Saturday May 18th the CWU Men’s Rugby team will be celebrating yet another successful season. A special banquet to honor the players and their accomplishments this season will be held in the Student Union Ballroom starting at 6:00 p.m at Central Washington University. To register and join the team in celebrating their historic season please click here now! If you are an Alumni or if you are interested in donating to the program on a monthly basis please click here to download the new banquet payment form to submit along with your registration.

Ellensburg, WA – Central Washington University came up short in the west semi-final of the Varsity Cup National Championship losing to the BYU Cougars 53-20 at South Field. BYU will go onto their 8th straight National Championship game where they will face off against the Cal Bears who defeated Navy in the east semi-final match up. The Varsity Cup National Championship is slated for Saturday May 4th at 1pm MT at South Field in Provo, Utah on campus at BYU.

In order to advance BYU had to overcome an early deficit after falling behind by eight points 15-7 in the 22nd minute of the first half.

BYU started the scoring first with junior fullback Will Taylor dotting down in the 6th minute following a junior center Seki Kofe’s midfield linebreak. Freshman flyhalf Jonny Linehan would convert and the Cougars led 7-0.

CWU would respond in kind with a driving maul from 5 meters out that led to lock Sean Wanigasekera’s opening Wildcat try in the 11th minute.

Another series of possession exchanges and a BYU penalty would lead to CWU fullback Alex Reher’s penalty kick 15th minute and a CWU lead of 8-7.

Some errors by both sides followed until CWU flyhalf Max Nawerski split the BYU defense in the midfield that eventually led to Wildcat wing Josh Bower scoring from long distance in the 22nd minute.

A wide angle conversion by CWU’s Reher would push the Wildcats’ lead to 15-7 giving the CWU sideline plenty to cheer about.

“They’re [CWU] a good team,” said BYU captain Ryan Roundy, “We knew they were going to come at us hard and in all credit to them they really had us on the ropes there. But I knew our guys had it in them and it was just about getting back to the basics and playing our game.”

The Cougars did just that and used their game to get back into the game with tries from junior winger Chris Wernli and junior hooker Ishmael Tilialo in the 30th and 37th minutes respectively.

At the break the Cougars would edge back into the lead 19-15; a lead which BYU wouldn’t relinquish.

“BYU is a quality program and we knew that coming into this match,” said CWU head coach Tony Pacheco,”We knew we needed to play without mental mistakes and we did that for 40 minutes. We played the first half extremely well at a level where we needed to be. In the second half, we had some momentum opportunities but we didn’t quite seize them. Hats off to BYU for putting it together and coming through some adversity in the first half.”

The second half started with CWU pressuring close to the BYU goal line, when senior prop Ray Forrester poached the Wildcats’ ball in the 43rd minute.

The ball was passed wide through the BYU backline to Wernli who raced past the CWU defense 50 meters to finish the 90 meter-plus long try.

“That was a big play,” said BYU assistant coach Justen Nadauld, “That could have dramatically changed how the course of the second half went had they been able to score. It really put the momentum in our direction and we were able to build on it.”

BYU freshman scrum half Luke Mocke was next to score for the Cougars in the 51st minute after a deft chip and chase close to the sideline gave the young halfback his first try of the game.

Another try for the Cougars from Kofe in the 53rd minute was followed by a Linehan penalty that would push the BYU lead out to 41-15.

Mocke would squirm his way for another short-range try in the 65th minute, which was followed by a final BYU try from Roundy in the 75th minute.

A late try from CWU in the 78th minute by replacement wing Shelby Williams would round out the final score in favor of the Cougars 53-20.

“I thought CWU played very well in the first half,” said BYU head coach David Smyth, “They really had us on the back foot for long periods of time. They were able to disrupt our set pieces as well. But when we were able to maintain possession and set a better platform from which to release our backs, I thought we were pretty dangerous and did some nice things.”

Tickets for Saturday’s championship clash are available for advance purchase at BYUTickets.com.

MATCH SUMMARY: BYU vs. CWU–April 27, 2013
BYU 1st XV

1. David Collins (David Williams 48′)
2. Ishmael Tilialo (Scott Gowdy 45′)
3. Ray Forrester
4. TJ Allred
5. Kyle Sumsion
6. Dan Hubert (Braden Bair 56′)
7. Kody Thompson (Jeff Ott 73′)
8. Ryan Roundy (c)
9. Luke Mocke (Inoke Funaki 75′)
10. Jonny Linehan (Lelann Latu 70′)
11. Jordan Lowry
12. Seki Kofe (Andrew Carver 70′)
13. Paul Lasike
14. Chris Wernli
15. Will Taylor

CWU 1st XV

1. Korbin Lindell
2. Jacob Bates
3. Clint Lemkus
4. Tyler Coffman
5. Sean Wanigasekera
6. Patrick Blair
7. Aladdin Schirmer
8. Ryan Snider
9. Andrew Nelson
10. Max Narewski
11. Josh Bower
12. Zach Siemens
13. Tanner Barnes
14. Beau Nichols
15. Alex Reher

SCORING:
BYU: 53
TRIES: Taylor 6′; Wernli 30′, 44′; Tilialo 37′; Mocke 51′, 65′; Kofe 53′; Roundy 75′
CONVERSIONS: Linehan 5/7; Lasike 0/1
PENALTIES: Linehan 1/2 (56′)

CWU: 8
TRIES: Wanigasekera 11′; Bower 22′
CONVERSIONS: Reher 1/2
PENALTIES: Reher 1/1 (15′)

Central Washington University has released their starting line-up for the Varsity Cup Semi-Final vs. BYU. The Wildcats will face off against the defending National Champion BYU rugby team Saturday, April 27th at 1pm MT on South Field.

With a 10-1 record on the 2013 season the Wildcats are setting to do something that hasn’t been in Provo by a collegiate team since 2006 and that’s beat the BYU Cougars.

“We have a big challenge ahead on Saturday,” said CWU head coach Tony Pacheco,”The Cougars have an impressive combination of size and speed. We have had a great week of training and are excited for the semi final. South Field is one of the great venues for rugby in America with one of the best home crowds.”

A win on Saturday would put the Wildcats in the Varsity Cup National Collegiate Rugby Championship which is set for May 4th at 1pm MT on BYU’s South Field. Should the Wildcats advance they will face the winner of the other Varsity Cup semifinal, which sees perennial national champion California hosting Navy in Berkeley, CA April 27th at 2pm PT.

