2006 Ohio State Rugby

[RugbyBuck]

I would like to be in charge of the bi-curious rugby groupies.

 

[wadc45]

I would like to be in charge of the bi-curious rugby groupies.

you know if there is anyone who can arrange that, it's me...

 

[RugbyBuck]

With you...!

 

[wadc45]

The Fall season got underway last week. Our first scrimmage of the new season was this past Saturday up in Cleveland against the East Side Suburbs men's team. We came away with a 43-7 win. This is not an indication of how good we are, but more an indication of how bab they were. We have a LONG way to go before we are going to be ready to compete with the teams on our schedule. We are scheduled to play Purdue in our home opener this Friday night at 6 PM. Further details later on in the week...

 

[wadc45]

OSU Rugby opens the fall with two victories
9/9/2006 - Cleveland, OH

The Buckeyes of Ohio State Rugby started the season with 43-7 victory over the Eastern Suburbs Rugby Club of Cleveland. The match was truly a contest until the late stages of the match. The opening stages of the match found the Bucks being riddled with penalties and mistakes. These penalties wore down any attacking chances that were possible early on. After finding some success kicking behind the opposition, the Bucks were able to pressure the try line. After stringing together a few phases of quickly recycled ball, junior Bill Myers powered through for the first try of the year after a pick and jam. The penalties continued for the Buckeyes, which aid the Eastern Suburbs? drive toward the OSU try line. After holding the line for a few phases, East Side?s flyhalf was able to slice through the midfield to even the score at 7-7. The rest of the first half was a stalemate, until the last scrum from around 35 meters out. After breaking through the line on a set-piece play, speedster fullback Nick Bell ran a brilliant line to evade the opposition deep three for a spectacular try to end the half. Half time score: OSU 12, Eastern Suburbs 7. Capitalizing off the East Side?s infraction at the second half opening kickoff, Nick Bell took another first phase play to the house from the scrum center at halfway. Then, the Buckeyes turned up the heat on this already hot day and wore off some of the rust that caused the plague of penalties from the first half. About 10 minutes later, an opposition handling error was converted into a scoring play by using north and south running and quick, tight passes. With the score at 24-7, the Buckeyes then coasted into full time with most of the play in the opposition half. This territorial advantage enabled the Bucks to add three more tries. Full time score: OSU 43, Eastern Suburbs 7.
Bringing the wood as always was senior flanker Bubba Bleakmore, as he earned the Hit of the Match. Man of the Match honors were bestowed to senior Nick Bell, whose magical individual effort tries put Ohio State over the top while also contributing great defense at key moments. Next Saturday nights home opener against fellow Midwest powerhouse Purdue at Fred Beekman Park will be a significant test for the Buckeyes. However, the much anticipated return of captain and flyhalf Doug Olson will solidify the lineup.

The B side opened their season with a 26-12 victory over Kent State University RFC. Many new Buckeyes learned quickly about adapting to the speed of college rugby. The young side made some mistake due to inexperience however outstanding hustle allowed the new Bucks overcome. Sophomore outside center Eric Sanchez was all over the field in defense while fullback Matt Cropper ran some clever running lines. The B-side will also battle Purdue?s reserve side following the first game next Saturday.

Write-up coming soon on our win over Purdue this past weekend...

 

[wadc45]

some photos from the win over Purdue...

http://www.dannybell.com/Rugby/Purdue 06/Purdue.htm

 

[wadc45]

and an article on the game...

Ohio State outlasts Purdue

By Brian Lowe

#12 Ohio State and Purdue have opened the new fall season in the Midwest with a typical hard-nosed affair that saw the Buckeyes eventually triumph over the Boilermakers by 42-22 Saturday in Columbus, Ohio.

As was the case last season, Purdue again is battling the injury bug which has disrupted their overall game plan, and as a consequence, the first half of what was a friendly saw OSU build up a handy lead before the visitors got into synch in the second period to make a game of it.

This will be the last season that Purdue head coach Erik Vaughn will be at the helm of the Boilermakers as his military career and family commitments will take precedence after the national college championship is all said and done next May. Due to other obligations, this was the first time in seven years that he wasn't able to travel with the team.

OSU was crisp, they looked pretty good but my guys said their heads just weren't in the ball game, Vaughn told American Rugby News. They didn't do as well as they should have done, little mistakes and that'll cost you the game. The first half was really bad and they just weren't together.

