2009 Ohio State Rugby

[wadc45]

http://www.osurugby.com/documents/Na...nt-flier-1.pdf

OSU/Navy weekend details...come out and support the OSURFC against the Naval Academy on the Friday night before the football game.

The spring schedule can be found here:

OSU Rugby

We are at home most of the fall, which is a new experience for us, so please come out and support the OSU rugby team.

I'd especially like to see a nice crowd for the Michigan game on 9/18.

[wadc45]

This year's captain, Mickey Franco, playing for the Chicago Lions 7s this summer:

[wadc45]

Just received a package in the mail at my office today with this letter...see attached.

[RugbyBuck]

Great stuff, wadc. Best of luck this weekend!

[brodybuck21]

Originally Posted by wadc45

Just received a package in the mail at my office today with this letter...see attached.

Good luck this weekend and thats a great letter

[McRugby9Mom]

GO BUCKEYES!!!

Game 1...Beat those Midshipmen...it's been nearly 4 years, but we beat them before, we can beat them again! I hear our team is looking as good as the team from 4 years ago so far...and the guys have hardly been together!...looks like an exciting year is coming! BRING BACK THE CUP to the Midwest and get the respect you deserve!! One game at a time...but all the way to Nationals!

GO BUCKEYES!!!

[wadc45]

eRugbyNews.com

Two college programs looking to improve their lot give the 2009-2010 men's college season a rousing start as Navy travels to Ohio State to play Friday night.

For both teams it's time to start getting back to where they expect to be. Navy missed the national playoffs in 2008 and lost in the opening round in 2009. Ohio State has missed the national playoffs the last three seasons, after a streak of four appearances dating from 2003-2006.

OSU will enter the game full of questions. Being on the quarter system they hardly know anything about their new recruits, and instead will front up with returning players who have been in preseason training.

"It's always tough to start out the way we do," said OSU coach Tom Rooney. But, he said, the team needs to know what level it has to play at.

Playing in the Midwest won't do the job. That region has not performed well of late at the national playoffs, and there are nationwide murmurings that the Midwest just can't cut it. Ohio State wants to change that.

They will do so, however, without one of their most promising players. Former USA U20 standout Nate Ebner has chosen to play football. After impressing the Buckeye coaching staff with his athleticism, Ebner has opted for the gridiron in the hopes of securing a scholarship. It's a loss for the rugby program, and an opportunity.

It's natural for young athletes to rely on a star, said Rooney, and his players were in danger of doing that. Often such players step up their game when the person they rely on isn't there. With Ebner having been injured for much of 2008-09, they've had practice.

As for Navy, head coach Mike Flanagan brings back a very experienced squad. He has virtually his entire forward pack returning, and most of the backline as well, although some were reserves, they are still experienced.

"We've recruited well, too," said Flanagan. "We got some crossover guys who aren't playing football anymore. So it should be interesting."

This is the first game for Navy, also, and Flanagan stressed to his players, "there are no gimmes."

Navy comes into Columbus accompanying their football team, which plays Ohio State on Saturday. It's what they call a "warrior weekend" and the Navy rugby players will stay the extra day to cheer on their football colleagues.

"The football team has been supportive of us and what we're trying to do," said Flanagan. "So when we get the chance we want to show them support, too. We're glad we can do this together on the road."

The rugby game kicks off 6pm at Fred Beekman Park at Ohio State.

Friday, September 4th 6 PM
Fred Beekman Park

vs.

Not much more can be said...so come out Friday night and watch the OSU men's rugby team take on the US Naval Academy!

[Steve19]

Go Rugby Buckeyes!

Beat Navy!

[Ttown]

Let's go Bucks!

[jwinslow]

I plan on being there today to capture photographs of this event... will post when I have them updated. It might be a few days (I'm catching half of DePriest @ Pickerington Central afterwards, Navy early tomorrow, Glenville-Reynoldsburg that evening & a long shoot on sunday) to get through all of these pics... but they'll be up here for everyone to check out.

[RugbyBuck]

What is Ebner trying to play? Punter, kicker?

[wadc45]

Ebner was on kickoff coverage every time yesterday except for the OSU's first kickoff. I believe during practice he works out at safety.

Lost a tough one to Navy...lack of practice showed on the A-side but that wasn't the part that concerned us as a staff...effort level and focus were terrible. Too many mistakes, whether they be 50/50 passes, improper defensive alignment, missed tackles, etc. I believe the halftime penalty county was something like OSU 20 Navy 5. The B-side came from behind to post a one point victory and I can promise you there will several changes to the starting lineup on the A-side when Penn State comes to town next weekend.

[wadc45]

Saturday, September 12th 1 PM
Fred Beekman Park

vs.

[Steve19]

Go Rugby Buckeyes!

[wadc45]

Saturday was not a good day for Coach Wade...

eRugbyNews.com

Penn State University got a late try from freshman fullback Greg Boitt to edge Ohio State University 26-22 Saturday in Columbus, Ohio.

In a game that featured more than its share of freshmen, both teams had some good and not-so-good moments. For OSU, which had been beaten badly by Navy a week before, this was certainly a step forward.

"I'm disappointed we lost the game because we felt we had it won," said Ohio State head coach Tom Rooney. "But for us it was a big step forward."

Ohio State started an almost completely revamped backline, and got a huge game from senior center Spencer Dye, who scored two, including the go-ahead score late. Eric Sanchez and Ryan Cochran also scored for Ohio State.

But two tries form Bryan Oteri and a forwards' score set up Boitt's winning try.

"It's an early season game and it was very physical," said Penn State director of rugby Don Ferrell. "I thought Ohio State played really well and we came out of that game with stuff to work on."

Penn State showed well in the scrum, and their backs exploited some iffy OSU tackling, while the Buckeyes' ability to read the game on attack pleased their coach.

"They played good attacking rugby, but we also gave them 21 points on our poor tackling," said Rooney, adding that freshmen don't even move in at OSU until next weekend, so the team is still coming together.

"We have eight freshmen sleeping on upperclassmen couches at the moment," he said. "Our schedule is tough and it makes it hard to get started. But I found three centers this weekend."

- Alex Goff

Gave up the GWT with a minute to go and then followed that up by sitting in the stands and watching the football team endure a eerily similar loss...