The BYU vs. CWU semifinal match will be broadcast on the Varsity Cup’s YouTube Channel and through Deseret Media’s KSL.com and DesNews.com streaming platforms giving local, but also national and international fans the chance to see the Cougars and Wildcats’ Varsity Cup clash.

Ellensburg, WA– Central Washington University will face off against the defending National Champion BYU rugby team in the Varsity Cup National Collegiate Championship semifinals this Saturday, April 27th at 1pm MT on South Field.

The Cougars and Wildcats are familiar foes with a recent meeting in 2012 where BYU prevailed 76-7. But BYU head coach David Smyth knows this week’s match-up will be a dramatically different affair with CWU.

“CWU is a top-flight team,” Smyth said, “They have some very exciting playmakers and are very hard to defend in the open field. And after seeing some of their film from this year its clear that they’re not the same team from last year.”

CWU advanced to this weekend’s semifinal after beating a strong Air Force Academy team last week at the Varsity Cup Western Super-Regional by the score of 81-28.

And with a 10-1 record on the 2013 season the Wildcats are setting to do something that hasn’t been in Provo by a collegiate team since 2006 and that’s beat the BYU Cougars.

“We have a big challenge ahead on Saturday,” said CWU head coach Tony Pacheco,”The Cougars have an impressive combination of size and speed. We have had a great week of training and are excited for the semi final. South Field is one of the great venues for rugby in America with one of the best home crowds.”

BYU earned the right to host this weekend’s semifinal after beating UCLA at the Varsity Cup Western Super-Regional 69-8 last Saturday.

The Cougars sit at 10-2 on the 2013 season with a 10-0 record against collegiate competition.

Despite being the #1 overall seed in the Varsity Cup National Championship and being the defending National Collegiate Champions, BYU captain Ryan Roundy knows that the Cougars will have to be on their best if they hope to keep South Field’s collegiate unbeaten streak alive.

“This is a big game no doubt about it,” Roundy said, “We always expect to play well at home in front of our fans. And we’ll have to really be on top of all the little things if we want to make sure we do that and advance to the championship.”

A win on Saturday would put the Wildcats in the Varsity Cup National Collegiate Rugby Championship which is set for May 4th at 1pm MT on BYU’s South Field. Should the Wildcats advance they will face the winner of the other Varsity Cup semifinal, which sees perennial national champion California hosting Navy in Berkeley, CA April 27th at 2pm PT.

The BYU vs. CWU semifinal match will be broadcast on the Varsity Cup’s YouTube Channel and through Deseret Media’s KSL.com and DesNews.com streaming platforms giving local, but also national and international fans the chance to see the Cougars and Wildcats’ Varsity Cup clash.

Tickets for Saturday’s match can be bought at the gate for $10 for general admission and $5 for students and youth 18 and under.

Los Angeles, CA–The Central Washington Wildcats beat a physical Air Force squad 81-28 today to advance to the Varsity Cup National Championships semifinals.

Both teams started the match with gusto as each side worked to probe and penetrate the other’s defensive line.

After some continual pressure an Air Force penalty gave CWU’s Alex Reher a shot at a penalty goal in the 8th minute. Reher’s kick was true and the Wildcats took a small lead that they wouldn’t relinquish.

CWU would continue to battle as the Air Force Academy moved into the CWU territory over the course of the ensuing minutes. But four tries by CWU in succession would take the Wildcats’ lead out to 29-0 before AFA would finally break through for their first score in the 29th minute.

CWU would dot down twice more to Air Force’s one try to make the half time scoreline 43-14.

The second was much of the same as CWU’s open-field running set up 5 more tries while Air Force battled well to the finish by scoring a pair of tries.

The final score of 81-28 was in the Wildcats’s favor and head coach Tony Pacheco felt his team hold their own against a strong Air Force side.

“Proud of the way the team played and responded to a physical opponent in Air Force,” Pacheco said, “We will need to be more accurate going into BYU and certainly look forward to another great Varsity Cup competition.”

CWU now travels to Provo, UT to take on the Cougars of BYU on April 27th. Kick-off for the BYU vs. CWU tilt is set for 1pm MT and can viewed online on the Varsity Cup’s YouTube channel.

CWU Director of Rugby Bob Ford was grateful for the Varsity Cup organizers and UCLA for the great Western Super-Regional experience and set up.

“UCLA did a fantastic job of hosting the West Super Regional of the Varsity Cup,” Ford said, ‘The entire set up and execution of the event was focused on the player and fan experience.”

For more information on the Varsity Cup National Collegiate Rugby Championship go to VarsityCup.US.

CWU vs. AFA Scoring Timeline:

Penalty – Alex Reher 3 @ 8:00
Try – Zach Siemens @ 14:00, Conversion Alex Reher
Try – Tyler Coffman @ 19:00, Conversion Alex Reher
Try – Sean Wanigasekera @ 23:00, Conversion Alex Reher
Try – Jacob Bates @ 26:00, Conversion Missed
Try – Air Force @29:00, Conversion Made
Try – Jacob Bates @ 31:00, Conversion Alex Reher
Try – Tanner Barnes @ 35:00, Conversion Alex Reher
Try – Air Force @ 40:00, Conversion Made
Half 43-14
Try – Aladdin Schirmer @ 44:00, Conversion Missed
Try – Air Force @ 55:00, Conversion Made
Try – Josh Bower @57:00, Conversion Alex Reher
Try – Air Force @ 60:00, Conversion Made
Try – Josh Bower @64:00, Conversion Missed
Try – Shelby Williams @ 71:00, Conversion Alex Reher
Try – Tanner Barnes @ 73:00, Conversion Alex Reher
Final – CWU: 81 AFA 28

Central Washington University has just released their line-up as they ready for kick off against the Air Force Academy at 2:00 p.m. today on the campus of UCLA. The Wildcats will look to improve on their last weekend 21-10 victory over Cal Poly knowing full well that the Zoomies will be a much more physical and direct side. CWU will be captained by senior Ryan Snider who will look to set the tone early from the flanker position. To watch all the action streamed live click here.

