Your 2014 Regional Rugby Rap

Colorado State University Rams fullback, Liam Wynne, displays defensive skil ls v University of New Mexico cred it : CSU Rugby

Inside:

Colorado Crusaders Camps: pp 2, 3;

2014 US Premierships and current Union

Tables in the spl it season: pp. 4-6;

Post-Secondary School Rugby: pp. 7-11;

Mt. Goliath’s off-season: pp. 12, 13

2014 Tests and 2015 World Cup: Can

England win without Jonny? Dan’s

injury plague and migrating ‘Boks and

‘Roos, US Premierships: pp. 13-15;

2014 Professional Rugby Roundup: Northern

and Southern Hemisphericals: pp. 16, 17;

European Pro Rugby these days: pp.18-22

not q ui t e a l l abo u t t h e r u gb y!

got one?

Mona rc h v T er ror s , 201 4 c r e d i t : M on ar c h R C

Colorado Crusaders Camps

The 6th edition of Colorado Springs Grizzl iesfor high school youth held during the fall interim, was recently brought to its conclusion at the Winter Solstice Rugby Festival on Saturday December playing f ields of Mountain Ridge Middle School in Colorado Springs.

The cost-free and all - inclusive, biupgrade interests and ski l ls during the high school boys’ offattendance are better prepared for Players and coaches from Rugby Colorado’s expanding ranks made the everytrek to the Grizzl ies home pitch down the Crater at Mountain Ridge to honin wel l-scripted sessions, with practical lessons taught by Grizzl ies’ head coach Otis McGregor and able abetted by Colorado Springs forwards coach, Jimbo Donovan; in addition, USA Eagles player, James Paterson Paterson, was occasionally on hand, inputting crucial informationto the mechanics of advanced rugby progressions.

In a 2014 camp continuum that focused on different themes each sessioncoaches from along the Front Range took advantage of experiential education. Chris Hanson is head coach and founder of Superior Rugby Club, an organization that presently encompasses ageMonarch High School rugby team.sides to the Monarch Rugby amalgam.

Equally impressive to vis it ing coaches is the manner in which the rugby data is “Otis and his crew command respect,” by their understated, lowbased and goal-oriented instruction player training,” states the affable Hanson, “and an instructor with Jf ides (USA Eagles, Rugby Super League, Glendale Raptors) was an incredible bonus.”

Of a certainty in the 2015 RC leagues, we’l l see vigor and vital ity from the Monarch High School XV in its appl ication of ski l ls and dril ls picked up atCamp, while the Grizzl ies look form to extend their run of f ive consecutive premier division Colorado State Rugby Championships.

c r e d i t : M on ar c h R C

Colorado Crusaders Camps

edition of Colorado Springs Grizzl ies-run Crusaders Camps, an emergent continuum for high school youth held during the fall interim, was recently brought to its conclusion at the Winter Solstice Rugby Festival on Saturday December 13, “Down theplaying f ields of Mountain Ridge Middle School in Colorado Springs.

inclusive, bi-weekly gatherings of rugby clans serve to maintain and upgrade interests and ski l ls during the high school boys’ off-season, so that thattendance are better prepared for action within the ever-evolving landscape of our game. Players and coaches from Rugby Colorado’s expanding ranks made the everytrek to the Grizzl ies home pitch down the Crater at Mountain Ridge to hon

scripted sessions, with practical lessons taught by Grizzl ies’ head coach Otis McGregor and able abetted by Colorado Springs forwards coach, Jimbo Donovan; in addition, USA Eagles player, James Paterson - son of Grizzl ies’ Director of Rugby John

on hand, inputting crucial information to those in attendancemechanics of advanced rugby progressions.

that focused on different themes each sessionlong the Front Range took advantage of the priceless-yet-

Chris Hanson is head coach and founder of Superior Rugby Club, an organization that presently encompasses age-grades from 5-50+ years and includes the

hool rugby team.In 2015, Coach Hanson intends to add high school girls’ sides to the Monarch Rugby amalgam.

Hanson made the journey from Superior, a bustling community on the east side of The Overlook along the Denver-Boulder Turnpike (Route 36), to see what Crusaders Camps were all about: “Phenomenal!” was the word he used to describe the McGregor-Donovancoaching cohort as well as the dri l lsskil ls- learned by his troop of 13 players. absolutely employ the rucking instruction that myself and my assistant, Dan Schlesinger, learned at camp as ( I believe) it to be an integral aspect of the game today.”

Equally impressive to vis it ing coaches is the manner in which the rugby data is “Otis and his crew command respect,” by their understated, low-key delivery of objective

oriented instruction - “We went for the coaching techniques as well as player training,” states the affable Hanson, “and an instructor with James Paterson’s bona fides (USA Eagles, Rugby Super League, Glendale Raptors) was an incredible bonus.”

Of a certainty in the 2015 RC leagues, we’l l see vigor and vital ity from the Monarch High School XV in its appl ication of ski l ls and dril ls picked up at the 2014 Colorado Crusaders Camp, while the Grizzl ies look form to extend their run of f ive consecutive premier division Colorado State Rugby Championships.

run Crusaders Camps, an emergent continuum for high school youth held during the fall interim, was recently brought to its conclusion at

, “Down the Crater”, on the

weekly gatherings of rugby clans serve to maintain and season, so that those in

evolving landscape of our game. Players and coaches from Rugby Colorado’s expanding ranks made the every-other weekly trek to the Grizzl ies home pitch down the Crater at Mountain Ridge to hone their skil l sets

scripted sessions, with practical lessons taught by Grizzl ies’ head coach Otis McGregor and able abetted by Colorado Springs forwards coach, Jimbo Donovan; in

or of Rugby John to those in attendance as

that focused on different themes each session, players and -costless

Chris Hanson is head coach and founder of Superior Rugby Club, an 50+ years and includes the

In 2015, Coach Hanson intends to add high school girls’

Hanson made the journey from Superior, a bustling community on the east side of The

Boulder Turnpike (Route 36), to see what Crusaders Camps were all about: “Phenomenal!” was the word he used to

Donovan-Paterson coaching cohort as well as the dri l ls-run and

learned by his troop of 13 players. “I wil l absolutely employ the rucking instruction that myself and my assistant, Dan Schlesinger, learned at camp as ( I believe) it to be an integral aspect

Equally impressive to vis it ing coaches is the manner in which the rugby data is delivered: key delivery of objective-

“We went for the coaching techniques as well as ames Paterson’s bona

fides (USA Eagles, Rugby Super League, Glendale Raptors) was an incredible bonus.”

