Rugby 7s is a variation of the game that normally is played with 15 players on each team. Playing with 7 players at a time opens up the game considerably. Rugby 7s is an exciting addition to the 2016 Summer Olympic Games.
Tigers Rugby Football Club competed in the 43rd annual Dever 7s tournament’s U-19 and Men’ s Social brackets on July 24th at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. Amassing a 1-4 record on the day, Tiger Rugby won their last match and walked off happy. Players were grateful for local sponsors’ contribution of the admission fees, and reveled in another chance to meet up and play a little rugby on a wonderful summer Saturday.
The Denver 7s tournament was played for the 43rd year at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City.The Tigers relented 180 points on the day to 20 scored, indicating the level of competition in thebrackets for this event was a bit over the Tigers’ heads, but, with the makeup of each team being a bunch of forwards, it was reminiscent of the “Props ‘R Us” entries of the late 1980s, when this tournament was played in Washington Park over the Memorial Day weekend.
Jake Boselli started the scoring for the Tigers U-19 side, then added a retalliatory yellow card acccompanied by 10 minutes in the Sin Bin, andstill had time to demonstrate some of his many purported acrobatic skills on the warm summer day. Jake Gossman and Patrick O’Connnor missed drop kick conversions, and freshman, Michael Fagundo closed the Tigers Rugby scoring on the day with a 15 meter weak side take. After dropping big losses to Colorado Springs and Aurora Saracens, Tigers Rugby U-19 side knocked off the Grand Junction U-19 side by a score of 15-0. Ex-Tiger, now Boulder winger, Garrett Miller rejoined his old friend, Patrick O’Connor and Tigers Andrew Hutchinson of Standley Lake HS, Charlie Ellwood, Daniel Sargeant, Boselli, Gossman, and Fagundo. Boulder Rugby’s also contributed Zach Savage, whoscored two tries through the day from the Fly half position, center and wing position.
Travis McKee, Sam Glynn, Dylan Lewis, Luke Stanley, Donny Haupt, Josh Carvalho, Neil Quinlivan and Eddie Page were the Tigers mainstays on hand. The O’Brian family (Mike Matt and Paul ) formed a starting minority in the early match against the Olympic Club’s B side, hailing from the San Fransisco Bay area. The Alumni side was also knocked off by Boulder RFC to end their day. Tigers Rugby had a chance to introduce the game to 3 new players throughout the day, improving the opportunities to grow the club and share the rugby experience. Max Cramer, a South African, his friend Chris Manale and Webster Pennington a chance to put on the boots and get their feet wet with us.
TigersRugby has informal commitments for 4 Alumni side matches in the fall. If you are over or under 19 years old, we have a program for you. Go to www.TigersRugby.com or call (303) 506-8110 to speak to Coach Paul O’Brian.
