), Tim Keiffer (fly-half).

Wake Rugger Scott Juvelier '83 recently gave us the following glimpse into Wake Rugby Days of Yore:

To some degree, a team's character is a reflection of it's history. In 1979 (my freshman year), Wake Forest Rugby Football Club was a "city side" team. The Triad Dogs didn't exist and college students played (and partied) along side "townies". Grant Fuhr (our slightly insane 8-man), Ronnie (a HUGE lock), AJ Chrzanowski (an intense wing-forward), and of course Woody Mendenhall (our rotund and lovable prop) were legendary. In 1980-81, the Triad Dogs were formed and WFU became an all college team. The 1981 Howler proclaimed: "the Wake Forest Rugby Team loooked slightly inexperienced" - possibly an understatement.

In 1981-82 still with no coach (we were coached by our player captians Rex Gillette and Jim Atherton), sharing a playing field with the intramural teams, and operating on a budget of $800, WFURFC turned a corner. The team started off 6-0 beating much more established teams such as ECU, Fort Bragg (club), and UNCG. The highlight might have been our 3rd place finish at the fall ACC tournament at Duke where we defeated the home team in the consolation match. 3 members of that team were named to the North Carolina Rugby Football Union All-state team and participated in a match vs. the Virginia all-stars at VA Tech. 1st team: Scott Juvelier (fullback); 2nd team: Rex Gillette (wing-forward), Jim Atherton (hooker). This team solidified the reputation of Wake Forest Rugby as a group of athletes who could compete with the best.

The pride I have in being a member of these inagural squads is unequaled. I will remember the days spent playing and partying with nostalgia...and with no regrets.

I wish your current squad the best of luck and hope they enjoy rugby to the degree that these first squads learned to love the game.

Wake Bests Appalachian St. 11-3

In an extremely hard fought and physical contest today in Winston-Salem, Wake Forest defeated Appalachian St. 11-3. App. St. set the tone in the first 5 minutes of the match with hard runs from their #5 and #8, and struck first with a penalty goal from their fullback. Wake turned the momentum in their favor ten minutes into the half and had the bulk of possession and territory throught the remainder of the first stanza. The only scoring Wake could muster, however, was a nicely taken drop goal from flyhalf Tyler Eure. After controlling most of the match in the first half, Wake was confident as the second half began, but soon found themselves on their heels as a rejuvenated App. St. side continually pressured the Wake tryline. Wake's defense held firm, however, and repeatedly repelled the App. St. attacks. At one point the App. St. forwards drove a maul into the tryzone and looked to have possibly touched down, but the referee ruled that the ball was held up and Wake dodged a bullet. Wake struggled to get into an offensive rythym, but did have a few good breaks from their backline. With 18 minutes left in the contest and the score still deadlocked at 3, Wake caught another break when ASU's NCRU All-Star flyhalf was yellow-carded. Wake took advantage of the 15 v. 14 situation when minutes later fullback Critter Commins fielded a kick around midfield, beat several App. St. defenders and then offloaded to freshman prop Matt Storck who took the ball in to give Wake an 8-3 lead. Eure was no good on the conversion, but minutes later slotted a penalty goal to give Wake an 11-3 lead. With their flyhalf now back on the pitch, App. St. pressured hard to cut into the defecit, but was unable to do so and the final whitsle blew with Wake victorious and moving to 2-0 in their first ever Division II campaign.

Wake is in action again next Saturday against ECU, who is also 2-0 in league play, having beaten NC St. 43-32 and UNC-W 44-0.

Wake Tops UNC-Wilmington 28-10

Wake Forest began its foray into Division II with a 28-10 victory over UNC-W in Wimington on Saturday. Wake dominated territory and possession in the first half, and were unlucky not to go into the break up more than 18-0. Senior captain and lock Andrew Jessiman left the match in the 35th minute with a knee sprain, and his absence allowed UNC-W to gain some momentum in the second half. An unfit Wake side allowed two breakaways by the speedy UNC-W back three in the first part of the second stanza, but Wake sealed the victory in the waning minutes with a penalty and converted try by senior flyhalf Tyler Eure. Wake's other tries were scored by flanker Trenton Justice, wing Perry Salvagne, and flanker Timo Kawira.