Of a certainty in the 2015 RC leagues, we’l l see vigor and vital ity from the Monarch High the 2014 Colorado Crusaders

Camp, while the Grizzl ies look form to extend their run of f ive consecutive premier division

2014 Premierships; ongoing MD-2, MD-3

Raptors top National Table

Hannah Stolba, USA Eagles and Glendale f lyhalf, accounted for 11 points with a pair of penalty str ikes and a second stanza touch down as her Lady Raptors edged Twin City Amazons, 16-15, for the 2014 Women’s Premier League tit le, while

Former Regis high school standout (and current Jesuit coach), Zach Fenoglio, led his Raptors squad on the hotstep through the inaugural Pacif ic Rugby Premiership season with a single defeat before fall ing one point shy of San Francisco Golden Gate, 38-39, in the Pacif ic Premiership trophy match.

Men : D-2

MD-2 Grizzlies on top, but Haggis unlost

Club Played Won Lost Drawn Tab le Po ints

Colorado Springs Grizzl ies 5 4 1 0 21 Park City Haggis 4 4 0 0 20 Denver Harlequins 6 3 3 0 14 Glendale Raptors 5 2 3 0 13 Boulder Rugby 6 2 4 0 13 Denver Highlanders 6 2 4 0 13 Provo Steelers 4 2 2 0 12 Denver Barbarians 5 2 3 0 12 Gentlemen of Aspen 3 1 2 0 5

Colorado Springs Grizzl ies are off to a memorable beginning through their init ia l half of the USARugby men’s division-2 season and lead the league, though only just; for Grizz l ies have f ive matches played and 21 table points (TPts), whi le Park City at 20 TPts have a game in hand regards the Big Bears and an unblemished record to boot.

The Mostyn Factor

Haggis turn out 60-70 at trainings in their Utah mountain redoubt, but transit considerably less when they come to Colorado. However, when things get dicey there is one player who always features as a table-turner for the Scots Treat and that’s former Utah Ute front row phenom, Nick Mostyn.

Park City has become famous for its commitment fulf i l lment regards the long haul from their stomping grounds in the hil ls above Salt Lake City to Colorado’s Front Range and road rugby match success. And they don’t just play a single, 80-minute f ixture, either.When

those Burns Supper Boys come to town after the 500+ mile, better than seven-hour cruise through hil ls and high country to a pitch near you, it is the Utah club’s routine to point wheels east after work Fr iday or in the early Saturday hours, p lay a league match on that day, then overnight in Colorado and play a second league match on the Sunday before heading off into the sunset with a bunch of table points.

This past fal l season, over the f irst weekend in October, Haggis came to Denver town for tests at Observatory Park v Barbarians on the Saturday and at the Jake v Highlanders the following day. With the tall ies at 29-31 for the travelers at the hour mark, Mr. Mostyn backed himself just past midfield, and with a slashing, fending and wending run the tighthead grounded a straightforward completion for seven and Park City went on to defeat an impressive Denver side, 48-41 for the bonus point victory.

Mostyn’s play on the subsequent day v Highlanders at The Jake was no less integral the vis itor’s happy trai ls into the setting sun later that day. With that formidable front rowman on the sideline resting wel l-deservedly, the hosts held a good-look, two-score advantage at 15-7 near'60. Enter the Mostyn, and in the 58t h minute, he got his giddyup on, f lashing signif icant acceleration and pace, streaking for f ive-made-seven and a one-point Park City deficit at 14-15. The guests took the lead, 19-18, after a further Mostyn grounding at '64, and sealed the win with the bonus-point try near t ime to ensure the 2-match, 10 table points road trip.

Numbers 3 through 7

… on the table have garnered from 12-14 points, though amount of games-played varies:

Denver Harlequins, Grizzl ies only loss, have completed half dozen league matches and their record is even at 3-3-0. Quins sit 3r d at the feed and after a slow start, have come on strong in the latter stages of autumn;

Three clubs are in hard pursuit those Jesters with 13 points: o Glendale Raptors at 2-3-0 are uncomfortably equitable, one should think, with

Boulder Rugby (2-4) and Denver Highlanders (2-4);

Provo Steelers and Denver Barbarians are one off that pace with 12 points and 2-2-0 and 2-3-0 records respectively;

Aspen, at 1-2-0 and f ive points, are at the bottom of the staircase, but with the least number of matches played, the Gentlemen could f ind happiness sti l l come 2015’s new growth

First- and second-placed clubs go on to playoffs; expect Raptors to make a concerted effort in that regard. We shall see what deployments have rendered the Springs XV, but those Grizzl ies wil l surely be in the mix as well ; and Haggis… well with ingredients the class and stature of Nick Mostyn, it wil l be interest ing to see if that meal wil l prove sufficient to the task of acquir ing our union D-2 crown this 2014/15 season.

o n o ff

Men : D-3

Queen City Rams: poised to repeat?

Club won lost drawn Table Points

Queen City Rams 5 0 0 25

Denver Harlequins 3 2 0 17

Northern Colorado Flamingos 3 2 0 16

Glendale Raptors 2 3 0 12

Northside Marauders 1 4 0 7

Colorado Rush 0 5 0 0

Queen City has run the table thus far with an unblemished, 5-0-0 record and al l possible

points earned. Closest competit ion for the Rams in the fall season was a 39-26 road victory

over Flamingos. Though last year’s union champions have a number of f ixtures left in the

competit ive cycle and the mathematics do not exclude any club just now, we wil l most

l ikely see those hard-charging Rams at the front of their class come playoffs and the Ides of

April .

