All Carolinas Rugby League Games Postponed

The snowstorm that has rocked North Carolina overnight has caused the cancellation of all scheduled matches in the Carolinas Rugby League. UNC at Wake Forest has been rescheduled for Sunday, February 14, while USC at ECU and Appalachian St. at NC St. have been rescheduled for Sunday February 21.

View From The Sideline - Week 3

It’s unfortunate that after a week of increased focus and intensity the team doesn’t have a chance to redeem itself this weekend against the rival Tar Heels. The upside is that we now have two weeks to prepare for ECU, a side that Wake has not beaten in its last 6 tries. However, there isn’t anyone on our team who doesn’t believe that this is the time to get that win. With both teams coming off close Week 1 losses and a second loss all but eliminating the potential for a championship, both sides are sure to come out firing. The unexpected off weekend can do nothing but help us - as long as we stay focused on the task at hand. Two weeks between games means two weeks to prepare - not a week off and then business as usual. Additionally, strength and conditioning sessions for the team have been set up for this weekend so that we do not lose the intensity that carried over from the second half against South Carolina.

One thing I noticed from the sideline about that second half against USC was that we drastically improved our offloads, quick ball off rucks, and ultimately sustained multi-phase drives down the field. This is something that we as a team have had a lot of trouble with before, but seeing it come together in that game and then working on it further in practice this past week should lead to some great scoring chances against ECU. Additionally, the speed of sophomore halfbacks Will Hank and Brendan Shea is finally starting to mesh with the power of rotating centers David Sage, Perry Salvagne, and Kip Lewis. And there is the expectation of further offense threats from the Wake backline as Tyler Vanston and the ever-dangerous Barrett Corrigan get set to return from injury, adding both depth and experience at multiple positions.

Hopefully this extra time off will give us time to heal and prepare for what is sure to be a physical game next Saturday in Greenville. If we can stay focused at practice and use the motivation of the brutal week 1 loss to continue improving, there's no doubt that we can put ourselves in a position to win.

- Ben Cohen, '12

Ben Cohen is a sophomore flyhalf who suffered a torn ACL in the first week of fall practice. He is currently rehabbing after surgery and expects to be back on the field for the start of the 2010-2011 preseason.

UNC Game Cancelled, Rescheduled for February 14

Due to the ever-worsening weather forecast, Wake Forest's match with UNC, originally scheduled for Saturday and then moved to Sunday, has been officially cancelled and rescheduled for Sunday, February 14.

UNC Game Moved to Sunday

Due to the snowstorm predicted to hit Winston-Salem on Saturday, Wake Forest's game with University of North Carolina has been moved to Sunday at 12pm.

View From The Field - Week 3

We arrived at the pitch in Columbia, SC on Saturday fully prepared (or so we thought) to take on the USC after two months of training. Perhaps because of nerves, perhaps because it was the first game, or perhaps because we simply expected our preparation to do the work for us, after 40 minutes of play it was clear that no one on the Wake side was in the right mindset to compete. While the USC side made plenty of mistakes, our starting 15 made even more, and the Gamecocks were able to capitalize on those mistakes to pull out to a 15-3 lead at the break. Playing wing in the first half, the lack of offensive success was evident in the fact that I never once touched the ball.

During our halftime talk, Coach Kane managed to put into words what we all were thinking. The intensity was missing, there was no desire, and it seemed as though all of us were just waiting for it all to come together. We all knew Coach was right—we all knew we were the better team if we played our game. In the second half, it all finally did come together, and before we knew it we were dominating play and had claimed a 17-15 lead with only a few minutes left to play. I could feel a new sense of intensity on the pitch. I could feel a mutually strong desire to win between myself and my teammates. Unfortunately, it wasn't to be. Some bad luck here and there and some key moments that could have gone either way meant a heartbreaking and quite frustrating 3-point Wake loss in the end.

The ride back to Wake felt longer than it should have been. After a couple hours of pondering and discussing the game, I felt determined to never taste that type of defeat again. I could tell at practice and fitness sessions this week that my teammates feel the same way. After the first week loss USC, this weekend’s game against UNC is basically a must win if we want to reach our season goals. My perception is that all of my teammates believe we can win, especially after our good showing against the Tarheels at the North Carolina state tournament this past fall. One thing is for sure: if we want to win and climb back into contention in this league, we need to avoid playing like that first half at USC. But if we play our game to our best abilities and we want it bad enough, there’s no team that can stop us.