Provo, UT—The Varsity Cup today released ticketing information for both of next week’s Super-Regionals on the East and West Coasts as well as the Varsity Cup National Collegiate Rugby Championship game set to be hosted at Brigham Young University’s South Field Stadium on May 4^th.

The Varsity Cup championship series begins with the Eastern Super-Regional at the Naval Academy’s Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium on Saturday, April 20th.

The Eastern Super-Regional sees 2011 National Collegiate Champion California taking on Notre Dame at 1.30pm ET and with Navy squaring off with two-time Collegiate Rugby 7’s Champions Dartmouth immediately after at 3.30pm ET.

Tickets for the Easter Super-Regional can be bought for $15 for adults and $5 youth 18 and under at the gate on the day of the games.

Meanwhile on the West Coast the Western Super-Regional matches are set for UCLA’s picturesque North Athletic Field.

The Western Super-Regional matches will see Central Washington face three-time former National Collegiate Champion Air Force and 2012 National Collegiate Champion BYU takes on UCLA at 2pm PT and 4pm PT respectively.

Advanced tickets for the Western Super-Regional matches can be bought online at TicketMaster or at the gate for $15 for general admission and $30 for VIP which includes lunch, beverages, event souvenirs, tented seating and a game day program. Must be 21 years old to purchase VIP tickets. To purchase Western Super-Regional tickets online CLICK HERE.

The Varsity Cup also released details for advance ticket purchase for the championship game slated for BYU’s South Field Stadium on May 4^th at 1pm MT.

Seating map for Varsity Cup Championship

Reserved tickets for the Varsity Cup National Collegiate Rugby Championship can be purchased in advance by visiting BYUTickets.com. Tickets can be purchased for $25 for Prime Reserved, $22 for Chair Reserved, $20 for Bleacher Reserved, $15 for General Admission and $10 for Standing Room.

Fans are advised to purchase their tickets to the Varsity Cup National Collegiate Rugby Championship now due to limited availability and high demand.

For more details on the Varsity Cup National Collegiate Rugby Championship go to VarsityCup.US and follow the Varsity Cup on Facebook and Twitter.

Provo, UT—The Varsity Cup announced today that Central Washington University (CWU) has been selected to participate in the 2013 Varsity Cup National Collegiate Rugby Championship.

CWU comes into the Varsity Cup after the forced departure of the University of Utah following a recent administrative suspension of the Utah rugby program.

The Wildcats immediately join the Varsity Cup this postseason with an on-going participation commitment through the 2014 and 2015 seasons.

As an NCAA member institution Central Washington University is led by current head coach Tony Pacheco, who concurrently serves as the USA Rugby Collegiate All American 7’s head coach.

CWU boasts an 8-0 regular season record in 2012-13 and a #5 national ranking in the USA Rugby D1-A poll.

The Wildcats also field one of the country’s top 7’s squads with CWU being 2012 Collegiate 7’s Runners-Up and a spate of recent 7’s rugby tournaments victories over the last year, including an appearance in February’s acclaimed USA Sevens Las Vegas Invitational where CWU advanced to the Cup Championship only to fall to a strong University of Victoria 7’s team.

CWU’s Director of Rugby Bob Ford says the invitation to join the Varsity Cup Championship was an opportunity his program couldn’t afford to pass up.

“The competition structure is something that will provide consistency to our program,” Ford said,”And will provide our players with access to a high level of rugby on a regular basis. This is an opportunity we did not see on our immediate horizon and one that required careful consideration in a compressed timeline. We look forward to the competition the Varsity Cup provides and are excited about promoting the growth of rugby.”

The decision to invite the CWU Wildcats into the inaugural Varsity Cup came after timely but careful consideration with the participating Varsity Cup universities’ administrators and coaching staffs.

“We had significant interest from a number of programs,” said BYU’s David Smyth, “In the end, all of the Varsity Cup universities were unanimous that inviting Central Washington was the best course. We’re pleased to have a team of the caliber of the Wildcats join the Varsity Cup Championship.”

CWU will slot into the vacated #4 seed and meet the Air Force Academy in the Western Super-Regional hosted on the campus of UCLA.

Kick-off for the AFA vs. CWU match is set for 2pm PT on Saturday, April 20th. Meanwhile the hosts will take on 2012 National Collegiate Rugby Champion BYU in the Varsity Cup Western Super-Regional concluding match at 4pm.

The inclusion of CWU doesn’t affect the Eastern Super-Regional as 2011 National Collegiate Rugby Champion California takes on Notre Dame and Navy meets Dartmouth.

Both Eastern Super-Regional matches are also scheduled for April 20^th and are set to be played at 1.30pm ET and 3.30pm ET respectively inside the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.

For more news and information on the Varsity Cup and the participating teams, please go to VarsityCup.US or follow on Facebook and Twitter.

ABOUT THE VARSITY CUP: The Varsity Cup is America’s top collegiate postseason championship. The mission of the Varsity Cup is to grow American rugby by harnessing the collective strength of collegiate rugby and collegiate sport in general. The Varsity Cup features eight of the most recognized and accomplished collegiate rugby programs in the country vying for the right to be named the Varsity Cup National Collegiate Champion.

The eight Varsity Cup teams are the U.S. Air Force Academy, Brigham Young University, the University of California, Dartmouth College, the U.S. Naval Academy, Notre Dame, the University of California, Los Angeles and Central Washington University. In the 33 years of the collegiate rugby championship play 31 of the collegiate national champions have come from one of the eight Varsity Cup teams. In total, a Varsity Cup program has played for the collegiate title in every year of the championship’s existence except for 1984.

The eight Varsity Cup programs also boast hundreds of Collegiate All Americans and scores of USA National Team members making the Varsity Cup a veritable proving ground of American rugby. With the country’s best high-performance training facilities, state of the art match venues and strong coaching experience, the eight Varsity Cup programs set the standard for elite player development in America.

Central Washington University defeated the #2 California and #5 overall seed in the D1-A  post season, Cal Poly 21-10 Saturday. The Wildcats showed great improvement in the contact area and dominated possession throughout the match. However, multiple handling errors kept the Wildcats from scoring in the first half and the 0-0 score in addition to playing into the wind gave the home team plenty to discuss at intermission.

