2018/2019 News & Headlines
South Carolina Returns to the Penn Mutual Collegiate Rugby Championship for the 5th Time in 6 Years
Philadelphia, PA - The Penn Mutual Collegiate Rugby Championship, the largest annual collegiate rugby sevens event in the world, has announced all 24 men's teams for the 2019 Penn Mutual Collegiate Rugby Championship, slated for Saturday, June 1st and Sunday, June 2nd at Talen Energy Stadium in suburban Philadelphia. Over 30,000 fans are expected for the two-day event.
Lindenwood University will be returning to defend its championship title against a field of national powerhouses including: Arizona, Army, Boston College, California, Clemson, Colorado, Dartmouth, Fordham, Indiana, Iona, Kutztown, Life, Navy, Notre Dame, Penn State, Saint Mary's College, Saint Joseph’s, Saint Bonaventure, South Carolina, Temple, UCLA, Virginia Tech, and Wisconsin.
The 2019 Penn Mutual Collegiate Rugby Championship will mark the ninth consecutive year that the event has been held in Philadelphia and at Talen Energy Stadium, bringing national and International attention to the region through the live broadcasts on the networks of ESPN.
The multi-day rugby event is one of the largest gatherings of collegiate and high school rugby teams in the world. The Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company is in the fifth year of a title sponsorship for the event. Over 30,000 fans are expected for the two-day event. ~ South Carolina CRC Page ~
The Penn Mutual Collegiate Rugby Championship will feature a 24-team field competing for the Pete Dawkins Trophy, named after the All-American football standout at West Point won the Heisman Trophy in 1958. Dawkins was a Rhodes Scholar and attended Oxford, where he used his outstanding football skills to make him a star on the Oxford Varsity rugby team, revolutionizing the game in the process.
The annual event also features a 16-team Penn Mutual Collegiate Women’s Rugby Championship bracket, which will also be defended by Lindenwood University; the Freedom Cup Championship featuring a six-team men’s field vying for a spot in next year’s main bracket; the National Small College Rugby Organization (NSCRO) national championship; as well as a national high school tournament with both boys and girls teams. Fields for each of those events will be announced in the coming weeks.
The interest in Rugby Sevens (also known as Rugby 7s) continues to grow following the sport's return to the Olympic Games in 2016, after a 92-year hiatus. The Penn Mutual Collegiate Rugby Championship is part of a nationwide effort to build American rugby talent for competition on the International stage. In the past four years, the event has produced over a dozen players who have gone on to play for the U.S. National teams. The U.S. National Team is currently ranked number one in the world as it seeks to qualify for the 2020 Olympic games.
Lindenwood University will be returning to defend its championship title against a field of national powerhouses including: Arizona, Army, Boston College, California, Clemson, Colorado, Dartmouth, Fordham, Indiana, Iona, Kutztown, Life, Navy, Notre Dame, Penn State, Saint Mary's College, Saint Joseph’s, Saint Bonaventure, South Carolina, Temple, UCLA, Virginia Tech, and Wisconsin.
The 2019 Penn Mutual Collegiate Rugby Championship will mark the ninth consecutive year that the event has been held in Philadelphia and at Talen Energy Stadium, bringing national and International attention to the region through the live broadcasts on the networks of ESPN.
The multi-day rugby event is one of the largest gatherings of collegiate and high school rugby teams in the world. The Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company is in the fifth year of a title sponsorship for the event. Over 30,000 fans are expected for the two-day event. ~ South Carolina CRC Page ~
The Penn Mutual Collegiate Rugby Championship will feature a 24-team field competing for the Pete Dawkins Trophy, named after the All-American football standout at West Point won the Heisman Trophy in 1958. Dawkins was a Rhodes Scholar and attended Oxford, where he used his outstanding football skills to make him a star on the Oxford Varsity rugby team, revolutionizing the game in the process.
The annual event also features a 16-team Penn Mutual Collegiate Women’s Rugby Championship bracket, which will also be defended by Lindenwood University; the Freedom Cup Championship featuring a six-team men’s field vying for a spot in next year’s main bracket; the National Small College Rugby Organization (NSCRO) national championship; as well as a national high school tournament with both boys and girls teams. Fields for each of those events will be announced in the coming weeks.
The interest in Rugby Sevens (also known as Rugby 7s) continues to grow following the sport's return to the Olympic Games in 2016, after a 92-year hiatus. The Penn Mutual Collegiate Rugby Championship is part of a nationwide effort to build American rugby talent for competition on the International stage. In the past four years, the event has produced over a dozen players who have gone on to play for the U.S. National teams. The U.S. National Team is currently ranked number one in the world as it seeks to qualify for the 2020 Olympic games.
Gamecocks Compete at Las Vegas 7's - Letter of Thanks from Head Coach Steve Darnell
Las Vegas, NV - A heartfelt thank you to all that supported our trip to the Las Vegas Invitational and for your continued support of the Carolina Foundation. We traveled with a team of 12, were joined by 4 additional players who were there to support the team and a number of parents were there as well. I had three former teammates that traveled from Atlanta, Kansas City and Scotland to take in the international sevens and they also joined us on our Friday matches.