Rugby Life beyond High School - 3 Bears, an Angel and a high-flying Eagle

2014 provided many rugby memories, from the retirement of a pair of the best backline players ever (England and Toulon #10, Jonny Wilkinson and Ireland and Leinster #13, Brian O’Driscoll ), to many scinti l lating starts and f inishes in both the international and professional games, to post-secondary career continuations on the pitch and in the classroom for our Colorado secondary school products. We take a look at college interactions of f ive former Rugby Colorado stars, al l of whom have had considerable impacts on their respective sides in the past and have continued to do so in their college careers and who, undoubtedly, wil l be forces of contention in future rugby, as wel l as l ife, endeavors.

Liam Wynne

Liam Wynne graduated Air Academy High School last spring, then entered Colorado State University and its business and Air Force ROTC programs, where he has targeted a sports management regimen and international business coursework as academic areas of focus. Liam currently is carrying a 3.3 GPA. The former Colorado Springs Grizzl ies uti l ity player (from #s 9-14 with signif icant effect) may have found his posit ion as the Rams f inal arbiter of opponent’s forward progress at #15.

Wynne donned the fullback shirt in CSU’s alumni match, opening action of the season, and made it his own through the fall as the Rams compiled a 6-1-0 record, 13t h spot on Canterbury’s National Col lege Rugby Poll (CNCRP) and a seat just behind Air Force Academy Zoomies at their divisional table. As to his init ial Rams season, Liam is excited and somewhat circumspect, but above al l , appreciative of the Rams club and its funct ion: “It ( is) fantastic! The atmosphere here at CSU is great; al l of the older guys really took me and the other Colorado Springs Grizzl ies (Zach Abushaban, David DeLacruz, Christian Stephas and Max Wyman) under their wing to make sure we were comfortable.”

The quick and steady, now formally seasoned, fullback acknowledges the increased level of play, “The competit ion (in D1A college play) is a big jump from high school, but it has also tested me. I d idn’t know what to expect, but after the f irst match on Labor Day weekend, I’ve been accepted as full member of the team.” A Man of the Match award after the Rams comprehensive, 57-nil , league victory over University of Colorado Buffalos, “was a real honor” and has cemented Wynne’s spot on the roster.

Subsequent honors have matched Liam’s dedication, capabi l ity and commitment: he has

been selected to attend the elite Tiger Rugby Camp - t igerrugby.com - on a merit

scholarship over this holiday break where he looks to, “f ine tune my skil ls as a fullback,

since this is my f irst season playing in this posit ion,” he explains: “I was trained as a uti l ity

back (and) never had the opportunity to play (fullback) on (the) Grizzl ies. Attending Tiger

Camp with two other CSU team mates means we can develop plays and bring them back to

share with the other Rams.”

Liam ref lects on CSU’s lone loss in the autumn to Joe Muehlbauer-coached United States Air

Force Academy Zoomies (#6 in nation): “Air Force is a strong competitor and deserved to

win in the fall , but I think if we had played to our full potential, and had a few less injuries

we would have been able to take them. I ’m glad we have the opportunity to play them

again in the spring on our home field,” - rematch @ CSU, Saturday, March 7, 2015; also at

University of Arizona Wildcats, February 2, 2015 at Tucson.

When queried as to his posit ional prospects this upcoming spring, L iam is optimistic while

expressing an admirable col laborative attitude: “I real ly enjoy being the last l ine of

defense. It has given me the opportunity to show my skil ls on the open f ield plays, but also

allows me sit back and look at weak spots in our opponent’s l ine. I don’t plan to change

posit ions at this t ime, but as new players join our team I wil l go where I am needed most.”

Upcoming the second half of the D1A competit ive cycle hereabouts, CSU looks to be f ielding

as good a side as back in the days of former Rams and Denver Highlanders lynchpin, Tim

Guerra, and those clubs’ fantastic forwards, Cody van Horn and Rob Bower.

Jackson Bock 2014’s Denver East High Angels f lyhalf and co-captain, Mr. Bock currently studies at

Middlebury College, Vermont, and plies his

estimable rugby trade with that i l lustrious

institution’s club at scrumhalf. Though Jackson is

currently undeclared as to his academic major, he

reckons on pursuing a regimen of study with global

applicat ions in Middlebury’s International Polit ics

and Economics program. As we went to post, Bock

had not received his f irst semester grade report,

though East’s former head boy* feels that he held

his own regards scholastics in his init ial college

term.

Bock feels the fall "went OK,” and he explains: “Middlebury graduated half of the starting

side after last season and so the season was a bit of a rebuilding year. We finished fourth

in our conference, which was disappointing.” However, the affable #9 anticipates increasing

levels of success as, “We have a very strong sophomore class and a strong incoming

freshman class next year.”

Jackson regards collegiate competit ion as, “definitely a higher level (than secondary

school). Even after playing select-side (Rugby Colorado All Stars), the level of play was

signif icantly better. The hits ware a lot harder and the players are a lot faster.”

Jackson got his f irst start on Middlebury’s ‘A’ side two matches into the fall and, as a true

freshman, has become the club’s solid performer in that slot. Bock feels a high point of the

league season was “beating a good Boston College side (ranked 2n din our conference), 23-

Bock, ba l l i n ha nd, ch a l le n ge s Bo sto n Co l le g e’s de fe n se cred i t : MC RC

18, in the closing minutes of a must-win game if we wanted to make it to the post season,”

while the downside, “was losing to UMass for the f irst t ime.”

Middlebury College Rugby Club currently f inished 4t h in their highly-regarded (AIC is at #1),

Divis ion 1-AA East Coast Rugby Conference, in USA Rugby-sponsored competit ion. As to

2015 spring action, Bock is pumped: “Middlebury wil l be playing 7s and off season 15s

matches.” as he feels, “I am a better at 7s than 15s,”and looks to display his estimable skil ls

in that code as wel l as in, “off season 15s matches,” that f i l l out the rapid-fire 7-a-side

schedule.

Bock sees Middlebury’s targets for the spring as 7s success and also, “We… always look

forward to our matches with American International College. They are our r ival, and are a

very good side,” Jackson says of the AIC club who boast and Rugby Colorado products Seth

Hall iman (CS Grizzl ies and high school All American) and Kurtis Werner (Litt leton Eagles and

ECRC All Conference), as well as Stephen Fobes, Colorado Springs Grizzl ies alumni.