Central opened the second half with a furry and took full advantage of the down hill run pressuring the Cal Poly scrum and lineout at every turn. In the end it was dominate forward play that got the Wildcats out on their front foot and into a comfortable 14-0 lead with tries from Lock, Sean Wanigasekara and Wing, Josh Bower. The support of kicker Alex Reher who was perfect on the day would later prove to be a difference maker.

With the Wildcats in a secure position to close out the match, the 65th through the 70th minute would certainly test their resolve. Cal Poly mounted two quick scores with the second coming off an errant counter attack which saw the ball bounce directly into the hand of a the covering Cal Poly attackers with no one in a position to make a tackle the Cal Poly attacker walked in untouched. With both tries going unconverted fans got a great thrill as the score line closed to 14-10. But the Wildcats would assert their physical dominance once again as Hooker, Jacob Bates was on the receiving end of  a multi phase attack that would put the final exclamation mark on the match leveling the score at 21-10 after the final Reher conversion.

After the match the Wildcats were hosted by several Alumni including James Veredie and Scott Ciraulo who tended to “old smokey” and prepared a massive meal for the team. All the player walked away with plenty of food and seniors were met by family, friends and past players including: Nathan Larson (Dorn), Adam Pugh (Eddie), Blake Davidson (BD), the great Badger, and Ryan Bishop.

Central Washington University will play host to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo this Saturday at 1 p.m. in what will serve as the Wildcats final regular season match in D1-A competition for the 2012-13 season. As the only independant team in D1-A, Central Washington has elected not to challenge the #2 California seed for a spot in the D1-A playoffs on April 20, 2013 which would have seen the Wildcats make a return trip to California to play Cal Poly San Luis Obsipo.  Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. at the Alder Recreation Complex located east of the Varsity Soccer Complex on the corner of 18th and Alder. This weekends match will not be webcast so make your travel plans now to catch the Wildcats Live!

Please note the CWU Team Awards and Alumni Banquet has been moved to May 18th. We hope that CWU Alumni, Friends and Family will join us to celebrate what is shaping up to be a very exciting 41st year of CWU Rugby !

Click here to watch Central vs St. Mary’s Live at 12:00 Noon (PT)

April 4, 2013

After careful consideration Central Washington University has notified USA Rugby that they will decline their right to a post season challenge match on April 20th at the #2 California Seed. The Wildcats will continue to meet their regular season obligations for the 2012-13 season by hosting St. Mary’s College of California and Cal Poly on April 6th and 13th respectively.

The Wildcats will host the Gaels of Moraga this Saturday in a battle of two undefeated teams. St. Mary’s comes into the competition ranked #3 according to the most recent D1A rankings while the Wildcats come in at #5. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:00 Saturday at the Varsity Soccer Complex located on the corner of 18th and Alder in Ellensburg, WA. Fans should arrive early as the match is expected to draw a near capacity crowd. Live streaming will also be available at www.youtube.com/usarugbytv

Central Washington will kick off vs the University of Colorado at 1pm PT in Ellensburg, WA at the Varsity Soccer complex on the corner of 18th and Alder. The Wildcats are currently undefeated with a 4-0 record in the D1A competition having hosted their first of four home games last weekend which saw the Wildcats defeat the University of Wyoming 60-0. Colorado is currently 1-0 in DI-A West play, having beaten Northern Colorado 42-20 in their season opener.

CWU Men’s Rugby defeats University of Northern Colorado 71-0 at Infinity Park in Glendale, Colorado. The Wildcats fought hard to overcome extreme weather conditions that required the field to be cleared by tractors prior to kickoff. Central was lead by man of the match Alex Reher who controlled the tempo of the match from the Flyhalf position. Reher also lead the Wildcat kicking efforts converting 4 of 5 attempts in the 1st half and 1 of 3 in the second while also running in a try of his own to account for 15 of the Wildcats 71 points. Central was also able to dictate the terms of contact and dominated set piece options putting the Wildcats on their front foot.

Central played without starting lock Sean Wanigasekera who was unavailable for the weekend and tight head prop Korbin Lindell who was attending the U-20 National team camp in Las Vegas. Sophomore prop Eric Kress took on the duties at tight head and did well to play a full 80 minutes while Junior Hayden Spevacek filled in at lock also putting in a full performance.

The Wildcats saw standout performances from several players including halfback reserve Andrew Nelson who came on at half and scored two excellent tries while doing well to coordinate the attack effort along side Max Narewski who moved into the Flyhalf position when Zack Siemens came off at Fullback with Reher picking up the leadership for the back three.

Tyler Coffman proved to be a difference maker in contact for the Wildcats playing 2nd row. He dominated the Lineouts and put in plenty of work at scrum time. He showed great work rate around the pitch and is a player the coaches are expecting a great deal of going forward. Coffman put an exclamation on his performance when he ran a perfect line in the midfield breaking through the UNC defense and finishing a try from 25 meters out.

Senior Beau Nichols came on at the 60-minute mark for sophomore wing Shelby Williams doing well to convert 2-2 on conversions.

The Wildcats will now look forward to hosting their first match of the 2013 D1-A competition Sunday March 17th when they take on the University of Wyoming in Ellensburg at the Varsity Soccer Complex on the corner of 18th and Alder.

For a full list of all try scorers and a play by play of the match check out CWU RUGBY NOW!

Central will play Northern Colorado at Infinity Park March 9, 2013 at 4:15pm (Mountain Time). Family and Friends should contact Coach Pacheco for ticket information at: pachecan@cwu.edu

All tickets purchased through CWU Rugby will be available at Will Call day of the match, tickets are $6.00 per person. See you there!

Central Washington clinched the Cascade Cup this past Saturday as they dispatched the Western Washington University Vikings 44-0. Central placed an important emphasis on their set piece and it paid dividens as the Wildcats dominated the scrum and lineouts creating multiple attacking opportunities and continuing to put the Vikings under pressure in their own half.

The first half started with a try by Ryan Snider and a Alex Reher conversion putting the Wildcats up 7-0. Central then tested the Vikings several times maintaining possession deep in the Western half and finally cracked the try line again just before half when Tanner Barnes broke loose in the midfield before the end of the 1st half.

The second half was all CWU as the Wildcats ran in 6 tries in all with 2 tries coming off pushover scrums and 2 from lineout mauls as Central asserted their physical dominance. The Wildcats will now turn their focus towards a showdown with Northern Colorado at Infinity Park in Colorado. Central will need to focus on improving their kicking as they return to D1A competition as the Wildcats left more than 14 points on the table against the Vikings in failed conversions.

