This weekend, the Virginia men's rugby team will play their final matches at the third Annual Chris "Blumpkin" Ball Tournament, a "friendly" competition in Harrisonburg, Va.
Their season is coming to a close because the team narrowly missed qualifying for the Sweet Sixteen, the national rugby tournament. While Virginia placed third overall, the Mid-Atlantic Rugby Football Union (MARFU) only sends its top two seeds to nationals.
"We were one seed away from making the national tournament," captain Peter Benson said. "Obviously, we would have liked to have made the Sweet Sixteen, but we finished better than the teams from Virginia have been doing recently, and I am pleased with our progress overall."
Indeed, the team worked hard to secure a third place finish. The last weekend in March, Virginia qualified for the Division I Mid-Atlantic collegiate semi-finals by defeating Temple 26-23. The team managed to overcome a 12-point deficit to win their last home game and earn the right to face Pennsylvania State University in Richmond.
The following weekend, the Cavaliers lost to the Nittany Lions 38-7, but won Sunday's consolation game against Kutztown University 32-14.
"It was our highest finish in MARFUs ever," sophomore Andrew Fiscella said. "This season has put U.Va. rugby on the national radar and given the club a lot of respect nationally."
While Virginia men's rugby is technically a club sport, it acts and competes like a varsity one. Nationally, collegiate rugby is supervised by USA Rugby, an organization much like the NCAA in that it organizes and regulates competition. Conferences are referred to as unions and are territorially based. Virginia belongs to MARFU and competes at the Division I level.
"Rugby at U.Va. is on the same level as any club team," Benson said. "But because there is no varsity team, we represent U.Va. at the highest level of American collegiate rugby."
Such a level of competition demands that the men's rugby team practice and prepare much in the same manner as a varsity sport.
"We practice four times a week and have a preseason," Fiscella said. "We train from two to two and a half hours Monday through Thursday, and we take the games as seriously as varsity athletes."
Looking ahead to the fall, the men's rugby team will be defending their 2005 state championship. However, they will have to do it without the guidance of Virginia coach Jon Conrad who will be coaching at Virginia Tech next season.
"His contribution to the team has been invaluable," Benson said. "I believe he is a major reason for our recent success."
Additionally, the team will be graduating eight members whose leadership many on the team credit for the considerable strides Virginia has made in just the last couple years: Jason Christy, Ben Ball, Nick Gustafson, Cook Wylly, Roger Counihan, Rob Anthony, Chris Ritzcovan and Steve D'Angelo.
The Cavaliers will once again play in the Mad Bowl this coming fall, after extensive renovations are completed. The current renovations include a drainage system and Bermuda grass, both of which are welcome additions from the team's standpoint.
"Watching a rugby game at Mad Bowl is something everyone should do before graduating," Fiscella said. "A lot of people don't know about the sport but playing at Mad Bowl helps gets the word out about rugby and we appreciate every fan we get."
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