Upcoming for this week's club rugby action, many more conferences seasons will begin with eyes wide and bushy tailed. There are three regions highlighted in this article, with two matches from each, including: Florida, Arizona and Southern California.
Women's D2 Florida - Tampa Bay Krewe vs Orlando Rugby
In the first matchup of the preview, will also be each's clubs first game to ring in the new year and season. Both Tampa Bay and Orlando had finished last year's conference tied with a 5-3 each. Fortunately for the Krewe, they had earned a bonus point in the standings giving them 2nd place to finish the 2019 campaign. Although this week we should expect Orlando to make up for that extra point and giving the Krewe a physical and meaningful competition.
Jessie “Jupiter” Premet, Tampa Bay's Club President had mentioned the level of excitement the club has anticipated for the upcoming season and match. "This is an important year for our club. We made huge strides last season, appearing in the Florida State Championship for the first time, and we are eager to return! Our coach, James Woollcombe-Clarke, is new to the team this year and has improved the dynamic of the Krewe on and off the pitch. We challenged ourselves this fall by participating in the Battleship XVs Tournament in Mobile, AL and even brought home the 2nd place plaque. We have had record numbers at training, with players of all experience levels stepping up their game.
Continuing her excitement for the upcoming game, Premet mentions, "Our matchup against the Orlando Griffins this weekend is going to set us up for the next 7 matches ahead. They are a strong opponent, and we will face them with a headstrong passion to succeed! Our club has been working very hard during the season, and we are excited to see how all of our preparation work translates to the pitch on Saturday. We feel fully prepared for this season and are ready to see this club reach its fullest potential!"
In last season, both these clubs split the two game series, with each a win apiece. Orlando Women's Rugby is a consistent force in the Division II Southern Conference. They are one of four teams within the Orlando Rugby Football Club, which is the oldest rugby club in Florida. For over 45 years, the Orlando Rugby Football Club has committed to playing in the top echelon of United States rugby. This has been evident in the clubs consistent pursuit to compete in the highest club level available in the country.
Men's D3 Arizona - Northern Arizona Landsharks vs Scottsdale Blues
For the second matchup, the Landsharks of Flagstaff will take on the Blues of Scottsdale, in which the only time these two faced off in 2019, the Landsharks swam away with the 29-19 victory. The blues had finished 4th overall in standings while the Landsharks finished 2nd.
Nathan Parnell the assistant coach for the men's squad discussed the Blues as a rival club, and their chances taking on the Scottsdale side. "The Blues have always outsized us, as does everyone in this union, but they know we are not to be underestimated. We recruit a sizable amount of players from our local college, which lacks its own team, and the tenacity of our younger players makes up for our team's lack of experience.' Parnell continued, "We are confident in our competitiveness in the union and will bring our dedication and athleticism to the pitch for an exciting match. There will be an excellent social regardless; but we always enjoy playing the Blues.'
Being established in 1984, the Blues have a strong tradition of competing on and off the field. They take the game seriously, but understand the importance of the social aspect of the game, according to their club's bio. One of their mottos being, "When you play with the Blues you haven't just joined a rugby club. You've joined a family.'
Scottsdale RFC are represented by players from all over the country, and a few from overseas. There is also a good mix of experience and age ranging from 19 to over 40. Also, the team is always looking for new players, whether you're looking for a new team, or a new experience, get in touch and join the Blues.
Women's D3 Southern California - San Fernando Valley Rugby vs Santa Barbara Mermaids
For the third matchup preview of the weekend, will be the kickoff weekend for both SFVC and SB. Neither of these teams had played each other last year due to the addition of San Fernando joining Division 3 this 2020 campaign. The Santa Barbara Mermaids had finished their 2019 conference with a better record than San Fernando's winless record. From last year's momentum, the Mermaids may have the upper-hand, but are not overlooking their new rivals in SFVC.
Christie Pasamonte, President of the Mermaids, had sent over this message regarding the excitement towards the upcoming season and weekend's match. "Our club, the Santa Barbara Mermaids, finished our last season as Women’s Division Three Champions in the Southern California Rugby Football Union and we are hoping to capitalize on that momentum going into our first match of 2020. San Fernando Valley is joining our division from Division Two, so we are expecting a challenging match that will test our side, which has had great numbers in pre-season."
Pasamonte added, "The Mermaids are returning several starters from last season and many seasoned veterans. A couple of our surrounding teams-Ventura and San Luis Obispo-are not fielding sides this year, so many of their players are joining us. We are also looking forward to three rookies playing in their first game of rugby. Our team goals for this weekend are to communicate well and have low, effective tackles. The Mermaids have been building for many years-our club is only a few years old and we are still growing-but we hope that this is the season that we can boast consistency, starting with a strong statement against SFV this weekend."
According to Stephanie Peterson, San Fernando's club president, is confident in her team's success and trajectory moving forward after going down to the lower division. "After a difficult run in DII and a loss of a number of key players on our roster last season the team decided it was in our best interest to move down to DIII in order to grow and become competitive again. Half of our team are brand new to the SFV Women’s rugby club, many of which have never played rugby before this season.'
Peterson finished her statement with a high-note in regards to the upcoming game, "We are excited for the match up against Santa Barbra who we have had the pleasure of competing against in the past and have always proven to be a strong and competitive team. I know both teams have been working hard in the preseason and I think this match will really showcase how those efforts have paid off. It will definitely be a game you won’t want to miss!"
Men's D3 Southern California - Kern County Rugby vs Ventura County Outlaws
In the fourth game preview, will be a very interesting one as the previous year's D3 semi-finalists in Kern County will be facing off against the Ventura County Outlaws who were incredibly successful as well going 8-2 in 2019 in Division 2. These two bruising clubs will clash in their first matchup of the 2020 season, potentially with ramifications for top of the conference and playoff contention.