Central will face off with their cross state rival the Western Washington Vikings Saturday, February 23rd. The 2nd XV will play the curtain raiser at 11:30am followed by the 1st XV as the main event starting at 1:00 pm. The match will be played at a neutral site, Magnuson Park 7400 Sand Point Way NE Seattle, WA. Both teams will look to come away as the Cascade Cup Champions making this a match you won’t want to miss. So come out and show your Wildcat Pride as CWU looks to extend their winning streak vs the Vikings.

Following the match their will be a CWU Alumni Reception at Paddy Coynes starting at 3:30 pm. Parents, Family, Alumni and Friends of the program are all welcome to come and celebrate with the team after the match. Go Cats!

The Oakland Warthog rugby team is grieving for the loss of four teens killed Monday in a crash coming home from the Las Vegas 7′s. Two of their players were killed along with the sister of one of the team members in addition to another female friend. Another passenger, and Oakland Warthog player, was airlifted to a hospital and is in serious condition.

Our hearts and prayers go out to the families of these kids and to the Oakland Warthogs. Please do what you can to help. They are raising money for funeral and medical costs for the families involved and are looking to the rugby community to help. CWU Rugby will be making a donation to the club, and if you would like to individually help, please see below for details on how you can help.

Here is a message from their coach Ryan Burke:

———————————————

All,

As you may or may not know, we lost two of our former players, from our Championship season two seasons ago, in a car accident on their way back from Las Vegas 7′s Rugby. 4 teenagers passed away in the accident and the lone survivor, who is a current player, is currently recovering in the hospital after coming out of a coma on Tuesday morning.

The families are experiencing emotional devastation along with funeral service or medical costs from this tragedy. The Warthogs are looking to make miracles from this tragedy by gathering our local community, the RUGBY community, and hopefully international community to come together to support the families. We expect the costs to be a minimum of $75,000 amongst the families and this is our fundraising goal. I am asking each of you to pass along this message to as many as possible, in whatever format you believe will assist us in obtaining this goal.

How to donateDonations will be accepted through March 15, 2013.

A. Visit their GoDonate page and donate securely online.
B. Contact Ryan Burke at burke4rugby@gmail.com if you want to send a check. (You can also give a check to Matt or Nancy Taylor in person and we’ll see that they get it) Checks should be made out to Bay Area Youth Rugby.
News link of Accident

Funeral Services
Expected to be held on weekend of 2/23/13. Details as they become available will be uploaded on facebook and on the Oakland Rugby Team website

Benefit Concert Fundraiser
4 of the five passengers were part of the band Valufa. They are a good reggae genre band and made friends with all artists they played shows with so many of the good artists are paying tribute by playing a benefit concert on Saturday, March 2, 2013 in Oakland. More information to follow.

Who to contact with other questions Ryan Burke burke4rugby@gmail.com

Who were the three ruggers that passed away?

David “Momo” Moa 8 Man for the Oakland Warthogs 2011 NCYRA Varsity Silver Division Championship Team, son of David Moa of the Oakland Barbarians Men’s Team. David Moa was a great kid and teammate that always showed up to practice and loved playing sports and being a part of a team. He was a load to bring down. He was often quiet although he was a singer in his family band Valufa. He was often quiet with a serious look on his face, so it was always a joy to get him to smile. He was attending and playing football at Laney College.

Soasi “George” Moa Tight Head Prop for the Oakland Warthogs 2011 NCYRA Varsity Silver Division Championship Team, son of Lani Moa of the Oakland Barbarians Men’s Team. He was a joy to have around and always showed up on game day to compete for most meters after contact as well as broken tackles. He became more committed as the season went along and played a big part of us being a championship team. He was always good about cracking a joke at the right time and getting teammates to laugh and smile.

Rachel Fisi’iahi played front row for the Alameda Riptide team in the 2010-11 season. She always came ready to play, and her sense of humor and kindness were beloved by many both on and off the field. Rachel was always willing to put in extra work and time, and it showed on the field with her bruising runs. Rachel graduated from Oakland High School in 2011 and was a student at CCSF. She will be missed greatly by the Alameda Rugby family.

Malia Moa was David Moa’s youngest sister who played the keyboard in the band Valufa. She was just like older brother, except not so quiet. She was fun to be around and wanted everybody to be happy and have a good time. She could be found cheering at every rugby game that David played in. She was a Senior at Castlemont High School, in Oakland.

Ryan Burke, President
Oakland Warthogs Youth Rugby Program
650-867-4292
http://www.oaklandwarthogsrfc.com
Rugby is a sport for all which is proud of its values and remains true to them. The Game’s core values are:

*INTEGRITY – Integrity is central to the fabric of the Game and is generated through honesty and fair play
*PASSION – Rugby people have a passionate enthusiasm for the Game. Rugby generates excitement, emotional attachment and a sense of belonging to the global Rugby family
*SOLIDARITY – Rugby provides a unifying spirit that leads to lifelong friendships, camaraderie, teamwork and loyalty which transcends cultural, geographic, political and religious differences
*DISCIPLINE – Discipline is an integral part of the Game, both on and off the field, and is reflected through adherence to the Laws, the Regulations and Rugby’s core values
*RESPECT – Respect for team mates, opponents, match officials and those involved in the Game is paramount.

Central is into the CUP final and will play University of Victoria for the Championship. The match will kickoff at 4:02 pm in Sam Boyd Stadium.

Central Washington has made it through to Day 3 of the Las Vegas Invitational Tournament getting a boost of confidence from CWU Rugby Alumni Joseph Trevino. Trevino a 2003 graduate of Central Washington University provided the entire team with custom mouth guards. “It was awesome” said CWU Captain Patrick Blair. To have someone show up at your hotel take impressions and deliver custom fitted mouth guards the next morning was unbelievable. Trevino a former CWU Rugby player claims the mouth pieces provide a 15% increase in overall performance and the Wildcats showed there is “no substitute” for the Trevino Mouth Guard as they walked away still undefeated in tournament play. The Wildcats started Day 2 of the tournament at 8:40 am with a 22-12 victory over Stony Brook University. The Wildcats then dispatched the Colorado School of Mines 66-0 to see them through to the Cup Quarter Final match vs Air Force Saturday morning at 10:00 am on field #2 just outside Sam Boyd Stadium. The Wildcats will look to build on their performances on Day 2 and will need to raise the bar as the competition heads into the knock out rounds.

