CSU Rugby Alumni, Parents & Fans,
 
Colorado State Rugby is half way through their spring season and I thought I would update everyone on the team's results.  Please excuse me for the lapse in news letters.  Remember to check out the website where you can sign up for the newsletter and get team information.  www.RamRugby.com
 
Ram Rugby ended the fall season in 4th place in the Western league out of the playoffs.  The team went 1-3 in league play and 5-4-1 overall.  The league ended up with Air Force in 1st, Wyoming 2nd, Colorado 3rd, Colorado State 4th and New Mexico 5th.  Air Force received a bid strait through to the Western region final 4 on April, 5th and CU and Wyoming playoff March 22nd to get into the Western region final 4. 
 
This semester State has been working to build depth and have some fun playing high level Rugby. 
 
The scoreboard results have not been up to expectations and the team needs to start winning the close matches.  On the other hand the team has been playing at a high level against top 5 teams in the country and we have had a lot of young players step up and fill in for a string of injuries. 
 
Individual players have been performing well with freshman fly half Mikey Garrity attending the national team under 19 December camp.  Freshman hooker Spencer Sarver is scheduled to attend the Easter U-19 national team camp where he hopes to be selected to represent his country in a Tour of England.  Several other players are expected to make the Western Region select side and compete in the National All Star Championships where the collegiate All American team will be selected.  Forward captain Dan "Toothless" Wonstolen is hoping to be in consideration for All American selection.
 
 
San Diego Invitational and IRB Sevens Tournament
The team started off the season traveling to San Diego to play in the San Diego invitational and to watch the USA Sevens.  With only 5 practices and one outdoors, Colorado State traveled to sunny San Diego to take on Navy who is currently ranked #2 and #6 in the national polls.  The team almost pulled out a big win loosing on a heart breaking last second try to go down 10-17.  Colorado State withstood the physical Navy attack and battled on the goal line to hold Navy out early and countered to lead at half 10-5.  Navy came back and scored right after half to tie the match 10-10.  CSU was pressuring in the last 5 minutes inside the Navy 22m line when Navy turned the ball over and the CSU flyhalf was called for off sides.  Inexplicably the ref sin binned our flyhalf for repeated off sides when we had been attacking inside the Navy 22 for the last 5 minutes.  To Navy's credit they changed it up spun the ball wide and scored to win the game. 
 
Colorado State B played well against San Diego State's B-side loosing 5-12.  The next day the A-side had a disappointing loss to Utah Valley State 17-19.  The B-side performed well in the 7's tournament getting a lesson in 7's from the Canadian national collegiate 7's team but beating a local men's club to place 8th. 
 
The team enjoyed the beach and great international 7's play at the San Diego 7's at Petco Park to finish out the trip.
 
Regis
The next weekend the new players on the C-side played well against top DII team Regis and got a lesson in good back play loosing 10-45.  The loss was disappointing but all of our brand new players saw extended action against a good Regis side that is ranked #4 in division II. 
 
BYU
Friday night Colorado State took on perennial National #2 BYU at the University of Colorado on their turf field.  The team played tough and performed well in the set piece and showed grit in the contact area but was supremely outpaced wide creating the large score line 0-55.  The team let three tries go in the first 20 minutes all wide, and then played a dominant 20 minutes controlling possession and threatening to score.  BYU finished the half strong with a try right at the whistle.  In the second half we were given a lesson in quick rucking, hard running fast paced rugby.  The team gained valuable experience playing against the best.  We started 5 freshman playing 6 in the match with no graduating seniors playing.  The B-side performed well but was physically outmatched.  The team fought the entire game and showed good cohesiveness which boded well for things to come after the 0-42 loss. 
 
Nebraska Invitational
The team traveled out to Lincoln Nebraska to compete with Iowa State, Missouri, and Nebraska.  Both sides won on Saturday but both lost on Sunday.  The A-side beat Iowa State 20-19 in a come back effort and the B-side beat Missouri B's playing excellent rugby 20-12.  On Sunday the teams both lost close competitive matches in high winds that cut down the quality of the matches.  The A-side lost to Missouri in the final 19-21 missing out on a couple of kicks in the high winds.  The B-side lost to Nebraska B's 25-27 facing more of a men's club than a college B-side. 
 
1st Home Match
Colorado State hosted the first home match of the year but was kicked off campus when the field was scheduled for and intramural flag football tournament.  Playing at Greenbriar Park the team played well against division I playoff bound men's club Boulder but lost another close match after a try was called back for a forward pass and a kick at goal was missed 22-24. 
 
The B-side played very well and beat division II College A-side Denver University 14-12. 
 
The 2nd Half of Spring 2008 
The team will now heal up over Spring Break and come back to play UNC on Friday night March 28th in Greeley, followed by our own tournament on April 12th and 13th and then will travel to play the Denver Barbarians division II team and C-side on April 19th.