* head boy or girl is a posit ion of student body representative(s) whose responsibi l it ies

encompass l iaison with faculty, administration and individuals and organizations outside of

the academic institution.

Camden McGregor

The captain of the 2014 premier divis ion high school rugby state champion, Colorado

Springs Grizzl ies, McGregor is applying himself to studies at University of Arizona’s Col lege

of Agriculture and Life Sciences with a focus on the business aspect of that regimen. Cam,

whose high school rugby was “spent mostly at 8-man and occasional ly (I ) played lock and

f lanker,” continues at second row and also in the backrow for the Wildcats.

His introductory season at 14th-ranked Arizona (CNCRP) was less than storybook as he

recal ls, “I messed up my ankle pretty bad in a l ineout during our second inter-

squad scrimmage of the season, around late September, early October” and he

admits, “ it was pretty frustrating to be out for so long at the beginning of my

time at Arizona.”

As all true champions do, however, McGregor has persevered, “I put my focus

into rehab for the spring season and that helped me get through the

frustration,” and as a result the sol id backrowman reports that, “rehab has

been going well and I expect to be up to full speed by our spring training camp

in January.”

Wildcats Head Coach Sean Duffy recognizes that, “Cam had some

unfortunate luck with his ankle, but was a solid addition to the program,”

and he is, “looking forward to getting him back on the f ield quickly.” Duffy

reckons he, “sees Cam being able to contribute at f lanker and number eight this year, with

versat i l ity in the l ineout (a further asset).”

“Th e McG r ego r” , ap pl ie s h im se l f who l e hea rt e dl y to h i s rec u p era t i ve re g i me n

As to Cam’s 2015 plans, look for him to, “get my body right for the season… there’s a lot of

rugby left (this competit ive cycle) and I want to help the team as much as I can.”

McGregor reckons the Wildcats XV can rise in the national polls as he feels, “we’re a good

team with a great coaching staff and great players. We all have high expectations for this

season and we plan to put in the work to get to where we need to be. Quite a few of us are

new to Coach Duffy’s coaching strategy and game plan, but as we learn it we wil l continue

to improve and I strongly bel ieve we are going to be real contenders this year.”

Duffy is appreciative of the quality of player coming out of Colorado: “Cam came to us

prepared and rugby-savvy and this is a great testament to rugby in Colorado. We look

forward to recruiting the great state of Colorado over the next few years and we hope Cam

can be a great contributor for us during this t ime!” - Wildcats home opener v Colorado

State University Rams, February 7 and the banger v Arizona State University, February 22

loom large on the calendar.

Dallas Frye

The captain of Colorado Springs Grizzl ies 2012 State Champion Premier Divis ion Rugby Club

has experienced the scope of college rugby in a l itt le over two years; from University of

Northern Colorado (as a D2 school in 2012, then 2013/2014 cycle with the Bears init ial

entry into National Small College Rugby Organization - NSCRO), to Lindenwood University

Lions, easi ly in the national top tier. With his major of business administrat ion, Dallas has

nailed a 3.6 GPA, though he feels that impressive number yet, “leaves… room for

improvement.”

The switch to Coach JD Stephenson’s program at LU was an ascendance

for the capable backrowman: “There are two major discernable

differences I found with transferring to Lindenwood. One is the pride

that comes along with wearing the LU jersey and the other is the total

buy-in and full-scale commitment of al l involved with the team. We have

heaps of experienced rugby players and f ine-tuned athletes on this team

so when a player earns the opportunity to put on a jersey, it comes as a

big deal,” Frye says of Stephenson’s t ightly-knit, well-run program.“Al l

the players who put on that jersey are proud to represent themselves,

their school, family, and the rugby (community). The total commitment

is a byproduct of the culture of the team, the experienced coaching and

training staff, the determined lot of boys we have and the fact that the program and all

parties involved are treated in an extremely professional manner. The players are extremely

Fr ye g et s u p to p for l i neo u t ba l l w i t h h el p f rom m at es - cred it : LU L ions R C

self-discipl ined and motivated, so very rarely do we have instances of boys showing up late

or not arriving (with all systems good to go full-on) come training, strength & f itness,

recovery, or study hall sessions.”

Dallas’ f irst match as a Lion found him in the engine room, but “every game since then I’ve

been at #7.” Mr. Frye’s and the Lions’ plan for the spring is s imple, though to be certain not

simply accomplished: “Our goal is to win all of our conference and non-conference matches

so that we can move up to the top of the rankings and get a home bid throughout playoffs,

and he adds, “much easier said than done though, achieving this goal consists of beating

both Life (Running Eagles), who we’ve never beaten before, and Davenport (University of)

who beat us,” in the most recent of the two schools’ contests.

In 2015, expect the junior breakaway and his comrades to, “hit the ground running as soon

as we get back for our J-term semester on the 5t h of January. We have 3 weeks where we

wil l be honing… our f itness and strength goals, then we’l l be competing at Vegas 7s and

(afterwards) jump r ight into conference play.” - LU @ Life, 3.7.15; Lions host Davenport on

3.14 .

Frye has followed the summertime trail of fellow Grizzl ies alum, Matt Ryan (Cal Poly

f lanker), and has led a contingent rugby players the past two years up to Bristol Bay, Alaska

for the 5-week, King Salmon Run (Lions and Tigers and Bears!): lengthy and arduous the

work with pay commensurate that strenuously rewarding effort. Dallas’ words to those so

inclined the adventure? “My best advice to someone looking to go up would be to do

proper networking, getting in contact with someone who has been up before so they can

have some sort of insight before going up.”

Kurtis Werner

Former Litt leton Eagles ignit ion key, Kurt is Werner, is in his sophomore year at American

International College as he heads into his spring semester and the halfback reports. “ I am

sti l l undeclared (regards focus of study), but have been looking at general business and

business management,” and he adds that he intends to, “declare my major at the end of

this semester after doing more research.”

