NRFC

Hey Coach T, I see that you were nice enough to create a board for HS Rugby and add it to the College board because of the popularity in the college ranks. However, it doesn't look like its getting used. I also saw that you added a board for swimming or frisbee (can't remember which) when asked politely... ha ha - I was wondering if you could add HS rugby board (rather than college) to match the other Spring Sports that are getting the same or less pub. I think the response would be greater. I just don't think the kids know its out there... Anyway, the sport is blowing up in Middle, Rutherford cty, and East Tennessee. Chip Currillo from the Tennessean is also writing League updates every Thursday and special interests like these throughout. Examples: Brumbie survive scare... http://tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/articl...3/1166/COUNTY09 Several Club Teams... http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar.../703220328/1357 Siegel has home for ruffians game http://www.murfreesboropost.com/news.php?viewStory=3116 Anyway, thanks for you time.

The Spring '07 season is starting to heat up. There are 3 conferences, Smoky Mountain (East TN), Middle, and West. Here's the Middle TN conf site: mtrugby.com Good games on the horizon with the Nash Bash (32 team tournament) at Vanderbilt March 10 and 11. Here's the league's schedule: http://www.mtrugby.com/regularseason.html See you on the pitch!

Here are a couple more High School rugby articles in the local news... even mentions TSSAA and sanctioning... May be a vote for HS boards vs. College. Just a thought... Knoxville News http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/high_school/ar...4715145,00.html Daily News Journal, Murfreesboro, TN http://dnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/...=73244837371011

Hey Coach T, Your right, I think the sports should be listed the same.. in the respect of being a club sport and the meteoric rise in popularity for both. Anyway, I don't think they'll get much action on the college boards... but whatever you think is best. Here's a great article from today in the Tennessean about both: http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar...2/1166/COUNTY09 Tuesday, 05/16/06 Franklin lacrosse, Brentwood rugby win state championships Rebels beat Bruins in final for cross-county bragging rights By CHIP CIRILLO Staff Writer State championships never get old for Brentwood's rugby dynasty. They're brand new for Franklin's lacrosse team. Both Williamson County boys teams won championships this weekend as Brentwood captured its fifth consecutive title Sunday, one day after Franklin took its first Division II title. Franklin scored five man-up goals to edge Brentwood 8-6 in an all-Williamson County lacrosse final at Montgomery Bell Academy. "It was so much more satisfying to have won it against Brentwood as opposed to some other team that we didn't have a rivalry with," said Rebels midfielder Taylor Malone, the offensive MVP. "It's a pretty big rivalry. You could tell through the penalties and all the action going on that we wanted it." Franklin (14-7) took a 2-0 lead early in the second quarter, and the Rebels never trailed as the Bruins (11-7) self-destructed with penalties. "They didn't want to come inside on us — too afraid," said Rebels defender Trey Haley, the defensive MVP. Adam Samale scored a man-up goal to give Franklin an 8-4 lead with 7:59 left, but Brentwood rallied with two goals during the final two minutes. "It was too little, too late," Brentwood coach Chuck Catterton said. "We just didn't move the ball around like we should. We didn't possess the ball long enough to get anything done on offense." Ravenwood (14-3) lost 15-7 to eventual champion MBA in the Division I semifinals Friday. Adam Little of the Raptors was named Coach of the Year. In rugby, the Brentwood Brumbies (12-0) extended their in-state winning streak to 45 games with a 52-7 rout of Maryville (12-1) at Crockett Park. "I think our forward pack dominated the play and maintained possession of the ball, so they gave our backs opportunities to score," Brumbies coach Mike Haverstick said. Brentwood, which blanked Brighton 43-0 in Saturday's semifinals, has never finished lower than second in the state in the six-year history of the program. Sixteenth-seeded Brentwood will play the No. 9 Dallas Harlequins in the USA Rugby Tier II national tournament Friday at Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H. "We're going on to nationals. That's all we're really worried about right now," said Brumbies eightman Benji Goff, the offensive MVP. "We're trying to keep everybody healthy for the national tournament." Maryville took a 7-0 lead early in the first half before Brentwood rallied with 52 unanswered points. Outside center Steven Reese led the way with three tries. "We have 15 seniors starting, so mentally we're real secure and we know that if someone scores first that we don't get down on ourselves," Reese said. "And we know that we can come back."

