Rugby Finishes Strong

Injuries abounded in an unsatisfying 2-3 season for Camel Rugby this fall. Despite the efforts of a strong defensive pack and an army of rookies, the Camels could not stop their opponents in their last three games and suffered hard fought defeats at home.

After last season, the Camels lost a few key players to graduation leaving many open spots in the 15-man line up. Things looked bright at first when the team roster peaked at around 40, but rugby is a brutal game and between fear of injury, H1N1 and the economy, commitment dwindled.

Over the course of four A-side matches the backline consisted of different players each match. This inconsistency blocked the Camels from working together as a cohesive unit.

The Camels’ first victory came from a forfeit by Framingham and their first victory from a proper match came one week later at Rhode Island College. A brilliant first-half try (touchdown) by flanker Roger Kim ’09 kept the Camels within five points of RIC setting up two tries by rookie wings Chris King ’13 and Nate Wallace ’13 in the second half to secure a 15-10 real win.

Always a tight match, the Camels looked promising in the first half against Eastern Connecticut State University, holding Eastern Conn to only five points from a try scored close to the end of the half. Camel forwards rucked (secured) the ball so well they were able to force turnovers, but the Camels were unable to establish effective backline play and spent much of the half near their own touch-zone. Unfortunately the Camels were not a second-half team and collapsed, allowing 27 more points. Prop James Jackson ’11 scored the only try for Conn.

According to captain and flyhalf Grand Ridgeway ’10 the lack of fitness is the biggest problem for the team and it led to some injuries. Injuries are simply the nature of the sport and by end of the season five starters were hurt, practice attendance dwindled to around sixteen, and the Camels were unable to field a final B-side game against Nichols, as only five extra players were healthy enough to play.

Instead of laboring over another agonizing home loss, when the Camels’ A-side was defeated by Worcester Polytechnic Institute, it is time to highlight the brightest moment of the Camels’ season.

After the A-side played a scoreless full eighty-minute match, the B-side pulled off a miracle win in a fifty-minute match, with a “ragtag” team of mostly rookies. The Camels maintained a 14-12 lead thanks to two tries by fullback Kenny Rivera ’11 and two conversions by Chris King ‘13 until WPI scored with two minutes to play.

In rugby, unlike football, when a team scores they receive the kickoff, which center Chris King ’13 placed in the end-zone. The Camels attacked with strong support, and flankers Sean L. Smith Jr. ’11 and Justin Levy ’10 along with Kenny Rivera ’11 cleared the way for prop Cristobal Perez ‘12 to dive on the ball and score with forty seconds remaining ensuring an emphatically decisive camel victory 19-17. Teamwork and pluck scored that try marking a good sign for the future as players gain experience and join the A-side.