The full r ide rugby scholarship winner feels that

he’s, “doing well in balancing my educat ional, rugby,

and social l ife,” at the western Massachusetts

institution. Werner is an integral part of his club’s

success in his second year at #9 for the Yellow

Jackets: “AIC rugby won our conference,” says

Werner, who was selected to f irst-team, All-

Conference at the fall , post-season awards. Wer n er , w it h ba l l , pr ep ar es sc r um in p ut c r e d i t : A I C R u g b y C lu b

“We won 6 games to win our conference, but lost against a very good Kutztown (4t h,

nationally) side and f inished 7-1 in the fall ,” says Werner. Looking ahead he admits,

“physical ly, I am sti l l beat up by a very tough 15s season,” but “mentally I am ready for 7s

in the spring,” and he’s looking to get better sti l l :“ I am always looking to take my game to

the next level , but (realize that I ) must take it step-by-step. I made f irst team all

conference in the ECRC and was a co-captain as a sophomore. I barely missed out on U-20s

this last year, but I have now turned my focus to (obtaining selection as) Col legiate All

American.” His motivation is evident: “ I want this achievement so bad, but the truth is I

must improve my game in all aspects before that becomes my reality!”

Regards the season past, AIC’s scrumhalf feels, “the high for fal l semester was beating a

very tough and physical Bowling Green in the ACRC Bowl Series,” while, “the low for fall

semester was the loss against Kutztown at home.”

The focus the next few months wi l l be on 7s code as, “We have our eyes set on Las Vegas 7s

for (the February tournament held in conjunction with the International Rugby Board’s

global competit ion at Fortune’s City in February) is a CRC invite for the winner. There wil l

be a lot of great teams, but I am ful ly confident in (AIC’s) young and talented players” - IRB

Las Vegas 7s, February 13-15, 2015

Gopher Gardens, Mt. Goliath and the Mt. Evans Massif*

Last summer we visited Mount Goliath a peak west of Denver well over two miles high that

is part of the Mount Evans Massif , on a Denver Botanic Gardens-sponsored hike. Nowadays

l ife is hard along the Mt. Goliath Trail , and though the inhabitants of the area adopt a

somewhat less-active existence due to the harsh winter weather at an alt itude of 12,000+

feet, that does not mean every plant and creature l iving thereupon has headed to the beach

and warmer cl imes.

Nevin Beebe, trai l hike leader and Denver Botanic Gardens (DBG) York Street docent, is our

resident expert on the area and he informs us it is true that, while action undoubtedly

slows on the Massif with the coming of cooler temperatures, it does continue at inexorable

pace as winter engulfs the region: “On Mt. Evans, marmots hibernate, as do bears (at lower

alt itudes). Sheep and goats tend to descend to the lower alt itudes to f ind open grazing in

snow-free areas. Most birds migrate or, l ike Stellar Jays and Ravens, stay in the dense sub-

alpine and upper-montane forests,” explains Beebe of the environment where the thickness

of the trees provides those animals protection from winds that regularly achieve velocit ies

over 100 mph, carrying ice crystals that quickly erode anything and everything in their path.

“Squirrels remain active and leave their nests to visit middens (places where they have

cached f ir, spruce and pine cones for the winter). P ikas remain active in their

large burrows where they have stashed a food supply from the

previous growing season. To preserve their larder, pikas l ine

their winter homes with Alpine Avens in the fall . Alpine Avens

turns intensely red from anthocyanin pigment, which is

poisonous and acts as a preservative init ial ly; over t ime, the

pigment breaks down and is no longer toxic. Pikas know this and

eat everything else (that they’ve collected) f irst, saving the

Alpine Avens for the late winter (when time and chemistry have rendered the

plant’s natural defense palatable),” explains Beebe.

There is a short window of opportunity to avail oneself of the hugely informative and

visually astounding Denver Botanic Gardens trail hikes ( in one of the most glorious settings

on the planet!) as cl imate and its handmaiden, weather - high up on the Massif - can be

callous, unkind and downright lethal much of the year.

The hikes wil l resume in mid-June, with "prime time" being late June to mid-July,” says

Beebe for, “by early August, very few flowers are st i l l blooming and the season ends.”

Would-be participants can begin signing up in late May on the DBG website -

http://www.botanicgardens.org .

“Trips are rarely cancelled for bad weather, but it could happen,” states Beebe due the

extreme vagaries of weather at alt itude, even during summer’s heat - temperature was at

96 degrees in Denver and ris ing the Saturday morning we had reserved our place on the

hike; and four layers of clothing abetted by hat, hood and gloves were just about enough to

ward off the insistent, chil ly blow on the northwest side of Goliath - ed.

co ld for p ika s th e se da ys !

Al p in e Av e ns, un d e nia b ly

pr et ty , b ut i t ' l l k i l l ya !

Hike cancellations are uncommon yet not unheard of: “The upper part of the Goliath trail is

very dangerous and exposed during thunderstorms,” reports Beebe of that occasional warm

weather circumstance. “We came close to cancell ing a trip for professional botanists in late

June when we had brief snow and wind chil ls in the 20s. Fortunately, the weather improved

dramatically at the last instant and the trip went ahead,” recalls Beebe. “One tr ip was

cancelled when CDOT closed the Mt. Evans road for maintenance with very short notice.

Denver Botanic Gardens makes every effort to notify participants when the road is closed;

but for bad weather, we often don't know until the morning of the tour,” so it ’s wise to

stay in touch via the DBG website regards road closures and weather impediment, as well as

updated information on the trail hikes.

Though l ife on Mt. Goliath and all a long the Mt. Evans Massif has slowed its furious

summertime pace just now, it is yet ongoing as the f lora and fauna that inhabit its tundra

conditions prepare for the upcoming, more clement warming season.