We began the tournament with much optimism having three starters back from injury and touting a 12-1 record. Our first match against Colorado State went in our favor as our game plan was working well and no signs of jitters or handing issues as we completed a match with 0 scrums. Our next match against Northeastern began well and we looked to continue our success but it was not to be. Numerous passing errors put the ball into the hands of the opposition and we beat ourselves. Finding ourselves in a hole at 1-1 we needed to add a significant number of points to our 2 point match differential. Against Weber State we were able to put 59 points on the board and thanks to a Colorado State win over Northeastern we won our pool and went forward as the #6 seed. However injuries had taken a toll on the team and we were not able to get past Colorado in the cup quarters. Our reserves played well against Utah Valley but were unable to come out on top. We completed the tourney at around 7th of the 24 teams.
All said, the experience of play against teams with very different attacking styles gave us needed experience. However, the injuries that we sustained have most likely cost us three players for the season. I hope to never have the experience of pushing a player in a wheelchair through a TSA checkpoint again (even though they were very accommodating). Luckily we will have two returning from injury after break and later in the season and we should be a good position to defend our conference championship. Up next we travel to UGA for more competition against SCRC opponents and then off to James Madison University for final tournament before hosting the SCRC Championship in April. Again, thank you very much for your support of the team and we hope to see you on the touch line at future matches.
We began the tournament with much optimism having three starters back from injury and touting a 12-1 record. Our first match against Colorado State went in our favor as our game plan was working well and no signs of jitters or handing issues as we completed a match with 0 scrums. Our next match against Northeastern began well and we looked to continue our success but it was not to be. Numerous passing errors put the ball into the hands of the opposition and we beat ourselves. Finding ourselves in a hole at 1-1 we needed to add a significant number of points to our 2 point match differential. Against Weber State we were able to put 59 points on the board and thanks to a Colorado State win over Northeastern we won our pool and went forward as the #6 seed. However injuries had taken a toll on the team and we were not able to get past Colorado in the cup quarters. Our reserves played well against Utah Valley but were unable to come out on top. We completed the tourney at around 7th of the 24 teams.
All said, the experience of play against teams with very different attacking styles gave us needed experience. However, the injuries that we sustained have most likely cost us three players for the season. I hope to never have the experience of pushing a player in a wheelchair through a TSA checkpoint again (even though they were very accommodating). Luckily we will have two returning from injury after break and later in the season and we should be a good position to defend our conference championship. Up next we travel to UGA for more competition against SCRC opponents and then off to James Madison University for final tournament before hosting the SCRC Championship in April. Again, thank you very much for your support of the team and we hope to see you on the touch line at future matches.
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Gamecocks Win Furman Invitational Against Familiar Opponent
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Greenville, SC - Gamecock Rugby traveled to Furman University for their third annual invitational tournament. The Cocks started off their day with an unfamiliar opponent in the North Carolina Tar Heels, but the teams inexperience was no problem as they handled UNC 27-0 with two tries from senior John Arruda. Game number two gave everyone some great playing time and showed some amazing offensive power as the Cocks slaughtered Lander 50-0 and saw junior Connor Hoefer touch down a hat trick. The final pool play game of the day was a hard fought match with host Furman. The Gamecocks found themselves down 12-0 after a few minutes but that was no worry for the experienced cocks as they played their game showing some great ball movement throughout the second half to close it to 12-10. With no time remaining and some great passing, Alec Giakas touched down the try and the Gamecocks defeated Furman 17-10 to go 3-0 in the group stage of the tournament. Up next was Kennesaw St. in the semifinal. After a 7-7 first half the Gamecocks opened up the scoring with two tries from senior Danny Callahan as the cocks would go on to win 28-7, setting up a rematch with Furman in the final. After a 5-0 lead at half, once again the cocks opened up the scoring in the second half with two more tries from Giakas and the Gamecocks took home the title at Furman with a final score of 26-5. This weekend Gamecock Rugby will be traveling North as they will be taking on some of the toughest teams from the Chesapeake conference at the annual Towson Invitational in Maryland.
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Spring Practice Times
A car pooling system has been arranged for training sessions taking place at Bluff Rd Field. Team members are expected to be booted and ready to warm-up 15 minutes early. Please show up to practice with all necessary forms filled out and ready, if possible. Incoming players, please contact Team Administrator Mac Stiles.
Athletic Trainers & Concussion EvaluationsAll players are required to meet with the Athletic Training staff for a 5min examination before they are allowed to engage in any contact, to include practice. Trainers will be stationed in their Strom Thurmond Wellness Center office during the following times to provide the examinations: Mon - Thurs 3pm to 7pm / Tues & Fri 11am to 1pm
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Gamecocks Claim All-Conference Honors
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Knoxville, TN - South Carolina Men’s Rugby wrapped up the Fall 15s season with several players receiving All-Conference honors. Walker Graham, Issac Harding-Davis, and Thomas McDonald received 1st Team honors, while Michael Chiarovano and Josh Darrell received 2nd Team honors.
Deservingly, the Kentucky Wildcats lead the way with 4 1st Team selections including SCRC Player of the Year Brendan Esson. Esson repeats as POY having also claimed the title in 2017 while leading the Wildcats to the conference championship. |
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