10:00 CWU vs Air Force (Winner will play at 12:20 in Cup Semi Final)  Field #2

12:20 Cup Semi Final (Winner of SDSU vs Claremont Colleges)  Field #2

4:02 Cup Final (Sam Boyd Stadium)

Field 2 is located at: Star Nursery Fields – 7000 East Russell Road, Las Vegas, NV 89122 next to Sam Boyd Stadium.

Central Washington will compete in Pool F at the Las Vegas Invitational. All matches will be played on Field #1 or Field #2 located at: Star Nursery Fields – 7000 East Russell Road, Las Vegas, NV 89122 next to Sam Boyd Stadium.

Pool F: Central Washington University, University of Denver, University of Missouri, and Stony Brook University

The Wildcats will kick off at 8:40 am vs the University of Missouri on Field #1 on Thursday February 7th for their first pool match of the tournament. They will then face off against the University of Denver at 11:20 am on Field #1 to close at match play on day one. On day two the Wildcats will kick off at 8:40 am vs Stony Brook University on Friday February 8th on Field #1 and will then await final pool results to determine their next match time and location.

For a full review of pool matches including elimination rounds click here.

Advancement in 7’s Divisions will be based on the following criteria: 

Points will be awarded to teams based on their results in their preliminary rounds

3 points for a win, 2 points for a draw, 1 point for a loss, 0 points for a forfeit.

Ties remain standing in preliminary matches; there is no overtime.

If at the completion of the preliminary rounds, two teams have the same number of points, the following procedure will be used to determine the leading team:

i. The winner of the match between the teams, if one occurred, shall be deemed the leading team.

ii. If the match in (i) is drawn, then the team with the highest point differential (points scored for less point scored against) shall be deemed the leading team. If the tie remains unresolved then,

iii. The team with the highest margin of tries scored for and against shall be deemed the leading team. If the tie remains unresolved then,

iv. The team that has scored the highest number of points shall be deemed the leading team. If the tie remains unresolved, then

v. The team that has scored the highest number of tries shall be deemed the leading team.

vi. If more than two teams are tied, then rules ii, iii, iv and v from above apply.

vii. If teams are still tied after consideration of above, the winner will be decided by the toss of a coin.

Central Washington University Men’s Rugby team is now 3-0 on the season with a 78-0 victory on the road at Sacramento State. Central Washington dominated field position and possession for the majority of the match creating multiple scoring opportunities.

Once again the Wildcats were led by a very balanced attack with  11 different players scoring tries. Patrick Blair, Shelby Williams, and Aladdin Schirmer led Central with two tries a piece. Tries were added by Tanner Barnes, Zach Siemens, Sean Wanigasekara,  Josh Bower, Ryan Snider, Ben Rokocoko, Max Narewski, Clint Lemkus.  Conversions were added by Nick Dean and Narewski.

The Wildcats will now turn their sites on a 24 team Sevens tournament in Las Vegas. CWU won the Las Vegas Invitational in 2011 and advanced to Collegiate Rugby Championship (CRC) in Philadelphia, PA hosted by NBC. Central will look to make a statement about their goal to return to the tournament and are looking forward to the competition. The Wildcats will return to fifteens on February 23rd when they take on Western Washington University in a cross state rivalry match at 1:00pm in Seattle at Magnuson Park. For a match report vs Sacramento State please see below:

8:00 Try Patrick Blair/Conversion Max Narewski

18:00 Try Clint Lemkus/Missed Conversion Max Narewski

23:00 Try Shelby Williams/Missed Conversion Max Narewski

28:00 Try Max Narewski/Missed Conversion Max Narewski

31:00 Try Aladdin Schirmer/Missed Conversion Max Narewski

36:00 Try Shelby Williams/Missed Conversion Zach Siemens

40:00 Try Zach Siemens/Missed Conversion Zach Siemens

1^st Half 37-0

48:00 Try Patrick Blair/Missed Conversion Max Narewski

51:00 Try Aladdin Schirmer/Conversion Max Narewski

63:00 Try Tanner Barnes/Missed Conversion John Ray

66:00 Try Josh Bower/Conversion Josh Bower

73:00 Try Ryan Snider/Missed Conversion John Ray

76:00 Try Sean Wanigasekera/Missed Conversion John Ray

80:00 Try Ben Rokocoko/Conversion Nick Dean

2^nd Half 41-0

Final 78-0 (W) CWU

Story provided by: http://rugbymag.com/news/off-the-field/awards/6928-rhino-rugby-player-of-the-week-sean-wanigasekara.html

Rhino Rugby Player of the Week: Sean Wanigasekara

You don’t often hear about the lock forward scoring four tries, but it happened on Saturday when Sean Wanigasekara did so for Central Washington against Santa Clara University as the Wildcats won 61-5.

It was a crucial game for CWU, as they launch on a strange season without a conference in which to play. CWU is playing an independent DI-A schedule, with a good performance meaning they get to play against a team from the California Conference in order to move on.

The problem for CWU is, they aren’t sure how good a record they need, so they are shooting for undefeated. This game was their first DI-A game.

For Wanigasekara it has been a strange season so far, too. Last year’s captain, he acknowledges he was a bit weighed down by the position, and perhaps didn’t let his own game run free as a result.

“Last year was a lot of pressure,” said Wanigasekara, 24, who has been playing the game since he was five years old. “Maybe this year, seeing as I am not captain, I am just not worrying about it the same way. I still make the lineout calls, but not having full responsibility of 14 other guys is different.”

CWU Coach Tony Pacheco said he is seeing a more confident Wanigasekara also.

“I feel he put too much pressure on himself and tried to do too much last year,” said Pacheco. “This year he is focusing on what he does well and showing good form.”

The early stages of Saturday’s match with Santa Clara were tough and physical, but the Wildcats were up to the challenge. Wanigasekara scored twice on pick-and-jams, busting through the defense around the fringe of the ruck.

But then things started to open up as the fitter Central Washington team got to run.

