Season Synopsis

So the boys had a run this year. They started the season with a big boost of confidence, coming off a 10-0 National Championship season, the only setback being the huge loss of returning starters. Even so the team lost only one regular season match, to Furman, and still by the skin of their teeth made it to the USARS Championship. Finishing out the year 5-2, considering the circumstance, is actually quite astonishing. Congratulations on another winning season boys. I think I speak for everyone who graduates this year that we will certainly miss this team and wish you nothing but the best in the future.

Long Overdue Update

Hello once again. I'm back to give anyone who reads this an update on Coastal's season thus far. When I last left off the boys had just beaten USC's C-side and were gearing up for CofC. On 2/20 we faced off against the College of Charleston on Santee field. It was a true headknocker but in the end, CCU escaped with a 27-26 victory. Rolling off this win, Furman was next on the warpath. Despite an exhausting effort, Furman handed CCU their first loss since the 2008 season. CCU would, however, rebound and beat the Citadel while scoring 4 tries, which awarded a bonus point in the matrix scoring system. After this victory, there was but one hope of us making it to the USA Rugby South championships once again. It would take a miracle, and thats exactly what we got. CofC edged Furman 30-25 to even all three club's records to 4-1. Because CCU had larger margins of victory, they are awarded the championship berth. This weekend (3/27 & 3/28) the team will be travelling to Nashville, TN to first play UNC-Greenville (Dogwood League champs) in the first round. Let's run it again fellas.

Wintry Conditions No Problem for the Boys from the Beach

Kent Kimes, editor of the Weekly Surge, called Feb. 6th's win vs. AAU "...officially an ass-kicking."  Upon waking on Saturday Feb. 13th, however we were awestruck to find that nearly 4 inches of snow had fallen on Myrtle Beach. Despite the circumstances, the roads were clear and the scheduled match vs. USC's C-side was on like Donkey Kong. The conditions in Columbia were a bit more severe, as approximately 7 inches of snow had fallen on Greene Field, the pitch on which the match was played. Although it was very difficult to control the ball, CCU managed to do so well enough that they were able to produce three tries in the first half. Those tries were scored by Justin Williams and Paul Smith(2) sequentially, both of whom are rookies on the squad. At about 2:15 the second half was under way. With the combination of the sun shining brightly, quickly melting snow and 30 lunatics parading around, the field was becoming exponentially more sloppy. Even so Coastal began to add to their lead with a penalty try by Evan Beard, successfully converting his only try of the day was Steve Pease. Following that Sam Bowman scored with an eight-man pick and Clay Haley also tacked on a try. The final tally would come to 32-0 and considering the conditions was a successful bout for the reigning National Champion Coastal Carolina University Rugby Club. Mark Morris, USC C's head coach, was kind enough post plenty of pictures from the match. Here is a link. 

--Ben Jenkins

CCU rolls Armstrong Atlantic

Saturday February 6 2010, the boys faced off against a new opponent not only to the team but the matrix as well. Moments after kick-off, Coastal made its stout forward presence known as Alex "Mr. Train" Nazon rumbled in for two early tries with successful conversions on each by Steve Pease. Armstrong Atlantic would subsequently acquire three points from a successful penalty kick. Beyond that point CCU would go on to score nine more tries and convert four of them, while Armstrong merely tacked on another penalty kick. Among those who scored where: Alex Nazon (3), Paul Smith(2), Sam Ghannam, Justin Williams, Brendan McClatchey, Ryan Swartling, Clay Haley and Chase McGuire.  Despite being disadvantaged due to injury and illness, Coastal Carolina met their fresh adversary very well on this day and look forward to an exciting trip to Columbia on 2/13 (my bday)

--Ben Jenkins

The beginning...

Here is the beginning of what will hopefully be a good thing for Coastal's reigning nat'l champion Rugby Club. My name is Ben Jenkins and I'm a senior on the squad. I've played 3 of the past 4 years but this year I'm out for the season with a torn acl and medial meniscus. Over the next few weeks I'll be keeping this blog updated with any important information for the club. Anything written here will have been done do by either myself or the club's president, Mr. Matthew Mendelssohn.