“It makes no sense,” “That looked dangerous,” “I don’t get it, but that thing” -it’s called a scrum- “where they all huddle up and push against each other, is pretty cool.” Dangerous, aggressive, and violent. This is what most onlookers take away from watching just a few minutes of a rugby match.
It’s more than what most people see as just brute strength meeting pure insanity. It requires a balance of speed, endurance, physical strength, and mental fortitude…yes ok, you do also have to be a little bit of crazy to play rugby. Having recently started playing, I can speak for the SA team when I say rugby is a sport that is easy to fall in love with. We have only one goal in mind: win a championship. And we don’t plan on settling for anything less.
Coaches and brothers Martin and Harrison Passante, along with coach Rob Ploth, look to instill many of the same morals the revered St. Anthony’s football program is built on; hard work, dedication and constant drive to improve oneself. “It’s a very rewarding experience coaching here at St. Anthony’s. Giving up my time really pays off seeing these boys turn to young men with a little guidance. That’s all I could really ask for,” Harrison Passante said when asked why he devotes so much time.
As both a football and rugby coach at SA, Passante sees a lot of players follow his example in working hard to achieve their goals. So much of the players’ dedication can be attributed to the example the coaches themselves set. Their willingness to use their free time, scheming up plays and drills, studying other teams is what inspires their players to aim for excellence in all their undertakings, both on and off the pitch.
The 2019 Captains are Seniors Peter Hagan, named captain of the rugby team, Eddie Arens, designated captain of the forwards, and James Sullivan, designated captain of the backs. All three captains are individuals who others can look to as examples as they are capable of achieving tremendous feats in the weight room, students of the game, and have a strong grasp on the intricacies of rugby.
Hagan is one of the longest tenured players on SA Rugby, along with Scrum-Half Sr. Daniel Golden. Reflecting on years past, “We had a lot of raw talent for the past few years, but the commitment was questionable. Last year, we were able to pull a lot of guys together and try and make a run for the playoffs, but came up short. This year numbers are up and we have the guys willing to put in the work to earn a title.” Arens has business to take care of this season as he puts a lot of pressure on himself to be the best player he can be. Every day he aims to prove himself undoubtedly worthy of his recruitment to play for Notre Dame College, in South Euclid, Ohio, one of the best college rugby teams in the nation.
The team’s fly-half, and one of the main signal callers, Sullivan must rely a lot on his mental ability along with physical strength. “At my position, there’s a lot of moments where my mental capabilities are more important than my physical. Setting up the offense in the best position according to what looks I get from the defense is essential. I take it upon myself to guide my teammates into the most beneficial circumstances.” Under strong leadership, many first-year players and underclassmen have positive representatives they can look to as examples of the type of dedication and enthusiasm the rugby program hopes to build on.
The lack of experience is one thing that sets rugby apart from a lot of other sports. Many people do not grow up playing rugby, especially in the United States. Speaking on relative obscurity of the sport, Coach Passante says, “Rugby is a foreign sport to the United States, so we do have a lot of first year players. However, they are still capable of having an impact. Some of our first year players include Seniors John DeFrancisco, Jimmy Donovan, Hunter Vierling and John Wood. Along with them, underclassmen Dominic DiPalma and Jack Flanigan should be able to have an impact this season”. Coach Passante is excited about the energy and enthusiasm these newcomers bring. Despite relative inexperience, every member of the team must have maturity and be reliable to know their part.
Our first four games will have us facing Connecticut’s top two ranked teams followed by two of New Jersey’s top ranked teams. Our home-opener is March 24th versus New Jersey’s Union County Club team followed by rival Delbarton on March 31st. These games will be a great chance for Friar Fans to come out and experience what ruby is about.
The mindset we go into the season with is very David-versus-Goliath-esque. We know we’re unproven, we know we’re doubted, but nobody is scared when it comes to facing perennial powerhouse programs. “I have full confidence in the group we have. It’s always great to play up to competition, so playing nationally ranked teams and state champions will only make us better. This way as we get deeper into the season we will be ready to go full speed, knowing we’re capable of handling adversity in its most challenging form,” says Passante. If there’s one thing this team isn’t afraid of, it’s a challenge.
We know we’ve put in a lot of work leading up to our first game and we know we are not even close to where we want to be, but we are excited about what this season will bring. While working on ourselves as a team the bond we have already created will only grow stronger as the season carries on. We have a lot of work to still put in and know there will be obstacles to overcome, but no matter what, we won’t back down.
Join us this season on our quest to beat Goliath, to make our mark on the St. Anthony’s Rugby program, and maybe that cool pile of people pushing against each other will make a little more sense.
By Sr. Rugby Player John DeFrancisco. Member of NHS Board, Varsity Football, Math Honor Society, Friar Faithful and Sports Medicine Club.
