SCSU men's rugby: They can be your bodyguards

Patty Maturo
Editor-in-Chief

The Southern men’s rugby team has taken over campus—and they look great doing it.  Not only have they finished the season outscoring the competition154 to 5 in the past four games, they’ve acquired quite the following of loyal fans.  Rugby games, which once only had a few people in attendance, now draw a vast crowd of students, faculty and staff—even President Norton made a cameo at the last game.  A couple weeks ago, Student Government came out and sponsored their game, confirming the teams’ growing popularity.

According to senior Doug Frasier, the team was especially nervous about this past weekend’s game against Quinnipiac—their arch nemesis.  With their team captain, Andrew Marullo, out with a sprained ankle, the team was apprehensive about playing their rival.

“It was a bummer because Quinnipiac is always the biggest game of the semester and it’s always a good game; it’s hard to do without our captain, plus they beat us the past two years,” Frasier said.  “We got the team pumped up and it was a complete turnaround: Usually they have so many fans and we only have a few, but this time we had a ton of fans and we destroyed them 19 to 5.”

The men’s rugby team, comprised of 30 students, practices four days a week.  Despite the fact that rugby is a club sport with no official coach, Frasier said past team members have been returning as coaches from time to time to support the guys. 

Senior Mike Cristaldi said the team has a unity so strong that they religiously attend practice and make a point to support other Southern athletic teams all the time.

“We go as a team to other team functions, such as girls softball games and lacrosse,” said Cristaldi, a team member for the past year and a half.  “Honestly, with all four years of high school sports I played, I’ve never felt more connection and brotherhood than I have here [on the rugby team].”

In addition to attending other Southern sports competitions, the men’s rugby team makes a point to do a lot of fundraising both for their team and for charity, including helping out the women’s rugby team raise money for one of their ex-players, Cristina Cortese, who was recently diagnosed with thymic carcinoma, a rare form of thymus cancer.  Next week, they are volunteering at the variety show in the Lyman Center.

Proceeds from the show will be donated to Cristina to aid in paying her medical bills.

According to Frasier, the team is mostly comprised of younger guys. Only a few team veterans will be returning to play next season, but members want to carry on the same spirit and dedication next year.

“The team has a lot of heart, it’s really great to see,” Frasier said. “We’re trying to set the foundation now for the younger guys on the team to bring out next season.”