Sunday Scrum in Fred Selfe Stadium Lifts Emory and Henry College Rugby over William and Mary for Conference Title
Emory & Henry College Rugby posing with the Cardinal Collegiate Conference tournament trophy after defeating William and Mary, 62-37.
Guest contributor, Nathanial Hupp
Emory & Henry College hosted the Cardinal Collegiate Conference men’s rugby tournament this weekend. Coach Tom O’Neill led the Wasps into the Challengers Division bracket of the conference tournament.
The first match of the weekend took place Saturday at the snakepit behind the baseball field against Roanoke College where the Wasps won big in a shutout, 55-0.
“It was a very good game from start to finish from our boys, it was great to play as well as we did against a team like Roanoke but I am proud of the way we played,” said Logan Smith, a senior and inside center position player for the Wasps.
The game did have a fast start, with two scores happening within the opening five minutes of the first half. From that point forward, Emory & Henry remained in control for the rest of the game.
Winning against Roanoke propelled the Wasps into a position to compete for the championship against William and Mary on Sunday at 11:00 a.m. on the turf of Fred Selfe Stadium. The game was one to watch as both teams competed despite the cold weather. Coach O’Neill helped bring the energy in the beginning, walking up and down the field shouting to his boys on the field to keep it up. The Wasps must have received his message and pulled their teammates together, upping the ante and leading for the entirety of the game. The Wasps won 62-37, sending William and Mary home with second place.
“Thank you to the Emory & Henry administration and fans, a lot of colleges with club rugby do not get support from their school like these boys do,” said Tom O’Neill after receiving the tournament trophy. But first, true to the familial nature of the rugby program, he said, “First off, where is my wife? My wife has been a rugby widow for 28 years, she has got to deal with me coming home and listen to me complain. Thank you!”
The Wasps rugby team will travel to the Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina, in two weeks to compete at regionals for a chance to play at the national tournament in Houston, Texas, in December.
