Rugby Prepares For Spring Season

Snow or shine the Lancer Rugby team’s 2015 season is underway. With their first tournament just a month away the team is focused on training and recruiting new players. With quite a few of their senior members graduating last year the team has been left with only a core of five to six players and many new recruits.

“We definitely get guys who have never seen a rugby ball, never seen the game played on our team each year,” head coach Rob Loney said.

With no experience needed and a sport that’s easy to pick up and play the team appeals to off season athletes wishing to have fun and stay in shape.

“A friend told me it would right up my alley with playing football and wrestling in my background,” senior Jack Anderson said, “It’s been a lot of fun and I wanted to do a team sport since football is over.”

Because of this influx of late recruitments from swimming and wrestling Loney isn’t too concerned with getting enough members.

Sophomore Blake Johnson believes that the team would benefit from larger numbers.

“Right now we have a total of 18 people and there’s always 15 on the field,” Johnston said. “So you’re always playing.”

The team usually fills a decent squad ranging from 20 to 30 students. Recruitment is majority from word of mouth. The lack of member growth is a result of rugby’s lack of recognition from Kansas State High School Association or KSHSAA. KSHSAA organizes all of the Kansas youth athletics. USA Rugby, who governs all rugby teams across the country, has been working towards getting a rugby team in every high school to make more mainstream like other high school sports.

The first tournament of the season will be against Lindenwood in St. Louis on Feb. 28. Loney says its too early to tell just how well the team will do this season.

“Each season is its own animal,”  Loney said

Despite their third place win in the league state championship last season, the team may have a tougher time making it into state consideration.

“Last year you had to be in the top four to be considered for the state title and we were fourth,”  Loney said.

This year the league has decided that to be in the running for the state championship, the team would have to be one of the top two teams in the state. It will be a difficult position to make and Loney believes the team will place as they did last year.

“The boys can surprise me. They’ve surprised me before,” Loney said.