Schalk Erasmus, Ventura County's Coach, had this mention of his club's upcoming opponent and what this competition could mean for the future. "Kern is returning this year from a very successful 2019 season, in which they made it all the way to the semifinal of the D3 national championship. Any time you start the season against a defending league champion, you can expect to be in facing strong opposition. We were fortunate enough to have played a friendly match against them in December and had a glimpse of what they are capable of. Erasmus continued by adding in, “Kern is a well-coached team and come off the line very well. They are great at tackling and will definitely present us with some challenges. Our team has been practicing over the last few months in preparation for this opening match of the season, and we are confident that we are up to the task.”
Schalk also contemplated on the significance of entering into the new division and what it could bring to the club, "From a club perspective, this will be the first time our club will be fielding a team in two separate divisions since 2011, our 2nd year, when we had a D3 and D4 team. Over the last few years, we have had an influx of new players join the club, it was challenging for us to retain all the players and get them meaningful games to continue to develop. This year we decided to enter a team in both D2 and D3 in order to ensure enough playing time for all players and we look forward to seeing both teams be successful in their aspiration of winning two championship titles.'
Regarding Kern County, it's a club represented by a diverse group of individuals that are committed to serving the greater Bakersfield area. Some are educators, local fire and law enforcement officials, real estate salesmen, family men and students. They participate in an annual toy collection drive for at risk youth at the Kern County Probation Department, Jamison Center, and collect blankets/jackets for the Bakersfield Homeless Center.
At Kern County RFC, they see an opportunity for young players to play at a top level which are committed to increase players’ skills and knowledge of the game. The club has been around since 1970 and has over 48 years of rich tradition. Team members come from all over the world to play rugby and many play for Kern County. Other non-USA members have included players from Scotland, Ireland, England, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, which they claim to have enriched their team over the years. Rugby to them is about Commitment, Passion, Respect, Strength and Brotherhood. The vision of Kern Country rugby is, "To build a close nit team on and off the field through leadership and structure. A team that will be there for each other in any situation. A team with a positive attitude and constructive behavior.'
Women's D3 Arizona - Phoenix Women's Rugby vs Northern Arizona Ladysharks
Regarding this matchup of Arizona's D3 women's competition, either side were unable to respond with a quote on the matchup this weekend, or regarding the upcoming season. Although no representatives were present for a quote, we give due diligence to spotlight as much of the club's history and present to help grow the sport.
Phoenix Women's Rugby is proud to grow their rich family with the addition of a women's side for the 2019-2020 season. The newly created club will be rolling into their first ever match this weekend against a valiant Northern Arizona Ladyshark side. If anyone you know would be interested in joining the new club, have them contact the Ladyshark RFC at info@phoenixrugby.com, and a team member should reach out.
On the other side of the pitch, the Ladysharks of Flagstaff, AZ will be looking bounce back from their 2-4 conference record in 2019, with this matchup against the 'new kids on the block'. With their men's team also in action this weekend, both clubs will be vying for the 'club' sweep with a potential great start to the 2020 campaign.
Men's D3 Florida - Bay Area Pelicans vs Gainesville Hogs
In the final previewed match of the weekend, The Bay Area Pelicans will be taking on the Hogs of Gainesville, in attempt of wrangling in the rivals. This will be an incredibly contested and exciting match to witness and be a part of. Both clubs finished with a 7-1 conference record, with the Hogs barely squeaking by the Pelicans in the standings by 1 lone point. In their two matches played against one another in 2019, they split the matches with a win apiece, with equal scores going either way.
Pelican RFC President, Alan Gancar had this say about his club's progression over the years, leading into the impending tough matchup this weekend. "It’s been a great honor to have been chosen as one of the scheduled games across the nation and is a highlight for our first game of the season. Since I have been playing for this club for the past 7 years, I have seen our level of progression grow within Florida division 3 rugby. Now, as the president and an active player of this club, I can say it has been an extraordinary journey as we were once one of the lower level teams to now being recognized at the national level."
Gancar added in, "We are now able to go toe-to-toe with one of the toughest and most skilled teams within Division 3, the Gainesville Hogs. Last season, we had a hard-fought battle with them that resulted in us winning the first game at home and them winning the second game at their home field. It’s going to be another battle this year and it’s going to come down to determination and structured rugby to win this game. We look forward to this match-up as it’s going to determine how the season will play out!'
Sid McKissock the Head Coach for Gainesville Hogs Rugby Club, had much to say about the rivalry of these two teams, the rich history of recruitment and competition, mixed with his thoughts on what he expects this upcoming season.
"The Gainesville Hogs continue their friendly rivalry with the Bay Area Pelicans tomorrow, a rivalry stretching back to 2011. Last year, the spoils of victory were shared between the two clubs, with our bonus point differential resulting in a higher playoff seeding. The Hogs are looking to improve on that this season, by winning both fixtures. Over the previous eight years, both clubs have enjoyed a marked improvement in their standard of play, along with the weather conditions in Florida promoting free-flowing, running rugby. This year sees the Hogs with a new Head Coach, their first change in coaching since 2011; as opposed to the Pelicans who have experienced a change in coaching roughly every two years since 2011."
McKissock concludes his statement with the expectation of success on the horizon for his club, "The Hogs enter the Spring season having worked hard over Fall, and the holiday period, to increase fitness levels and to introduce new systems. Underlying these systems is the culture of the Gainesville Hogs Rugby Club and the inherent ethos and values that we expect of all players and club members. The Hogs travel to 'St. Pete' for our opening game, expecting nothing but a strong challenge from the Pelicans. The excitement in the team is palpable, not only due to our rivalry with the Pelicans, but with the prospect of continuing our player development and showcasing the game of rugby.'