* a massif is part of a planet’s crust broken by faults and f issures; it wil l retain its shape

and internal structure even if displaced by cataclysmic tectonic forces and Mr. Beebe adds:

“That is the scientif ic definit ion of a massif. Having found that a l itt le dry, participants long

ago suggested something more user friendly: Accordingly, most guides say something along

the following l ines: ‘A massif such as the Mt. Evans Massif is made up of a single, massive,

upthrust block of granite". Over mil l ions of years streams, glaciers, wind and gravity have

carved this block into multiple peaks and the massif is named after the highest peak in the

group. The Mt. Evans Massif, historical ly known as the Chicago Peaks has a total of 7 peaks

ranging in height from Mt. Warren at 13,307' to Mt. Evans at 14,271'. Mt. Evans is one of

two 14ers in the massif and Mt. Bierstadt (and its maddening dwarf-wil lows bracken! - ed.)

at 14,060’ is the other. Two near-14ers, the Sawtooth and Mt. Spaulding are also

prominent. Mt. Gol iath is sometimes cal led a sub peak of Evans, but isn't generally

mentioned as being part of the massif itself ’ .”

2014 Tests and 2015 RWC

The International season left a bit to be desired for our North American national sides:

in the 2014 Women’s Rugby World Cup competit ion, England topped Canada in the

f inal at Paris for best side on the planet, while USA Eagles dropped a pair of pool

matches and so wound up out of the medal running in what must be considered a less

than hoped-for f inish;

while Canada’s national men’s side completed an unhappy year in Tests, USA Eagles

did somewhat better, yet a s ix-point loss to Fij i and a 2-point halft ime deficit v Tonga

(which expanded too overmuch in the f inal forty) suggests we are not ready to take

the next step forward on the world stage; though some top-US players were

unavailable due contract stipulations for the aforementioned matches, as anyone wil l

tell you, “ It’s the team on the f ield on the day, etcetera…”

New Zealand All Blacks, perfect in all but one f ixture in 2014 - a close loss in Pretoria

- are ranked f irst on the globe and are odds-on favorites to take the 2015 men’s RWC,

which would make for Kiwis and unprecedented second planet-wide tit le in a row;

However France, who’ve been successful in derail ing All Blacks RWC trains in the

past, wil l be there as wil l everyone else… and the rest of the world wi l l be itching to

take their shot at the reigning World Champs;

The year past saw Argentina achieve its f irst Rugby Championship victory, a narrow

win over Australia, and the Pumas were never out of the action in RC f ixtures v ‘Boks

and All Blacks

American Rugby Premiership

Club Won Lost Drawn Table Points

Life Running Eagles 4 0 0 20

New York Athletic Club 3 1 0 16

Old Blue 1 3 0 7

Boston Rugby 1 2 1 6

Boston Irish Wolfhounds 0 3 1 2

Though Life have run the table in impressive fashion thus far, no one club is out of the mix

come spring; four more matches may see realignment on the current table, though that wil l

largely depend upon off-season acquisit ions and club’s injury attrit ion/recuperation rate.

Expect Life to remain on top, NYAC to push them and every other club to play that pair as if

their seasons depended on the outcomes.

2015 Pacific Rugby Premiership

… gets underway in just over-under f ive weeks, though the smart sides have been hard at

preparations for the upcomer one might think. San Francisco Golden Gate, 2014 Champion,

reckons to be tested by every club in every match and Glendale, who’ve been training for

some time now, may be SFGG’s st iffest competit ion again this year; Denver Barbarians look

to solidify their coaching staff with a surprise addition who might enhance Barbo fortunes

immeasurably.

Every one of the Cal i fornia clubs is a potential champion as are our brace of Colorado sides:

Denver Barbarians and Glendale Raptors. Expect to see roster upgrades and sideline staff

changes in 2015 with this upcoming session’s champion expressing the right stuff at the

best t ime - Barbarians open on the road at San Francisco Golden Gate, 2.7 and Raptors

are at OMBAC, 1.31

Last Season’s Professional and Domestic Comps

NoHemi

On “the continent”, Toulon claimed top honors

Champions Cup) and Orange Top XIV

the business - Jonny Wilkinson.

Leinster hai led the departure of iconic

Pro 12 (now called Guinness Pro12) t it les in victory over

Dublin Society.

Undeniably the best Grand Final must have been for the

100+-minute stitch-render, Northampton Saints

the decider in temporal triple-digits. With the added deuce performed by Saints #10

Stephen Mylar, Northampton beat

5.24.14 - Millennium Stadium: Heineken Cup

Twofer Toulon with 13 points on account, 5 tacklesbacked by impeccably-choiced maneuverings, 5led the Toulon XV to their second Hpreeminent, though retiring, f lyhalf was as good as a dream in a capped MillStad’s boggy, soggy grounds with 23-6 that f inal count

5.31.14 - Stade de France: Orange Top XIV

Toulon made finish at the head of a classy class in wellCastres; Jonny Wilkinson with 15 for his side on four penalty strikes and one dropped goal while Delon Armitage struck the last over top and into space, which he gathered and grounded for the onla Castres lead at 7-3 in the opening stages, but the league’s #6 seed who’d road wins at Clermont (22-16) and Montpelliercoup de grace on the celebrated Paris stage

5.31.14 - Twickenham: Aviva Premiership

Northampton Saints would absolutely not be denied, and replacement loosehead Alex Waller’s third relief of Alex Corbisiero proved the charm as the goal for f lyhalf Stephen Myler’s conversion at referetrophy win for Saints , who had finished the season in second behind that featured four lead changes before a 72a stadium-rending, uproariously crowdhad the scores at 17-all when Saracensstrike at minute 92, before Waller’s hetriple-digits

Last Season’s Professional and Domestic Comps

claimed top honors in both Heineken Cup (now cal led EPC

Orange Top XIV behind the play of the best (now) retired standoff in

iconic center Brian O’Driscoll with back-

nness Pro12) t it les in victory over Glasgow Warriors

Undeniably the best Grand Final must have been for the Aviva Premiership

Northampton Saints replacement frontrow Alex Waller dotted

digits. With the added deuce performed by Saints #10

beat Saracens 24-20 in a match truly for the ages…

Millennium Stadium: Heineken Cup

with 13 points on account, 5 tackles-made (none missed), f luid distribution choiced maneuverings, 5-from-5 sticksplitt ing, and Jonny Wilkinson

led the Toulon XV to their second H-Cup running; result hardly ever in doubt as the minent, though retiring, f lyhalf was as good as a dream in a capped MillStad’s boggy,

that f inal count

Stade de France: Orange Top XIV

made finish at the head of a classy class in well-fought, 18-12 , victory over d; Jonny Wilkinson with 15 for his side on four penalty strikes and one dropped goal

while Delon Armitage struck the last trois late; Max Evans backed himself and put a looker over top and into space, which he gathered and grounded for the only try of the match and