-Perry Salvagne, '10

Perry Salvagne is a senior center who is writing a weekly blog throughout the season giving a player's perspective on the team. His blog will appear every Wednesday.

Wake Rugby Makes Donation to Help Haiti

The Wake Forest Men's rugby team donated 200 t-shirts to the Red Cross Haitian Earthquake relief efforts today. Senior captain Mike Duffy said of the donation, "We had all these old t-shirts that we hadn't sold from past years and past tournaments. We figured we could give them to our guys or try to sell a few to people for $5 apiece. Or we could give them to people who unfortunately are sorely in need of clothing right now. It was a no-brainer."

Wake Falls To Gamecocks

The University of South Carolina defeated Wake Forest 20-17 on Saturday's opening weekend of Carolinas Rugby League play in Columbia, SC. The Demon Deacons put in a lackluster effort in the first forty minutes, allowing the #22 ranked Gamecocks to jump out to a 15-3 lead at the break. Wake rallied in the second half behind the inspirational play of captain Mike Duffy, who was battling a nasty stomach virus and almost didn't make the trip to Columbia. Tries from senior prop Kenton Forte and sophomore scrumhalf Will Hank, both converted by freshman fullback Johnny McMurray, gave Wake Forest a 17-15 lead with 15 minutes to play. But mental errors and poor tackling allowed South Carolina to retake the lead with an unconverted try in the 73rd minute. The Demon Deacons pressured hard in the game's final minutes and looked well-positioned to claim the victory or at least salvage a draw, but a knockon at the tryline and a missed penalty kick in the last two minutes left them trailing at the final whistle.

Head Coach Patrick Kane said of the loss, "It was a tough defeat, because I think the guys believe we were the better team. But we didn't come out to play until the second half and against a team as skilled and well-coached as South Carolina, that's just not going to cut it. At the end of the day, the only thing that matters is the final score. USC played hard for 80 minutes and deserved the win."

Wake Forest did manage to secure a bonus point in the standings for a loss by less than 7 points, but that was little consolation for the Demon Deacons, who now must turn their attention towards next week's match against the University of North Carolina. "There were some positives we can take from today's game," said Assistant Head Coach Alex Lucas. "We had some good phases of play, and we stayed structured for the most part. It was the mental errors that killed us and that's what we need to work on eliminating this week in practice."

Wake Forest will host the Tar Heels on Saturday at 1pm on Poteat Field. Both teams will come into the match at 0-1 in league play, with UNC having been upset by North Carolina St. 21-18 on Saturday. Elsewhere, Clemson defeated East Carolina 12-8 in what was an exciting opening week of play for the new Carolinas Rugby League.

Wake Lineup vs USC

1. Kenton Forte, Sr.
2. Jeff Millar, So. (Justen Robinett, So. @ 62)
3. Devin Henry, Jr. (Nick Conte, So. @ 40)
4. Ross Hilton, Sr.
5. Christian Jewett, Sr.
6. Mike Duffy, Sr.
7. Trent Justice, Sr.
8. Hunter Lostan, Jr.
9. Will Hank, So.
10. Brendan Shea, So.
11. Rob Kelly, Fr.
12. David Sage, Sr.
13. Kip Lewis, So. (Gabe Huertas Del Pino, Sr. @ 50)
14. Perry Savagne, Sr.
15. Johnny McMurray, Fr.

Tries: Forte, Hank
Conversions: McMurray 2
Pens: McMurray

View From The Sideline - Week 2

I first injured my knee as a senior in high school in our first game at the USA national tournament in Palo Alto, California. Watching my team, Gonzaga College High School, compete in the tournament without me was very frustrating, and it was my first experience watching rugby from the sidelines. We were fresh off our second straight Mid-Atlantic championship and trying to build on our 6th place finish in the tournament the year before. We ultimately finished 7th in the nation that year, and my high school rugby career was over. Following graduation, I was excited to get to Wake Forest to begin my college rugby career.

After three knee surgeries during my college career and countless hours of physical therapy, I find myself in an all-too-familiar situation-standing on the sidelines watching my teammates compete for a spot in the postseason. In the first game I played for Wake this fall, I made a cut and tore my acl for the third time, ending my Wake Forest rugby playing career.

