As one of the oldest and largest club sports on campus, Fordham Men’s Rugby has had a long history of community and achievement. However, this past year marked a particularly strong year for the club, seeing them make significant strides as a program and compete at some of the highest levels of rugby in the country. Following a disappointing fall season in 2022, the club undertook a new approach which involved creating an intensive training schedule for players and hiring more coaching staff.
It was hard to overstate the significance of the team’s opening game last semester. Not only would it prove a testing ground for all of the club’s changes, but it was also against Jesuit rivals — and then 10th best team in the nation — Fairfield University. Despite a tough four-point defeat, Fordham put up an incredible performance. From Fairfield, the club only went from strength to strength. Despite a few close losses against some very tough competition, Fordham ended the fall season with a successful 5-3 record. The team finished high enough in its conference to secure a spot in Houston’s Rhino Rugby Bowl against Southern Nazarene University, the 18th best team in the country.
The players and coaches prepared for what was gearing up to be a particularly hard opponent. The incredible generosity of many alumni and parents, as well as Giving Day and events such as the annual Alumni Cigar Night, were incredibly successful and allowed the club to afford the trip to Texas. In mid-December, the lads traveled to Texas for one of the club’s first bowl games in a long time. With beautiful weather and an exciting stadium atmosphere, the stage was set for a great game of rugby. From the whistle, Fordham played fast and furiously, scoring quite quickly as a result. Despite a few intense attacks and subsequent scores by SNU, Fordham managed to stay on top, helped in part by the forwards’ tremendous defense and MVP Fran Liguori’s incredible 21-point game. The game ended 26-13 to Fordham.
Following a brief break over the winter holidays, Fordham Rugby is back in the swing of things, with sevens and 15s underway. This semester promises to be as exciting as last year, with the club having organized a two-week tour in Argentina for Easter break. The tour, which has been made possible with the donations of many alumni and supporters, will see the lads play three games between the Argentinian cities of Buenos Aires and Mar del Plata. The national championship for sevens — a fast-paced, shortened version of rugby — also takes place during the spring. Players on the sevens squad will travel all around the East Coast in the next few months in the hope of qualifying for the national championships.
While the sevens squad is particularly competitive, the spring season is also a great time for new players to join. Those looking to learn the game are encouraged to play with the developmental team, which is a more relaxed introduction to the game. So far this year, both the men’s and women’s teams have had a significant increase in new players, with the women’s team having seen an exceptionally strong uptake in particular. Fordham Rugby is a great atmosphere for meeting new people, staying fit and joining a community of players that is millions strong around the world. As captain Santi Thompson said, “Fordham Rugby is where I made lifelong friends, and I can’t wait to continue making more in my last season.”
Players of all experience levels are welcome and will get a chance to play without tryouts. The men’s team trains on Monday on Murphy Field from 7-9 p.m., and in Moglia Stadium on Tuesday and Thursday from 7-9 p.m. Training for the women’s team is held on Tuesday and Thursday from 7-9 p.m. in Moglia, and from 7-8 p.m. on Wednesdays at either Moglia or Murphy.