3 in the opening stages, but the league’s #6 seed who’d road wins at Montpellier (22-19) to earn the f inals berth, could not perform the

on the celebrated Paris stage

Twickenham: Aviva Premiership

would absolutely not be denied, and replacement loosehead Alex Waller’s third relief of Alex Corbisiero proved the charm as the England goal for f lyhalf Stephen Myler’s conversion at referee JP Doyle’s last blast and 24

, who had finished the season in second behind Sarriesthat featured four lead changes before a 72n d-minute Marcelo Bosch try put the match into

rending, uproariously crowd-pleasing double-overtime derby; penalties traded Saracens went ahead 20-17 on a Charl ie Hodgson penalty

strike at minute 92, before Waller’s heroics and Myler’s f inish as Doyle’s clock went to

(now cal led EPC

behind the play of the best (now) retired standoff in

-to-back RaboDirect

Glasgow Warriors at the Royal

Aviva Premiership crown. In a

replacement frontrow Alex Waller dotted

digits. With the added deuce performed by Saints #10

20 in a match truly for the ages…

made (none missed), f luid distribution 5 sticksplitt ing, and Jonny Wilkinson

Cup running; result hardly ever in doubt as the minent, though retiring, f lyhalf was as good as a dream in a capped MillStad’s boggy,

, victory over doughty ; Jonny Wilkinson with 15 for his side on four penalty strikes and one dropped goal

late; Max Evans backed himself and put a looker y try of the match and

3 in the opening stages, but the league’s #6 seed who’d road wins at 19) to earn the f inals berth, could not perform the

would absolutely not be denied, and replacement loosehead Alex prop blasted into

e JP Doyle’s last blast and 24-20 the Sarries ; in a match

minute Marcelo Bosch try put the match into overtime derby; penalties traded

17 on a Charl ie Hodgson penalty roics and Myler’s f inish as Doyle’s clock went to

5.31.14 - Royal Dublin Society: RaboDirect Pro12

Leinster cranked out a superb second stanza effort on its home patch to make a t ight, 14-12, midpoint advantage a 34-12 runaway over Glasgow at the end of the day. Leinster and Ireland tal isman, Brian O’Driscoll , left the stage early due injury in the f inal act of a sterl ing career, but his mates carried on; a pair of groundings in the f inal forty by the retaining champions, each converted, and a couple penalty strikes made for the f inal tall ies as the hosts outscored their guests 20-ni l in their better half; four, two-point conversions and a brace of penalties meant a 14 points haul for Leinster standoff, J immy Gopperth, while the dots came from flyer Zane Kirchner (two at 17’ & 74’), and one each for openside Shane Jennings (38’) and inside center, Gordon D’Arcy (76’); Warriors numbers all from the toe of #10, Finn Russel l

SoHemi

While “down under” in Super Rugby , a Bernie Foley penalty strike near t ime put Waratahs

just past Crusaders for the Southern Hemisphere’s premium competit ion’s Grand Final

trophy, 33-32.

Taranaki held back Tasman at Yarrow Stadium in New Plymouth to prevail , 36-32, in the

International T imber Merchants Grand Final, New Zealand’s top domestic rugby. The North

Island club were up by 20 at the hour mark, and just managed to stave off the Makos

f ightback to secure their f irst New Zealand National Provincial Championship after near

relegation at the end of the 2013 session. ‘Naki had things well in hand near the hour mark

with inside center Charlie Ngatai’s second try and its conversion by f lyhalf Cody Rei (who’d

a personal haul of 21 from the boot) enabling a 33-13 lead, but three Makos groundings in

the last 20 minutes of action tightened the f ine derby.

Western Province ran out to a 13-nil advantage in the f irst forty, and then staunched a

Golden Lions return in the f inal forty to earn the Currie Cup championship at Newlands in

Capetown, 19-16. WP standoff, Demetri Catraki l is , notched 14 points on four penalty str ikes

and the conversion of inside center Jaco Taute’s try in the f irst half. An uncharacteristic

miss by Lions #10, Martin Boshoff, close to t ime ended the Big Cats roar.

In the (really) Big Country, Eastwood pasted Southern Districts 33-13 to bring home the

Shute Shield championship hardware with victory in the Grand Final for the New South

Wales premier clubside tit le at Concord Oval, while in the Buildcorp National Rugby

Championship (Australia’s premium professional competit ion) Brisbane City bested all

comers to claim inaugural BNRC laurels on that continent with 37-26 victory over Perth

Spirit at Bal lymore.

2014/2015: Ongoing Competitions

2014/2015 European Professional Clubside Rugby - Champions Cup

Formerly called Heineken Cup, this s ix-match, home-away tournament (plus playoffs) in f ive

pools features top players the world over and runs October through May. Toulon RC, who

won the Championship last spring, look poised to repeat in 2015 though the trophy wil l be a

bit more diff icult to acquire for the Toulonais without the services one of the planet’s

f inest #10s (if not its foremost, now-retired) Jonathan Peter, “Jonny”, Wilkinson.