When I tore my acl during my freshman year, I was unsure what the future would hold and how it would impact my playing career. I worked hard to get back to playing after my acl reconstruction, but I hit a snag and had to get another knee surgery during sophomore year to removes meniscus in the same knee. After being out of action and watching from the sidelines for my entire sophomore year, I finally returned to the field for the fall season of my junior year. In my second game back, I reinjured the same knee, but I was only out of action for 6 weeks this time. The dawn of the 2008 spring season was greeted with much anticipation; we had moved up from Division III to Division II, and we would be facing much tougher competition than we had seen my previous 2 years at Wake. It was sure to be a tough season, but we had a very solid team capable of playing at a high level.

Finally healthy, I was back on the field with my teammates at inside center. We had a stellar season in our debut in Division II rugby, advancing to the South Championship game where we suffered a disappointing loss to a strong East Carolina team. I can honestly say that that 2008 season was my proudest as a Wake Rugby player, and it was the closest thing to an injury-free season I had in my college career. (The only injury I suffered that season was a broken nose in our game against NC State, and it only kept me out of action for 5 minutes or so when the bleeding finally stopped.) Reflecting on all the injuries I have had and all the games that I have had to watch from the sideline, I’m very thankful for the games that I was able to play in, especially that 2008 season.

Even though I can't play, I am very excited for this season in the Carolinas League. After a disappointing 2009 league season in which we played well but ultimately missed the playoffs, we’re looking to replicate the success we had two years ago and get back into the postseason. I see a lot of potential for our team to succeed in the new league, and despite injuries to a few very good rugby players, I know we have sufficient talent to win games and move on to postseason play. Our first test comes tomorrow against South Carolina. Go Deacs.

Mike Wills is a senior center whose Wake rugby career ended prematurely when he tore his ACL in October. Mike will be writing a weekly blog giving his perspective on the team as it competes in the inaugural season of the Carolinas Rugby League.

View From The Field - Week 2

Two fitness sessions, two practices, and two days of training camp—what a week it has been for a Wake Forest Rugby player. I find myself still struggling to recover from the exhaustion resulting from this past weekend’s training camp. Upon arrival we were thrown almost immediately into a difficult morning fitness session. This workout asked us to give the team our all in terms of physical effort, and looking around, it seemed as though every player was doing just that. At several points I felt that I was going to lose my breakfast, and while I was lucky, there were a couple players not so fortunate.

After a quick lunch we found ourselves back on the pitch for a much lighter, more traditional afternoon practice. Exhausted from the morning workout, I was unsure of the level of quality we would see in the afternoon, but I was happy to see that despite their fatigue each player was still giving it their all. We all enjoyed some bonding time during the team dinner, and afterwards we hit the hay fairly early to rest up for Day 2.

Although Sunday proved to be rainy and cold, we were able to utilize an indoor gym at the facility for a productive morning session. This session was similar to a normal practice, and there was particular and separate focus on the forwards and backs as well as some transitional work into overall style of play. I was very happy to see the newest players jumping into our play flow with confidence and a great deal of success. It’s good to know that these players are already available for use in competitive play. Between the morning and afternoon sessions the team worked on goal setting and also took some time to get familiarized with our most trusted set piece plays. When we came out to the pitch in the afternoon the weather had improved and so had our energy. Everyone was looking forward to the close of the grueling weekend. We spent these last couple hours focused on our overall game play, combining aspects of play from the forwards and backs that we had worked on into a synchronized, effective style of play. Veteran players like myself worked on improving what we had developed in the fall while rookies were quick to learn the ins and outs of Wake’s game plan. In all, the weekend in Roanoke, Virginia was fun, challenging, and has brought the team much closer to where we need to be for the start of the season.

After Monday’s recovery-style fitness session and Tuesday’s productive practice, we are only a few days away from Saturday’s Carolina’s League opener against USC. While I am nervous about the game, I am also excited to see if all of our hard work these past months in preparation has paid off. I feel confident, as do my teammates, in our ability and talent as a team, but it is going to take our very best efforts to be successful in this league.

-Perry Salvagne, '10

Perry Salvagne is a senior center who is writing a weekly blog throughout the season giving a player's perspective on the team. His blog will appear every Wednesday.

Carolinas Rugby League Set to Kickoff

January 18, 2010 (Raleigh, NC) -- The new Carolinas Rugby League for men’s collegiate rugby teams from colleges and universities in North Carolina and South Carolina kicks off its season on January 23rd 2010. Wake Forest will play South Carolina in Columbia, NC State will take on North Carolina in Chapel Hill, and East Carolina will travel to Clemson. Appalachian State has a bye on the first weekend. This is the inaugural season for the league.

“It was time for a shake-up in collegiate competition in the Carolinas. This league structure will bring together some fierce rivals that will evoke a lot of local interest,” said Carolinas Rugby League Commissioner Andy Richards.

