Men’s rugby plays hard, sees losses

Brewers unable to dominate tougher teams

Stacey Mack and Ewa Gorczyca Guest Writers

This year, the men’s rugby team commemorates its thirtieth year as a Vassar sport. Since 1975, the Brewers rugby team has steadily grown, as has its record.

This year, the team looks forward to taking on big-name opponents such as Fairfield, Harvard, and Sacred Heart later in the season. The Brewers, whose current record is 1-2, certainly have an interesting season ahead.

In recent years, the rugby program has become very familiar with success. The men’s team has become a dominant force in the Metropolitan New York Rugby Football Union, winning both Division I and II titles in the league since 2002. The women’s team was ranked tenth in the nation in the spring of 2005 and competed in the USA Rugby Collegiate Women's Division I tournament. Despite its club status at Vassar, it is one of the College’s most competitive and supported athletic teams. The program has grown in numbers to the extent that each squad boasts an “A” and “B” side, both of which are competitive.

The strong recent history of the team and the men’s dedication to the sport and each other are unfortunately not reflected in the bare numbers of the team’s record and match scores so far this season.

The opening game of the season occurred on Sept. 11 against the United States Military Academy at West Point. The Brewers looked strong against Army, keeping constant momentum throughout both halves of the game. Vassar scored three tries, against the very tough Army team. Despite their efforts, the final score was 32-34 in favor of Army.

The team more than recovered from this minor setback, however, during their second game, against Rutgers University. On Saturday, Sept. 17, they bounced back to celebrate a big win against the Scarlet Knights. Fired up after the Army loss and ready to dominate, the men ran in nine tries winning by an impressive 48 points with a final score of 55-7.

The team realizes that practice makes perfect if they want to be competitive in a talented league. Three practices, approximately two and a half hours long, are held each week. On Wednesdays, the teammates work on their contact skills, while on Tuesdays and Fridays they focus on special rugby drills and running. Besides the standard three practices a week, the Brewers hold extra practices that concentrate on building skills for specific positions held by the players.

During these practices, the team usually divides into two groups, the forwards and the backs. This allows the players to center their attention on any weaker aspects of their performance on the field. With the guidance of a coach with unmatchable experience, the team is prepared to flourish under his leadership.

This year, coach Tony Brown enters his eleventh season as head coach of the team. Formerly, Brown played rugby in England at Southern University and in the U.S. with the Northern Virginia Rugby Football Club. He retired from playing in 1986 and turnied to coaching at George Mason University before coming to Vassar in 1995.

Leading the team this year are captain Tom Weishaupt ’07 and vice-captain Matt Tracey ’07.

The men’s rugby team is well known for their intensity. Before games, the team often holds parties and build team spirit by singing songs about rugby; one inspirational title for the team is entitled “Jesus Can’t Play Rugby.” Despite the appearance of invincibility that the team presents, the Brewers do recognize just how rough rugby can get.

In truth, rugby players are more than familiar with injuries due to the heavy contact during the games. Over the years, the many tackles have led to knee dislocations, sprains, broken collarbones and noses.
“The three main injuries so far this year were a dislocated shoulder, a broken finger, and a dislocated patella,” said Chris Magnini ’08.

However, the danger of the sport does not discourage any of the members. Omar Fayyaz ’09, who dislocated his knee during the game against Rutgers, still spoke passionately about the sport. When it comes to dedication, the Brewers certainly aren’t lacking.

However, in this past Sunday’s game against Seton Hall, dedication wasn’t enough. The Brewers struggled to get into an established rhythm as Seton Hall beat them up and down the field. The Brewers were seemingly unprepared for the fire of the Pirates on their home turf after having decimated the team 40-7 last season. The frustrated Vassar team was unable to convert opportunities into points this time, losing with a final score of 16-5.

The men have a tough week ahead of them as they attempt to prepare for Fairfield on Oct. 9. Winning is now imperative if they hope to gain a playoff bid after league play ends in late October.