We're going to be okay. Believe it or not I have a lot of depth. We're still young; I've only got three or four seniors and if everything works it right, we stay healthy, we have the capability of winning the Midwest, it's just you've got to be right.

 

[wadc45]

the official press release:

OSU Rugby defeats Purdue in home opener
9/16/2006 - Columbus, OH

Ohio State Rugby squared off against Midwest rival Purdue last Saturday night at Fred Beekman Park for the Bucks? home opener. The Bucks came into the game fired up leaving little breathing room for the Boilermakers? when they had the ball. Solid midfield defense and physical pack play enabled the Bucks to control much of the first half. When OSU had the ball, the most effective plays of the game were set up from first play breakthroughs. The Buckeye struck early with a try by senior wing Doug Olson, who beat his opposite on the outside in the 4th minute. Purdue threatened with a couple of shots at goal but came up empty. After pushing the ball downfield, Ohio State scored again from sophomore tighthead prop Dave Knab during a 4th phase loose play movement. At midway through the first half on a scrum near the half field line, fullback Nick Bell ran through the Purdue midfield and offloaded to sophomore Ohio University transfer outside center Jimmy ?Jimbo? Navratil. Navratil then dished to Olson, who sliced back inside for a dash to the try line. Olson also kicked the conversion to bring the lead to 17-0. Shortly after, Purdue?s wing then used a missed touch kick to score their team?s first try on the perimeter. A solid kickoff and strong defensive pressure give the Buckeyes attacking ball. A series of forward crashes was finished by a Mike Mastroberti try after the hooker took a quick pick and go. Purdue again narrowed the gap to 24-10 after a counterattack try. Charles ?Bubba? Bleakmore spearheaded a strong attacking series off the kickoff which result into another trip inside the Purdue 22. As half time loomed, the pack pushed a 5-meter scrum across the line for an easy score by number 8 Brandon Jewett. Half time score 29-10.

Tries: Olson (3), Knab, Mastroberti, Jewett, Bleakmore (2), Conversions: Olson (4)

Although the fight was taken directly to the opposition in classic Ohio State Rugby style, it was acknowledged that many facets of the game could have been done better. However, the pack?s outstanding play was quite visible at almost every scrimmage and equally so at the point of attack with intermediate phase that almost always penetrated the gain line. Olson also had an especially explosive match, dropping a whopping 23 points. Congrats to Ryan Gramlich, Steve Jospeh, and Andrew Little; who held it down Buckeye style in their first A-side match. The Buckeyes hit the road next Friday night when they play at another top Midwest club, Indiana University.

1. Altieri 2. Mastroberti (Kerecman @52, Altieri to hooker) 3. Knab 4. Bubenik 5. Gramlich (Joseph @52) 6. Schulte 7. Bleakmore 8. Jewett 9. Albright (Little @58) 10. Franco 11. Hassey 12. Legros (Huntley @40) 13. Navratil 14. Olson 15. Bell

The Buckeye B-side also took on the Boilermakers. The Buckeyes played a very young lineup against a formidable Purdue reserve side. However, this young group played with fire. Many of these new Bucks tackle with uncommon ferocity. Especially potent were inside center Eric Sanchez and fullback Nate Ebner. Sanchez unleashed vicious hits in defense and with hard running he contributed the first try of the game. Ebner was a catalyst of many successful attacks across the gain line. He also scored the Buckeyes? other try in the first half off a first phase play from about 50 meters out. Up 12-3 after half, the lead was extended to 17-3 with a try from wing Dean Panik after set-up by some clever quick passing on the outside. The Bucks stagnated for the rest of the game, letting up two tries with Purdue threatening to win on a short time score. A missed penalty goal led to a 22-meter drop-out which was kicked out of bounds. The Bucks defense held and a penalty kick to touch allowed the B-side to escape with the win. Final OSU 17- Purdue 15.

The B-side also plays Indiana University following the first game. Next week will also begin the C-side season in the Ohio colleges division with a match at Beekman versus Ohio Wesleyan University.

 

[wadc45]

This Friday night, another Big 10 matchup:

@

#12 Ohio State @ Indiana 6 PM

 

[BuckStocksHere]

The Fall season got underway last week. Our first scrimmage of the new season was this past Saturday up in Cleveland against the East Side Suburbs men's team. We came away with a 43-7 win. This is not an indication of how good we are, but more an indication of how bab they were. We have a LONG way to go before we are going to be ready to compete with the teams on our schedule. We are scheduled to play Purdue in our home opener this Friday night at 6 PM. Further details later on in the week...