Wake's second side handily defeated the UNC-W second side 25-12 in a 30 minute match of ten on ten. Wake was led by senior flyhalf David Hobson, who scored 2 long-range tries, and junior prop Dave Poplaski who also scored a try and dominated at the breakdown.

Wake is next in action on Saturday at Wake Forest against Appalachian State, the two time defending NCRU D2 champion. This will be a huge test for the Division II newcomers.

Where Are They Now?

This is the Wake Forest Men's Rugby Team, circa 1983. This vintage photo was kindly provided to us by Jim McCormack, who donned the Wake Rugby jersey from 1980-1985. If you recognize your former self in this picture, please let us know!

Wake Falls to UGA 6-3

Wake Forest lost to UGA 6-3 in a sloppy start to the 2008 season.

The first half of the match saw some extremely sloppy play as both teams tried to shake off early season rust. Wake Forest and Georgia could only produce a penalty goal each and the match stood even at the break 3-3.

The second half saw each team produce better scoring opportunities, with longer sustained drives into each other’s territory. Wake could not capitalize on any of their chances. Georgia was able to produce another penalty goal and took the match 6-3. All in all, Wake Forest showed many signs of good rugby to come, but the numerous penalties, turnovers and inability to recycle clean ball ultimately prevented Wake from winning its season opener.

Wake Rugby Alum Notches Hat Trick in First Men's Club Match

David "Buck" Buckingham, Wake Rugby Class of 2007, scored three tries in his first league match with Division II men's club New Orleans RFC. The New Orleans match summary is copied below:

On a cold, clear, sunny Arkansas afternoon, New Orleans and Little Rock opened their league seasons this Saturday in the South's Division 2 West. New Orleans traveled strong, making the 9-hour trip with 26 players for their first visit to an exquisite Little Rock rugby complex, nestled into a beautiful and mercifully wind-blocking pine forest.

New Orleans took the lead in the first minute with an inside switch from flyhalf Todd Fitzgerald to winger Rob Hoffman. A Pat Schubert penalty soon made the score 8-0. Little Rock then began to settle down, playing hard defense and putting together some impressive phase play, eventually resulting in a breakdown in the New Orleans defense that allowed the strong-running Little Rock loosehead to dot down near the posts. A back-and-forth affair ensued and, even though New Orleans never relinquished the lead, Little Rock continually struck back just when it seemed that the visitors were about to put the match away.

Little Rock played a sound game behind a big, very strong pack and an extremely creative flyhalf who caused havoc in the New Orleans defensive midfield all afternoon, but New Orleans ended up with the opening day win, 34-19. The New Orleans backs enjoyed go-forward ball for most of the day behind hard work and precision from the forwards at breakdowns and set pieces. Seth Magden and Matt Oerterling were constant annoyances in the Little Rock lineout, while New Orleans' front row controlled the scrums superbly. In addition to Rob Hoffman's opening salvo, fullback Trip McCormick added a try and wing Dave "Buck" Buckingham notched a hat trick. Schubert added three conversions from five attempts, tallying 9 points off the tee for the day. New Orleans hosts Jackson next weekend while Little Rock entertains Memphis.

Wake Forest to Co-Host Atlantic Coast Invitational

The Wake Forest men's rugby team, in conjunction with the University of North Carolina men's rugby team and the Raleigh Rugby Club, will host the first ever Atlantic Coast Invitational Rugby Tournament on April 5-6 in Raleigh, NC. This tournament will feature the men's rugby teams of the schools whose varsity athletic teams participate in the Atlantic Coast Conference (NOTE: this tournament has no affiliation with the ACC). As of now, all 12 teams have tentatively confirmed their attendance and a fantastic weekend of rugby is expected.