With two-from-three rounds complete, these are the results we’re looking at thus far:

Pool 1

ASM Clermont 3-1-0, 14 Pts

Saracens 3-1-0, 13

Munster 2-2-0, 10

Sale Sharks 0-4-0, 2

Clermont travel to Sale 1.17 and could stake solid their claim the group with bonus-point victory, while Munster and Sarries go after it at Saracens home patch, All ianz Park, on that day; with its f inal pool f ixture at home v Saracens on January 25, French Giants Clermont should go along to extra-action in playoffs, but that wil l depend on the outcome of Sarries-Munster next round and of course the tal l ies on the last day - uncertainty the sure call in this quartet and though Sale are out of the running, they’l l be an impactor in who runs-on this season

Pool 2

Harlequins 3-1-0, 13 Pts

Leinster 3-1-0, 13

Wasps 2-2-0, 12

Castres 0-4-0, 1

Harlequins lead a close-run thing with Leinster and Wasps t ight alongside; Quins host Wasps in Round 5, on 1.17, and Leinster are at the RDS on the day v Castres who, though winless, are to be discounted as stepping off a land mine; the current frontrunners in P2 transit

the Channel to dangerous Castres in the f inal weekend of pool play, while Wasps host last season’s Pro12 champs at Ricoh Arena, 1.24

Pool 3

Toulon 3-1-0, 13 Pts

Scarlets 2-2-0, 8

Leicester 2-2-0, 8

Ulster 1-3-0, 6

Last season’s champions, Toulon , s it at top spot, though no one club is out of the running with the f inal rounds of pool matches upcoming; Mourad Boudjel lal’s squad wil l host Ulster 1.17, and then f inish group play dans le batail le at Parc y Scarlets on the subsequent Saturday; those Scarlets go to Welford Road and the Tigers round 5, thus Cats (who popped Toulon 25-21 at home 3r d Round) have perhaps the hardest row to hoe (ho, ho!), but ain’t nobody gotta stroll in anyone’s Parc come January and the last rounds

Pool 4

Toulouse 4-0-0, 16 Pts

Glasgow 2-2-0, 10

Bath 2-2-0, 10

Montpell ier 0-4-0, 2

Toulouse , wherefrom they never come, are undefeated and atop this groupe de la mort , but chasers Warriors and Bath

ain’t out of it just yet, though Montpell ier, surpris ingly, is; the French frontrunners host Bath on Sunday, 1.18 and then f inish at Montpell ier; Glasgow are in war with Montpell ier at Scotstoun on the 18th, then it ’s on to Bath the 25t h for Warriors; Toulouse can close the door on the swimming hole with victory over Bath at Stade Ernest Wallon in round 5, a circumstance the travelers should not l ike;

Pool 5

Northampton 3-1-0, 15 Pts

Racing Metro 3-0-1, 14

Ospreys 1-2-1, 8

Treviso 0-4-0, 0

Saints just ahead of Racing now, and not to look beyond round 5, but the banger on January 24t h at Franklin’s Gardens wil l put oy in your vay i f nothing else wil l ; if Ospreys should upset Northampton at Liberty Stadium on 1.18, however, that Welsh franchise just may sort an after-hours s lot this season; but mayhap the chatbird seat in the group is set upon by Metrons who should obtain one bunch of f ives at Olympique Yves du Manoir on Sunday, 1.18, v overall dungeon dweller, Benetton Treviso, which wil l most l ikely make the f ixture the following weekend at Northampton for the pool’s ordering seat

Strap it on here it comes be the Pulse

Aviva Premiership

Club Won Lost Drawn Table Points

Northampton Saints 9 2 0 43

Bath Rugby 9 2 0 42

Saracens 7 3 1 34

Exeter Chiefs 7 4 0 33

Leicester Tigers 6 4 1 31

Wasps 6 5 0 30

Sale Sharks 6 5 0 30

Harlequins 5 6 0 24

Gloucester Rugby 4 7 0 21

London Irish 3 8 0 16

Newcastle Falcons 3 8 0 15

London Welsh 0 0 11 1

Heading toward the second half of the season, Northampton and Bath have identical

records of 9-2-0, though the Saints are ahead by a single point on the table; Saracens , last

season’s juggernaut, are placed 3r d just now with four clubs: Exeter , Leicester , Wasps and

Sale , close by the Sarries hind leg. The remaining handful of s ides, while not necessarily

mathematically eliminated, had best be getting after their rugby now-now in order to rise

from the backside depths in which they now are mired.

Guinness Pro12

Club Won Lost Drawn Table Points

Ospreys 9 2 0 40

Glasgow 9 2 0 39

Munster 8 3 0 37

Ulster 7 3 1 35

Leinster 6 4 1 32

Connacht 6 4 1 28

Scarlets 4 5 2 24

Edinburgh 4 6 1 20

Cardiff Blues 3 7 1 18

Dragons 3 8 0 16

Zebre 2 9 0 9

Benetton Treviso 1 9 1 8

The f irst four clubs: Ospreys , Warriors , Munster and Ulster are all within a happy

weekend’s result of one another, so no one team has made their superiority evident thus

far as we move into 2015. Ospreys pair of losses came the last half of November (during the

Autumn Tests) on the road v Irish provinces Leinster (12-18) and Ulster (16-25); the Welsh

club has yet to play either of their pair of f ixtures with second-placed Glasgow Warriors

(scheduled for 2.21 and 5.9, away-home) and also host duty of last year’s champs, Leinster

(2.27), before the curtain falls on this session ;

Top XIV

Club won lost drawn table points

Stade Français 10 4 0 44

Toulon 9 5 0 42

Clermont Auvergne 9 5 0 41

Racing Metro 8 6 0 37

Bordeaux Begles 7 7 0 35

Grenoble 7 7 0 33

Toulouse 7 7 0 33

Montpell ier 7 7 0 31

Oyonnax 6 8 0 29

Bayonne 5 8 1 28

Brive 6 8 0 27

Lyon 6 8 0 26

La Rochelle 5 8 1 25

Castres 5 9 0 24

If the Top XIV ain’t the l ivel iest league around, it ’s gotta be one of them: 14 franchises with

elite players from around the globe; just past midpoint in the season and 20 table points

separate top and bottom; last year’s f inal ist, Castres at that bottom; and it al l happens in

France, where the southern reaches of that land reek with rugby of the highest order.

Those currently in the win, place and show posit ions on the chart, Stade , Toulon and

Clermont are within a win’s reach of each other, while fourth-placed Racing sit within 4-7

points those frontrunners; and then a quartet at 7-7-0 are all f ighty, having accumulated

between 35 and 31 points at this stage; the end portion of the table is large and close, too,

from Oyonnax at 29 down to that Castres , the last half dozen squads in the French League

are all bonus-point victory vicinity of their lowly - but only just - cohort!