March 28, 2024

Tigers Rugby alumni won their second league contest on Saturday, Oct. 15 against the Casper Cannibals by a score of 20-15 at North Arvada Middle School.  Art Gonzales scored two tries, including the winning effort in a seesaw battle, highlighted by tenacious defense on the part of both clubs.

Tigers Rugby took a 5-0 lead late in the first half as they came wide to the left side quickly and found space in the corner as Jonathan Castillo  switched to Nick Hannigan, who scored the try.  Mike O’Brian missed the conversion, an earlier penalty kick, and a drop goal attempt in the first half.

The Cannibals were a handful for the Tigers, led a potent attack in the second half,  and tied it at 5-5 after a long possession.  O’Brian, the Tigers’ player/coach and flyhalf made good on a penalty to give the TIgers an 8-5 lead.

The Cannibals were not done with the Tigers, taking a 10-8 lead on a well-earned try, finding an overload left.  Tigers came back quickly after the go-ahead Cannibal try, led by the wings.  After Nick Hannigan went out with an ankle injury, Arturo Gonzales, came on and found the try zone twice to save the Tigers.   The first recaptured the lead at 13-10 .  But the Cannibals drove deep into the Tigers’ end and were on top again at  at 15-13 with a middle line break by the powerful Casper flyhalf.

The second Gonzales try was a work of art, as Bobby Stomski spun a long pass out to the left wing and sent Arturo dashing up the left side.  The winning effort was followed by a Mike O’Brian conversion to end the scoring at Tigers 20, Cannibals 15.

After the rugby contest, the Cannibals impressed the Tigers at Cheapskates Bar (7501 Grandview Avenue, Arvada, CO 80002), singing bawdy songs to celebrate the debauchery of the day.  The Wyoming gentlemen won the sing-off and the  and honored the Tigers’ Man of the Match, Peter Loving, a 2011 graduate of Ralston Valley HS.

ERRFU Division III Standings as of 10/15/11

Tigers RFC                   2-0

Casper Cannibals        1-1

Ft. Carson Anarchists  1-0

Rush RFC                     0-2

Tigers Rugby Alumni plays the Boulder RFC A side, a Division I side, on October 29th at Pleasantview Park in Boulder.  The Alumni side will play a home and away series with the Ft. Carson Anarchists, travel to Casper, and the Colorado Rush again in the spring of 2012.

Tigers practices in Arvada through October.  High School players are coached in Broomfield from December through May 2012.  Contact us through our website at www.tigersrugby.com or vist our practices.  Tigers Rugby Alumni is a group of players who were either associated  with Tigers Rugby HS side previously, or who live in the Arvada and Broomfield region.  Tigers Rugby Alumni list 33 players currently registered through USA Rugby including: Steven Blevins, Jonathan Castillo, Terrence Dunn, Jeff Eberle, Ted Ehrman, Jason Evans, Bryan Fossum, Matt Gear, Arturo Gonzalez, Joshua Gossman, Jake Gossman, Jeff Gossman, Michael Gutierrez, Nck Hannigan, Chris Harms, Robert Kemp, Dylan  Lewis, Peter Loving, Ed Madigan, Jeff Madigan, Michael O’Brian, Paul O’Brian, Matt O’Brian, Patrick O’Connor, Eddie Page, Rick Potter, Neil Quinlivan, Dan Smith and Bobby Stomski.

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