West Chester High Schools Rugby team the ‘Wolfpack’ made up from East, Henderson & Rustin students finished second in last weekend’s International Bermuda Rugby 7’s Tournament. The team was led by James Jaques and Dan Brown fresh from winning the Las Vegas International Sevens and representing Eastern States regional selectional team Atlantis Rugby Club. 

Rugby 7’s is the fastest growing team sport in America and will be included in this year’s Olympics (USA are reigning Champions). The Bermuda 7’s, showcases the collegiate opportunities available to High School players, with 12 College teams competing including Ivy League Schools Yale, Columbia and Dartmouth Universities and locally St. Joe’s and Kutztown.

Wolfpack 7’s played in the pool games on Friday evening against a team from Connecticut and two from Bermuda.  The first game could not have been closer with Wolfpack been pipped by Nationally Ranked Greenwich High School (15-14) and then going on to defeat both Bermuda Red (39-0) and the much stronger, faster Bermuda Silver (24-5), who are Coached by probably the World’s greatest ever Fijian Rugby 7’s player Waisale Serevi.  Who with our brave boys enjoyed taking selfies.  After a great first day of Rugby the team returned to Warrick Barracks, to relax on the pink sands of Horseshoe Bay Cove.

The Wolfpack returned Saturday to Hamilton’s Bermuda National Stadium, playing our final pool game against Stanstead High School from Canada and winning (31-5), with strong performances from  Pat McCafferty, Mario Wisnowski, Jack Kilgallen, Cole Seamen and Adam Peterson.  In the semi-final we beat Bermuda Red (40-0), to make the final against Greenwich High School, CT.

Both Coaches stated that the final ‘Could not finish any tighter, than the first game’ but they were wrong.  The first half ended 7-7 Greenwich scoring first wide out in the right hand corner and making a unbelievable drop goal.  James Jaques our scrum-half made a darting run up the middle scoring under the posts at the perfect time, 30 seconds before half time, giving Greenwich something to think about during the 2 minute break.  The second half was all about defense from Eric Dormann Jake Rice ,Tyler Pascale and John Dormann making strong tackles with Mike Salloum our winger making hard probing runs.  Greenwich pinned us down to our 22 yard line but did not crack. The game all tied up at 7-7, it went into sudden death overtime with Greenwich’s Japanese international winger finally jinking our big man to score in the far left hand corner.

The crowd, players and Colligate Coaches all agreed that it was the game of the tournament. Wolfpack Rugby 7’s team will be playing in the Wilmington Cheese Steak 7’s, Poconos Olympic 7’s, Collegiate Rugby Competition at Philly Unions Stadium and as defending Champions at the Surfside 7’s on the Jersey Shore.

Anybody interested in Playing Rugby this Spring please see our webpage www.wcboysrugby.com training Tuesdays and Thursday at Rustin High School, with games on Sunday

West Chester Wolfpack Rugby