We play these guy in a few weeks in our Division III league...

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]09/23/06[/FONT]
1pm
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Mon River[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Away[/FONT]
Morgantown
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]09/30/06[/FONT]
1pm
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Cleveland Rovers[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Away[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Cleveland, OH[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]10/7/06[/FONT]
1pm
Eastern Suburbs
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Home[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]South Park[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][/FONT]
10/14/06
1pm
Erie
Home
South Park

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]10/21/06[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]1pm[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Akron[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Away[/FONT]
Akron, OH
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][/FONT]​

How good were they? Any inside info you can throw our way?
Also, what were they doing playing you? I guess that would be the same as us playing WVU or Slippery Rock or Cal... quite a drastic difference between D3 social teams and full out University squads eh?

I heard the Cleveland Rovers are really good and are supposed to be in D2 but didn't want to travel so they dropped to D3 the bums...

 

[wadc45]

I'll send you a PM in the morning...it was just a warm-up scrimmage for us...and pretty much a waste of time.

 

[wadc45]

Well, we are heading into back-to-back Midwest games coming off of two losses, all be it two very different losses. Last weekend we played what was probably the worst rugby I have seen in my time at OSU in losing to Indiana 13-10 in a thunderstorm. Then this past weekend we welcomed the #1 team in the country into our house and put up a valiant effort before finally losing 27-9 to Navy. It was a smashmouth, physical game and it proved to our boys that they have the talent...now they need the heart and desire. This is an extremely young team and not nearly worthy of the lofty rankings we have received so far this year. But we have the potential to be a top 5 team if we can continue to build on the performance against Navy. Our first Midwest qualifying match is this weekend at home against Michigan State. It is a MUST WIN game. Kickoff will most likely be at 6 PM, but I will post an update later on in the week...

 

[wadc45]

Match report...

Navy takes it to Ohio State

By Brian Lowe

Columbus, OH - #1 Navy lived up to its higher ranking by taking it to #12 Ohio State and beating the Buckeyes 27-9 Saturday in Columbus, OH.

The Midshipmen put in five tries against three penalty goals by OSU. Navy's defense was the key to the victory, particularly as Ohio State pressed repeatedly in the first forty minutes. Blake Lindsay scored two tries, while Jordan Fogler, Adam Niznik and Graham Cleveland all got one each. Chase Hobby added a conversion.

"It was a little tough, we were definitely in underground territory in the first half," Navy head coach Mike Flanagan told American Rugby News. "At halftime we sorted a few things out and I thought we pretty much had the upper hand most of the second half. I'll take it, it's a long way to come and it's hostile territory here."

Navy is due to play Air Force in Colorado next Friday afternoon.

Meantime, the Midwest Conference pool play kicked off on Saturday with Michigan playing Michigan State, Illinois locking horns with Purdue, Eastern Illinois University tackling Indiana, and the University of Wisconsin-Stout facing Minnesota.

As for Navy's coach's comments...he and his assistant coaches/players complained about the referee more than I have heard any other group of people complain in my entire life. It took annoying to a whole new level. He needs to worry more about the fact that he probably has the most undisciplined group of Navy players I have ever seen on his hands and less about what calls aren't going his way.

 

[Steve19]

Well, we are heading into back-to-back Midwest games coming off of two losses, all be it two very different losses. Last weekend we played what was probably the worst rugby I have seen in my time at OSU in losing to Indiana 13-10 in a thunderstorm. Then this past weekend we welcomed the #1 team in the country into our house and put up a valiant effort before finally losing 27-9 to Navy. It was a smashmouth, physical game and it proved to our boys that they have the talent...now they need the heart and desire. This is an extremely young team and not nearly worthy of the lofty rankings we have received so far this year. But we have the potential to be a top 5 team if we can continue to build on the performance against Navy. Our first Midwest qualifying match is this weekend at home against Michigan State. It is a MUST WIN game. Kickoff will most likely be at 6 PM, but I will post an update later on in the week...

Go Rugby Buckeyes!

 

[wadc45]

Thanks Steve...kickoff is at 6 PM so anyone checking out of the football game early is welcome to come over the corner of Lane and Kenny and see a little Big 10 rugby...it promises to be a very physical game.