Agreed. Here's a 2005 Tennessean article: 'State champs' sounds twice as nice to Chad Edmonds BHS junior pulled double duty on BHS soccer, rugby teams By DOUG DYER Staff Writer It has been customary for Connie Edmonds to find random scrapes, bruises and bloodstains on her son, Chad, the last four months. "Those are a badge of honor to him," she said. "He usually is bleeding when he comes home." The injuries, while mostly mild, have come from Chad's athletic endeavors at Brentwood High. While most student athletes opt to pick one sport per athletic season, Chad, a junior, chose to play two this spring: rugby for the Brentwood Brumbies and then soccer for Mike Purcell's Bruins. He has been playing rugby at Brentwood for the last three years and played soccer all through his youth until quitting after middle school. "When I stopped playing, I just needed a break," he said. "I had been playing ever since I was a little kid, so I was getting tired of it." The decision to play both sports this spring came suddenly when some school friends convinced him to come out for soccer, much to his mother's chagrin. "I honestly didn't know why I played soccer (this year)," Chad said. "A couple guys and I had been kicking the ball around, and they said I should come back out." "I had told him he was not going to do both," Connie said. "I didn't see how he would do it with the huge overlap. He also plays positions where he gets beat up a lot, but he likes it. "He says he did it to spite me." For spite or not, Chad's quest to double up on spring sports resulted in one of the most memorable experiences ever for the youngster. The Brumbies rugby team won its fourth consecutive state championship by beating Knoxville West 21-0 on May 8, then his soccer Bruins turned around just two weeks later and had a dramatic 4-3 victory over Hendersonville to claim the Class AAA state title. "It's a really good feeling," he said. "I definitely don't regret it." And even though he had taken a hiatus from playing soccer, his skills came back quickly and he made a tremendous impact for the Bruins. As a forward, he was the fourth-leading scorer on the team with 12 goals and five assists, and he also had to play some on defense at the state tournament. "His soccer background came back real quick as far as sense of the game," Purcell said. "He helped us in scoring when he played forward and had some terrific goals. His defense in the state tournament was outstanding. He marked (Hendersonville top scorer Daniel) Kelly out of the game in the finals." One might think playing two such physically demanding sports would take its toll after awhile, but Chad maintains that playing one only helped with the other. "I think I had more energy because I was doing both," he said. "There were a few times when I had an early soccer game then had to leave and play rugby. All the guys on the team just helped me through it." "Playing both had him in excellent shape," Purcell said. "He can run all day." The fun likely will continue next spring when Chad will try to pull double duty again. "I'm going to try and do both again," he said. "I wouldn't have done it if it wasn't so much fun."

Two questions: How many high schools in Tennessee play rugby? 25 Boys and 10 Girls Which ones? Brentwood I, II & III, Father Ryan, Franklin, Green Hills, Murfreesboro Muddogs (Oakland + Siegel), Riverdale, Upper Cumberland, Bearden, Carter, Catholic, Central (Northside), Farragut, Karns, Maryville I & II, Oak Ridge, Powell, South Doyle, West I & II, Brighton, Collierville, Cordova, Houston, White Station, Southhaven How many colleges, and which ones are they, in TN that play rugby? Collegiate Men Arkansas State, Bryan College, Hiwassee College, Lee University, Middle Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech, University of Tennessee, Sewanee, University of the South, University of Memphis *, Vanderbilt University, Western Kentucky Collegiate Women Arkansas State, Lee University , Middle Tennessee State, Sewanee, University of the South, University of Tennessee, Vanderbilt University, Western Kentucky Tennessee High School State Championships are May 13 and 14th at Crockett Park in Brentwood, TN. http://www.thsrugby.com/ The University of Tennessee just competed in their third trip to the National Sweet 16s, April 21 and 22. See the UTRFC on Channel 8, WVLT, Volunteer TV: http://www.volunteertv.com/Global/story.asp?S=4797918