“It was nice after practicing on a basketball court indoors this winter to get out and stretch our legs in 65-degeree weather,” said the Economics and Public Relations double major. “We have started clicking as a team. I like how the forwards have an open-play mentality. Even though I got four tries it was a team effort. As forwards, all eight of us play as loose forwards, and the only reason that can happen is that our backs are equally good at rucking. We can spread out and we don’t need the tight five doing all the powerhouse rucks. Everyone can hold his own in contact.”

As a result on his third try Wanigasekara was in the backline, saw the defense drifting out, cut his support line back inside and took a nice scissor pass that set him free for a 40-meter ramble to the tryline just as he was tackled.

On his fourth, he was at the end of the backline, took the corner, and scored.

“I guess I scored it like a wing because I hit the corner flag,” he joked.

It was a nice way to cap off a good day, and likely a good senior year for one of Central Washington’s smartest and most important players.

Sean Wanigasekara is our Rhino Rugby Player of the Week.

Central Washington University will take on Sacramento State University in its second D1-A match of the season. The Wildcats will look to build on their 65-5 victory over Santa Clara last weekend. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 pm at Sacramento State University, 6000 J Street, Sacramento, CA 95819 on Intramural Fields behind Yosemite Hall, near the soccer field. http://www.csus.edu/campusmap/

CWU Squad vs Sac State:
Clint Lemkus
Jacob Bates
Korbin Lindell
Sean Wanigasekera
Hayden Spevacek
Patrick Blair
Ryan Snider
Aladdin Schirmer
Max Narewski
Alex Reher
Josh Bower
John Ray
Tanner Barnes
Shelby Williams
Zach Siemens
Gavin Schag
Eric Kress
Griffin Boudia
Beau Davis
Nick Dean
Ben Rokocoko
Beau Nichols
Doug McKinley

CWU traveled 35 players to Santa Clara last Saturday in hopes of developing some young players and kicking off their season as the only independent team in D1-A Rugby this year. The Wildcats obliterated the host team 61-5 and 108-0 in the two match affair which provided Central with exactly what they needed as they turn their sites towards Sac State this weekend as the teams prepares for their 2nd trip to the golden state in as many weeks. Although the Wildcats are pleased with the results and total team victories on the weekend, Coach Ford and Pacheco are still looking for major improvements. “We need to develop more aggression at the point of contact, and we need to improve our lines of attack” said coach Ford after the match. Central knows the competition will continue to get harder as the season moves on and they face off against better skilled and more drilled opponents but after training inside for the last four weeks the Wildcats are going to be ready for Sac State which signals yet another opportunity to get outside and run.

Central was lead this weekend by the four try performance of Sean Wanigasekera along with teammates Jacob Bates, Aladdin Schirmer, Josh Bower, Tanner Barnes, Doug McKinley, and Shelby Williams who each scored 1 try a piece to lift the cats to 2-0 record.

http://cwusportclubs.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/cwu-rugby.jpg

By JOSH PETRIE sports editor

Central Washington University has one of the premier collegiate men’s rugby programs in the nation, but it doesn’t fit in geographically with its peers. The closest worthy adversaries are in California and the Mountain time zone.

The Wildcats were a staple of the Division 1-A Pacific Conference, but with more California schools moving up came fewer willing to travel north. So CWU will go it alone this season, becoming the top flight’s only independent squad for the 2013 season.

“It wasn’t really our preference. We wanted to stay,” CWU head coach Tony Pacheco said. “As they added schools, some of those schools voiced they didn’t want to come to Ellensburg, basically. So I think to kind of appease the masses, we came up with a creative solution to play as an independent.”

Check out the whole story at the Daily Record

This Saturday the Wildcats will head to Corvallis, Oregon to take on the Beavers. Kick off is scheduled for high noon at “Student Legacy Park 2″ on campus at Oregon State. Central will compete in two matches on the day and will be looking to identify top players for their opening D1A match vs Santa Clara next weekend.

Student Legacy Park 2 on campus at OSU (artificial turf complex)
12:00 1st XV – OSU v CWU
1:50 2nd XV – OSU v CWU

Directions: Student Legacy Park 2
- Cnr SW Washington Way and SW 26th St
Corvallis OR
(This is opposite Dixon Recreation Center on campus at OSU and was the location of the OSU 7′s)
- Surface is field turf
- Parking is adjacent to the field

Central Washington University will advance to the quarterfinals of the USA Rugby Sevens National Championship for the second straight year. Central finished day one of pool play undefeated dispatching the University of Texas 19-0, University of Virginia 36-0, and Kutztown University (Pennsylvania) 26-17.

Central will face off against the Blue Hens of Delaware at 10:20am (CST) in a quarter final match this Saturday. Fans can tune in to watch the Wildcats Live on Youtube (click here). Fans can also follow the event on ESPN 3 once the tournament progresses to the Semi Final Rounds starting at 11:40 am (CST). Central will play live on ESPN 3 at either 12:40 (CST) or 1:40 pm (CST) if they advance to the Semi Final match where they would await the winner of Arkansas State & Kutztown. Don’t miss any of the actions as the Wildcats continue their quest for a national championship, see the full schedule of matches below.

COLLEGE STATION, Texas-Central Washington Rugby is looking to build on their 2nd place finish at the 2012 USA Rugby National 7′s Championships in College Station, Texas.The tournament  kicks off Nov. 30th and concludes Dec. 1st. All the action will be easy to follow from your computer or tablet as they will live streamed on the USA Rugby YouTube TV Channel. The cup semifinals as well as the championship will be streamed on ESPN3.

Following CWU Rugby as never been easier. Follow the team on Facebook and get instant results of matches or follow the action on Twitter via @USAEaglesRugby, @Goffonrugby, @RUGBY_Magazine and @Pat_Clifton. Use hashtag #College7s to join the conversation. Also follow @CWURECREATION for updates on Central Rugby.

ESPN3 Live College 7s Schedule | Saturday, December 1, 2012
11:40am CT – Women’s Cup Semi Final 1
12:00pm CT – Women’s Cup Semi Final 2
12:20pm CT – Men’s Plate Semi Finals 1
12:40pm CT – Men’s Plate Semi inals 2
1:00pm CT – Men’s Cup Semi Final 1
1:20pm CT – Men’s Cup Semi Final 2
5:30pm CT – Women’s Cup Final
6:00pm CT – Men’s Cup Final

Join the Wildcats as they compete for a National Championship November 30th-December 1st in College Station, TX. For a full schedule of matches click here.

