At 5-1, men's rugby in red hot form before playoffs
Graham Tucker '11
Issue date: 4/15/09 Section: Sports
Last year, the Wheaton men's rugby team struggled all season compiling a record of 0-5. But that is in the past. This is a new season. A season to show that last year was a fluke and the best days for the team are ahead of them.
The 2009 men's rugby team has certainly adopted this philosophy as they have been dominant all season long, evident from their strong record of 5-1. Cameron Stewart, a sophomore and in his second year with the team, gave first year head coach, Darren Scott, a lot of the credit for the squad's reemergence and the new enthusiasm the team is experiencing.
"We just got a coach who played semi-pro rugby in New Zealand." Stewart said. "He's taught us a lot about the New Zealand style of rugby that other teams can't play against."
Clearly, this new type of rugby has paid dividends with a team who had a hard time finding consistency last season. Scott's style, which is a more consistent type of game that strives off a support system in which everyone puts in their share has turned Wheaton into a dominating and confident opponent.
On top of this, this team has gotten a new crop of players who are still learning the game and providing energy and enthusiasm. "We also got a great new group of players who will be great ruggers in coming years," says Stewart. With new players and rugby becoming a more popular sport at Wheaton, the team looks poised to be a force this season and beyond.
This past Friday, the rugby team had their toughest challenge yet as they played two matches against Merrimack and Springfield. Wheaton won their game against Merrimack in a decisive victory of 27-0. However, Springfield came out strong and dominated Wheaton 30-0 for Wheaton's first loss of the season.
Despite losing their undefeated season, Wheaton looks poised to make a deep playoff run which starts April 25. No matter how far Wheaton goes in the playoffs, Scott, who has restructured the identity of a team struggling to find consistency last season, has the luxury of knowing his team is young and talented enough to be a force for years to come.
The 2009 men's rugby team has certainly adopted this philosophy as they have been dominant all season long, evident from their strong record of 5-1. Cameron Stewart, a sophomore and in his second year with the team, gave first year head coach, Darren Scott, a lot of the credit for the squad's reemergence and the new enthusiasm the team is experiencing.
"We just got a coach who played semi-pro rugby in New Zealand." Stewart said. "He's taught us a lot about the New Zealand style of rugby that other teams can't play against."
Clearly, this new type of rugby has paid dividends with a team who had a hard time finding consistency last season. Scott's style, which is a more consistent type of game that strives off a support system in which everyone puts in their share has turned Wheaton into a dominating and confident opponent.
On top of this, this team has gotten a new crop of players who are still learning the game and providing energy and enthusiasm. "We also got a great new group of players who will be great ruggers in coming years," says Stewart. With new players and rugby becoming a more popular sport at Wheaton, the team looks poised to be a force this season and beyond.
This past Friday, the rugby team had their toughest challenge yet as they played two matches against Merrimack and Springfield. Wheaton won their game against Merrimack in a decisive victory of 27-0. However, Springfield came out strong and dominated Wheaton 30-0 for Wheaton's first loss of the season.
Despite losing their undefeated season, Wheaton looks poised to make a deep playoff run which starts April 25. No matter how far Wheaton goes in the playoffs, Scott, who has restructured the identity of a team struggling to find consistency last season, has the luxury of knowing his team is young and talented enough to be a force for years to come.
Be the first to comment on this story