Sports
Men’s Rugby program continues to strengthen reputation
By Kaitlin McCabe ’16
September 3, 2015
The Hamilton College Men’s Rugby Club, formerly known as the Exiles—albeit one of the most skilled and dynamic teams on campus—is not a group most of its members ever planned upon joining.
Nick Ball ’16 arrived on the Hill as a football recruit. Classmate, Matt Currier ’16, left for his first semester in London with mixed feelings towards rugby, which he tried and soon after abandoned in high school. Andrew Leopold ’16, who transferred to Hamilton from Colgate in his sophomore year, actually did plan to join the rugby team in order to meet new people—and quit immediately after.
Today, Ball, Currier and Leopold respectively lead the team as forwards captain, president and backs captain.
“The first rugby game I ever watched I played in,” Ball said, laughing at its boldness and absurdity. Surprisingly, he might not be the only player with this story. In a squad that ranges from 20-30 men, only about three players have previous rugby experience. However, the leaders emphasize that rookies should not be discouraged from trying the sport out. “Anyone can pick it up,” Ball explained. Leopold added, “You can turn an athlete into a rugby player pretty easily.”
While the majority of players on the men’s rugby team never played prior to coming to the College, the club itself is hardly new to the campus. In 1977, two Hamilton students studied abroad in Scotland, where they developed a passion for rugby. Upon their return to Hamilton, the next step was obvious: They decided to bring the game to the Hill.
Yet today, just like 40 years ago, the sport of rugby—its rules, its aim, even its point—is essentially a mystery at Hamilton. The rundown: Rugby is a free-flowing game that features a combination of strength, speed and strategy to move a ball into an opponent’s territory. Though it is a full-contact sport, players wear little-to-no protective gear. The most unique aspect of rugby is the scrum, a formation used to restart play following minor infractions during the match. Its better-known American version—that is, football—was actually derived from the British sport.
Though the rugby club has had a presence on the Hill since the late-70s, its structure is drastically different this season. The men will face higher competition this year as new members of the National Small College Rugby Organization (NSCRO), in which they play in the north division of the Division-II conference. NSCRO contains six divisions, 12 conferences and about 50 teams. The men’s team has been in three leagues in the last four years.
A standout difference between the team’s former league and NSCRO is that instead of playing nine games, the Continentals play five. The team leaders, however, emphasize that although the decrease in playing time seems like a loss, it is actually beneficial to the team. According to Leopold, fewer games allow a team as small as Hamilton’s to better adjust to potential injuries; whereas large squads can adapt to different players and dynamics, Hamilton “doesn’t have that kind of size and depth in roster.”
The Continentals also enters the league under the guidance of a coach. For several years, the team bounced between coaches, sometimes playing without official control. Consequently, the team was, to be frank, not taken seriously. In some instances, the Hamilton team was actually forbidden to play in scheduled games because of it. Yet, membership in NSCRO required official, active coaches, and with the help of Director of Blood Fitness Center and Campus Wellness Dave Thompson, the team found its mentor, John Joseph.
“I am very excited for our new league. The NSCRO will give us an opportunty to play other schools similar in size and ability. It will be a great test for us,” Joseph said.
The increasing “official” status of the club has had several positive effects. There is more dialogue between players and trainers and more access to facilities and opportunities typically used by varsity sports only. Whereas rugby players were prioritized less than other athletes in previous seasons and forced to find the time to meet with trainers despite their schedules, they now have equal clearance when there is availability. The team also will use game film to better understand their strategies and improve safety and game tactics.
“Safety is always my primary concern,” Joseph said. “Everything we teach is based around safety and how to protect yourself on the rugby field.”
Ball, Currier and Leopold are excited by the level of competition in NSCRO and are building strategies to best position themselves in matches. “There is bigger size in the league,” Ball explains, “so [teams] use forwards more, the pack gets the ball a lot more. We pride ourselves on being smaller and quicker. We’ll use speed to tire them out, to wear them down. Rugby is a game of attrition.”
“We’re using a new backline strategy,” Leopold added. “We used to want to get the ball wide because less experienced players are often positioned on the outside, but having a more athletic pack means we will keep the ball on the inside. We will wear them down and suck in their centers. They will be more tired and anticipate balls in center.”
Joseph also said, “Currently we are developing new patterns of rugby and team continuity. This will help us get on the same page and be able to exploit our opposition.”
Clearly, the men’s rugby program is headed in the right direction as it finds its place on the Hill. Yet, despite its growing status and success, the leaders continue to stress that the program is a club, not a varsity sport, and winning is not the sole goal of the organization. Above all else, the teammates think of rugby as a brotherhood, as a tightly-knit community that welcomes members old and new with open arms.
Ball dissuades the Hamilton community from mistaking rugby for an exclusive group. “A lot of people say rugby is a frat. I hate when people say that because it’s not. It’s a group of guys who all have similar interests, but it’s more than that. We don’t accept or deny people.” Currier agreed, “Even if you’re not particularly great at the sport, you’re welcome to come.”
The team finished Fall 2013 4-3 and Fall 2014 3-5, and certainly hope to build off of that momentum in the coming season. This past weekend, the men began their pre-season training, welcoming about seven recruits of different classes for a training and safety clinic. Next Saturday, Sept. 12, the Hamilton team will have an away match against Plattsburgh but will welcome Potsdam for their first home contest on the following Saturday, Sept. 19 at 1 pm. If you’re interested in seeing a winning program that continues to grow stronger, you know where you’ll be that day.