The cost and time to travel thousands of miles to play other teams was hurting both the financials and player numbers for many of the rugby clubs. Most of the Division One teams were not competitive, so a group of concerned coaches and club directors saw a local league as a way to improve the situation.

Student-athletes, coaches and club administrators eagerly anticipate the prospect of the league. “The league’s structure will foster healthy rivalry and competitive sportsmanship between teams known for playing at the top level of collegiate rugby”, said junior year student and player at UNC Alex Lee. South Carolina’s Head Coach Geoff Mason said, “The geographic proximity of the league will continue traditional rivalries and also create some new ones. USC – Clemson, UNC – NC State, are already fierce now and playing each other every year with national championship qualification potentially at stake will really ramp up the competition.

Rugby’s increased visibility with the general public was one of the driving forces behind the formation of the league. Appalachian State Club President Ben Llewellyn hopes this type of league will generate new interest and respect for rugby at the local level.

Director of Rugby at Wake Forest Pat Kane adds: “With rugby now the newest Olympic sport, awareness of the game is going to increase dramatically over the next few years. The Carolinas Rugby League, which features well-recognized universities and collegiate rivalries, will serve as yet another step towards bringing rugby into the mainstream of American Athletics. Wake Forest is proud to be part of the league and looks forward to an exciting season of competition.”

You can find out more information about the Carolinas Rugby League at:
http://www.carolinasrugby.com/index.htm

Contact
Andy Richards
League Commissioner andyrichards62@gmail.com

View From The Sideline - Week 1

The return to Winston-Salem for the spring semester brings me much anticipation- not for classes, but for the Carolinas League rugby season. It’s not easy to go into your final season as a Wake rugby player knowing that you won’t be on the field with your teammates, but there are certain times in life that you must accept things for what they are and make the best of your situation. Although I can no longer help this team on the rugby pitch, I can use my 8 years of rugby experience to help coach my teammates and make an impact in that way.

It’s very exciting to get back on the rugby pitch for the first practice of the season, and it was great to see the team fired up and ready to get to work. With our first match less than 2 weeks away, we have very little time to get the kinks out and try to get into midseason form. As Perry mentioned in his blog, the team looked very sharp in 2v1 drills on Tuesday, and everyone appeared to be picking up right where they left off after an encouraging fall season. Practice ended with every team member channeling their inner meathead and flipping a gigantic 600 lb. tire. It was good to see the team start the year off right with a solid practice.

As we opened our Thursday practice, the team made many mistakes and appeared uninspired and sloppy. After some harsh ridicule from Coach Kane, the team really started to pick up the intensity and execution. My favorite part of practice was always splitting up into backs and forwards to work on plays and set pieces, which we did for the first time on Thursday. Observing the backline play was very encouraging, and the execution was impressive given the long layoff of winter break. The unit looked crisp and in synch, and there were very few mistakes from the starting unit. Sophomore flyhalf Brendan Shea looked especially sharp in the first line, and his play will be pivotal for the Wake backline to succeed in the Carolinas league.

Last night I asked my housemate, senior captain Michael Duffy, how he felt about the first week of practice. “We had to shake off the rust from winter break, but we started to put things together in our Thursday practice,” Duffy said. “The most important thing for the team right now is getting back into an offensive rhythm and improving our fitness level. Everything we do now is in preparation for our game against South Carolina on the 23rd.”

The team heads up to Roanoke, Virginia this weekend for training camp, and there is a lot to work on in preparation for next weekend’s game against South Carolina.

-Mike Wills, '10

Mike Wills is a senior center whose Wake rugby career ended prematurely when he tore his ACL in October. Mike will be writing a weekly blog giving his perspective on the team as it competes in the inaugural season of the Carolinas Rugby League.

View From The Field - Week 1

After a month of training and rest, the team returned to campus this week with its attention fixed on the quickly approaching Carolinas League season. Through daily email conversation during the break, the team members were able to both stay in touch and encourage each other by providing reports of their off-season training progress.

At Monday night’s fitness test, most players seemed apprehensive about the test, fearful of performing poorly despite the long training break, but results showed marked improvement for all players in most areas. From my personal experience and from talking to others, some areas definitely still need a lot of work, and fitness still remains an issue for many, but it is apparent the effort that was put in over break to improve.

