Mark McHugh
The Temple News
Member’s of the men’s rugby club said they are optimistic about their chances for the upcoming season.
As one of the most prominent and successful club teams Temple has to offer, club president Matthew Violette said his team is hoping to reestablish the Owls as a national threat.
Typically a dominant force in Division I-AA, the Owls failed to make the playoffs in Fall 2012. Violette said that he is looking for new players to step into the leadership roles needed for his team to be competitive.
Violette said that junior John Holbert will be leading the team as a returning starter in the forwards and sophomores Brad Sawhill and John Shine are two younger players with significant A-side time who he will be looking at to set an example of hard play on the field.
“The three of these guys have a strong worth ethic on and off the field, which is the type of mindset we are trying to instill on our entire team,” Violette said.
Although this season’s team is significantly younger than previous years, Violette said that the Owls’ youth shouldn’t be a detriment to their success. He added that the young guys have enough experience and talent to carry the team into the playoffs.
“Many of the newer players are carrying a rugby background from high school,” Violette said.
Forced to rely on so much youth, Violette and the Owls are looking forward to seeing what new players can bring to the table.
“We have played in two [tournaments] and are concerned with getting everyone playing time with all these games,” Violette said. “We have a full schedule ahead of us, including games against Penn, Penn Wharton, Princeton and St. Joseph’s.”
Grounded in plenty of fresh faces and promising talent, Temple’s outlook is positive and its goal is to improve and continue to move forward. The team is also planning to compete against some of the nation’s top college rugby teams at the USA Sevens Collegiate Rugby Championship on June 2-3 at PPL Park in Chester. For tickets, there is more information here.
“We’re excited to see what the newer players have to offer to the club and we are working hard in preparation for the upcoming CRC 7’s tournament in the summer,” Violette said.
Mark McHugh can be reached at mark.mchugh@temple.edu.
