Matt Wise ’08 chases down the ball in a game against Columbia.
Vassar College Sports Information

published on 11/11/05

Athlete of the Week

Sarah Palermo Sports Editor

Rugby is different than football; anyone who has watched a game knows that. What they may not know is how important that difference is when it comes to the size of the players. Athlete of the Week Matt Wise ’07 isn’t the biggest guy on the team, but he is very effective on the field, making tackles that make games.

Playing in the openside flanker position, he knows his job. “We’re on the sides of the ruck, stabilizing it,” said Wise. “It’s our job to get off as quickly as we can. If a scrumhalf is being tricky and trying to get out to one side, we can tackle right away.”
“The ideal way to tackle in rugby is different than football,” he said. “It’s more about staying low, wrapping their legs. I have to make sure they get to the ground, so I stay low and wrap. Even the big guys fall.”

Coach Tony Brown has only praise for Wise, even beyond his “textbook tackling.”
“He is quick around the field and, despite being small for the position he plays, he tackles and competes strongly. Although he is new to this position, he has been a highly valued member of the team.”

This praise is reciprocal; Wise attributes all the success of the College’s rugby program to Brown.

“[Brown] is a much better coach than a program at a school like this would have,” said Wise. “We are very fortunate to have him.”

While Wise said that he is a bit disappointed that the team didn’t defeat Middlebury College on Nov. 6 in the Northeast Championship playoffs, he is confident in the ability of the team.
“With all the adjustments we had to make, the season turned out as well as could be expected.”

The adjustments to which Wise refers are the injuries of several key players who missed most of the season, resulting in a 4-4 record for the Brewers.

The Brewers are now mentally preparing for their spring season. But Wise plans to do more than just mental preparation.
“I’ll be in the gym,” he said. “I want to get bigger.”

When asked if tackling was an intimidating job for him right now, Wise simply replied, “I do what I do.”

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