On Tuesday afternoon the team gathered at Waterfall Field once again to kick off spring season practice. The long winter break was evident in some sloppiness and dropped balls at the beginning of practice; however, after a few minutes the squad seemed sharper and more energetic in their play than was seen in the fall season. In a regularly used 2v1 drill it was clear that there has been marked improvement since November, with partnerships completing successful passes on nearly every play. Later on, players enjoyed learning to use some of the recently acquired training equipment now at the field, namely a 600 lb tractor tire that can be flipped for a very rugby-specific workout. Each player took their turn flipping the tire, including two new players who were thrown right into the mix, each driving the tire over amidst encouraging shouts from their new teammates. It was exciting not only to urge the guys through their tire flips, but also to see the brand new players welcomed and encouraged as if veterans. While practice began somewhat slowly, with all players needing to shake off a little rust, at the end I could sense optimism towards the upcoming season and it looked like the club had certainly improved. There was a certain sharpness to the play that was not seen before.

This weekend we head to Roanoke, Virginia for a weekend-long training camp. For most players, myself included, this will be a new experience and the weekend holds curiosity and excitement as well as partial fear for what the coaches might have in store for us. I think all players expect to work very hard this weekend, and most members of this team have shown dedication in the past that makes me expect this weekend to be both extremely productive and also fun. At the close of the weekend, I expect the team to be more prepared for the high level of play that we should expect to see throughout the Carolinas League season. We definitely need to improve, but since returning to campus, I have seen a level of commitment in the Wake squad that I have not seen in my 3.5 previous seasons. We appear on track to be physically prepared and in the right mindset to take on the University of South Carolina on January 23 in Columbia.

-Perry Salvagne, '10

Perry Salvagne is a senior center who is writing a weekly blog throughout the season giving a player's perspective on the team. His blog will appear every Wednesday.

Another National Power to Attend High School Showcase

West Shore United, a U-19 team from Pennsylvania who finished 4th in USA Rugby's 2009 national U-19 playoffs, has committed to attend the Wake Forest High School Rugby Showcase on February 27-28.

Wake Players to Blog About 2010 League Season

Two senior centers, Mike Wills and Perry Salvagne, will be writing weekly blogs this spring giving their perspective on the Wake Forest men's rugby team. Salvagne's blog, which will appear on this website every Wednesday, will be called "View From the Field" and will provide insight into what a Wake rugby player goes through on a weekly basis. Wills' blog will be called "View From the Sideline" and will be published here every Friday. Wills suffered a knee injury in early October that put him out for the remainder of the year and unfortunately forced a premature end to his Wake rugby career. His blog will give a unique perspective on the team from an All-Star player who can now only help his team from behind the ropes. Both blogs will premiere next week as the team returns to campus and begins its preseason training.

Wake Forest Rugby Foundation Elects Officers

The Board of Directors of the Wake Forest Rugby Foundation met for the first time last night and elected officers for the newly-formed 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. The Foundation will provide support, both financial and otherwise, for the Wake Forest University men's rugby team.

Andrew Gentles, '05, was unanimously elected as President of the Foundation. Andrew is an Associate Relationship Manager in the U.S. Corporate Banking Group of Wells Fargo. Andrew lives and works in New York City and plays for the Old Blue Rugby Club.

Greg Wagner, '07, was unanimously elected as Vice-President of Marketing. Greg currently works as a Division Manager for University Directories and resides in Durham, NC.

David Poplaski, '09, was unanimously elected as Secretary and Treasurer. Dave is a Process Analyst for Aon Consulting in Winston-Salem, NC.

For more information on the Wake Forest Rugby Foundation or to become involved in the Foundation, please contact Greg Wagner at greg.s.wagner@gmail.com.

National Powers to Headline Wake Forest High School Rugby Showcase

Gonzaga College High School and East Chapel Hill Highlanders have committed to the 2010 Wake Forest High School Rugby Showcase on February 27-28. Gonzaga is a perennial participant in the USA Rugby National High School playoffs, finishing 4th in the country last spring. Gonzaga is also the alma mater of current Wake standouts Mike Wills and Johnny McMurray. East Chapel Hill, meanwhile, has just recently burst onto the national scene, finishing 8th in the USA Rugby U-19 national playoffs last spring. The Highlanders return to the Showcase after dismantling all of their opponents in last year's event.

The remaining teams for this year's Showcase are still being confirmed, but may include Unionville High School who won the inaugural Showcase in 2008 and also participated in 2009.

For more information on the Wake Forest High School Rugby Showcase, please contact Director of Men's Rugby Patrick Kane at pmkane78@aol.com.