Central will compete in Pool C against Texas, Virgina, and Kutztown with the winner of each pool plus 2 additional teams with the highest points total advancing to the Cup Quarterfinals and will be seeded 1-8. Competition points will be awarded for each of the pool matches as follows: Win = 3 points, Tie = 2 points, and Loss = 1 point.

WRITTEN BY CODY SECKER / http://www.rugbymag.com

It didn’t take long to establish the dominant force at the NCRC 7s Tournament in Seattle this weekend. The Central Washington Wildcats, like they have done throughout the 7s season, had a mission and wanted to prove if anyone wanted a trip to the national championship, they had to go through them.

Geoff Vlcek photo / http://www.facebook.com/GVPhotography

Geoff Vlcek photo / http://www.facebook.com/GVPhotography

Coming back as the defending NCRC 7s Championships from a year ago, CWU was the team that had the target on their backs. However, Head Coach Tony Pacheco and his players seemed at ease and confident from the beginning.

“They really brought it today and had some great training sessions,” Pacheco said. “They continue to work hard and getting better every day.”

Despite a bit of rust in their first game against Western Oregon in which they won 26-0, the Wildcats got back to their usual form in a 47-5 rout of the Oregon Ducks. From there it was all downhill for a Central team that features a talented roster.

Led by the eight tries of Shelby Williams, five from Jacob Bates and four from Tanner Barnes; the Wildcats feasted on the competition. After their dismantling of the Ducks, Central beat WSU and UW by a combined score of 114-0, cruising to the final match against Western Washington.

And with Western beating up Oregon pretty convincingly, but pulling out a victory in a thriller 22-17 over Oregon State, the Vikings looked a bit beat up for the final match. When the game kicked off, CWU took the game as a bit of a rivalry and took it to the Vikings from the get go.

“This game is a rivalry in every sport that these two programs play against each other,” CWU coach Tony Pacheco said. “Western is a great program that is on the rise and are doing a lot of great things right now, we are happy that this rivalry has been renewed for years to come.”

From beginning to end, CWU played as consistently and balanced as they have throughout the entire NCRC season. Being patient with their patterns and staying focused on keeping their lanes defensively to make sure there little to no weaknesses that teams could take advantage to score.

A total of five different players scored in the final match and total of 12 scored throughout the tournament to further prove their supremacy. After the game, it was business as usual despite winning the NCRC cup and earning a trip to nationals in College Station, TX.

“It was an awesome feeling and I’m sure the entire team is excited,” Tanner Barnes said after the game, one of the guys Pacheco was quick to mention that had a great tournament. “We’ve still got a lot more work to do and get back to training for nationals in a month.

Central Washington University freshman Tanner Barnes and Aladdin Schirmer have both been picked to represent the United States in the first match of the Junior Rugby World Trophy against Tonga in Salt Lake City, Utah. Barnes has been named to the starting 15 while Schirmer will look to make an impact as a reserve player in the backrow. Both Barnes and Schirmer have been in the U-20 pipeline since their first assembly in January and represented the US as they swept Canada in a May test series.  To support Barnes and Schirmer, Wildcat Fans are encouraged to tune in and watch all the action live viewers should note that match times are listed in Mountain Daylight Time. For more information on the JWTR go to irb.com.

Article Courtesy of USA RUGBY – www.usarugby.org

BOULDER, Colo. – The coach that will help develop the next generation of Olympic rugby hopefuls has been named by USA Rugby.  Tony Pacheco will coach the USA Rugby Men’s Collegiate All-American Sevens team and work to prepare the athletes for the demands of senior international rugby.

With the inclusion of seven-a-side rugby in the 2016 Summer Olympics, USA Rugby has prioritized the development of sevens athletes in order to prepare Team USA for Rio 2016 and the preceding qualification process.

Pacheco had an excellent playing career as a USA Under-19, was a standout at Kentwood Rugby Club, and a member of The Olympic Club.  Pacheco followed his playing career with an impressive sevens coaching record as an assistant at Old Puget Sound Beach and head coach at Central Washington University.

The new coach looks forward to the opportunity to work with the best men’s college rugby athletes in the country and will prepare the team to compete in the Emirates Airline USA Rugby Men’s All-Star Sevens National Championships from August 17-19 at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif.

Pacheco scouted the Collegiate Rugby Championship Invitational in Philadelphia, Pa. last weekend (June 2-3) and will attend the Men’s Collegiate All-American camp in Houston in June, and work with collegiate rugby coaches around the country to identify players for the team.

“I’m looking for players who play unselfishly, create space for their teammates, and make their teammate look like the All-American,” said Pacheco of the attributes he’s seeking in an All-American Sevens athlete.

The role the new coach will play within the high performance pathway is crucial and working with other elite level coaches such as Salty Thompson with the High School All-Americans, Scott Lawrence with the Junior All-Americans, Matt Sherman the head coach of the All-American fifteens team, and Alexander Magleby the USA Men’s Eagle Sevens head coach, is key to success.

Magleby was the CAA7s Head Coach last year and since that time, three of the players on that team (Duncan Kelm, Rocco Mauer, and Will Holder) have either been invited to a National Team camp or earned an international sevens cap for the USA, a positive indication for the program moving forward.

Coordinating and aligning the Xs and Os on the field is important, but equally important is having a similar culture and similar expectations on and off the field.  In that regard, Pacheco will work very closely with the National Team coaches to ensure players have a clear sense of what they need to do if they hope to wear the red, white, and blue at the senior international level.

Central Washington University has released their 2012 Rugby Camp registration forms. This year CWU is not only offering their annual Boys camp July 10-13, they are also offering a girls camp July 17-20. Campers will be immersed in the University setting and have access to faculty, students, and University staff which are all eager to support their development both personally and as an athlete.

After handling the University of Washington 57-17, Central Washington Rugby will head to Washington State University to take on the Cougars in D1-AA play. The match kick offs at 1 PM in Pullman with a B side game to follow. Directions to the field are listed below.

CWU will host the University of Washington Wednesday March 28th in order to make up a previously scheduled match in February. Kickoff will be at 4pm at the Rugby Pitch located behind Nicholson Pavilion on the Ellensburg Campus of Central Washington University.