The Official Website of Boston College Men's Rugby

BCRFC competes in the East Coast Rugby Conference (ECRC) Division I. The Club has over 80 players and fields three sides; A, B and Developmental. The Club competes in league play every fall and participates in various tournaments during the spring. BCRFC is closing in on its 45th Anniversary and has produced All Americans as well as players for the USA Eagles national teams. For any questions about Boston College Mens Rugby email us at bostoncollege.rfc@gmail.com.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Recent News

The Alumni Match was a very competitive and intense display of rugby by both sides. No one is positive what the score was but the alumni gained the upper hand in terms of raw score. Regardless of the result BC played hard and earned their stripes on the field in front of alumni from multiple decades. We are thankful for the opportunity to play against such great players, and look forward to next year’s contest. Thank you for your support this season and I look forward to working with you this upcoming fall. -Club President Eric Gordon.

 

Beast of the East Wrap Up

Game 1: BC Vs. Syracuse- BC 24, Syracuse 5
In the first game of the Beast of the East Tournament, the Eagles of BC took on Syracuse. BC came out swinging and immediately took control of the game in terms of pace and physicality. Terry O’Neill did an excellent job of directing the attack of BC and kept the defense of Syracuse guessing and running around to keep up with BC. The result was an offensive outburst. Will Rockwood dove in for a try after breaking a few tackles, Allan Bronzo weaved his way around multiple defenders and outran them for a try, Tim Broderick once again stepped up and forced his way in for a try despite a few Syracuse defenders resisting his effort, and lastly KC Testwuide burned defenders down the sideline in order to score his try. Although he did not score a try in this game Steve Ferriter ran incredibly hard every time the ball touched his hands, which forced Syracuse to tackle him in groups. Ruck support from Pat Rockwell and Alex Chips allowed Terry to get the ball out fast to the striking offence. Sam Shriver did an excellent job converting kicks as he went 4 for 5 with some difficult angles. On defense the Eagles proved to be incredibly difficult to best, evident by the score. Will Rockwood and Johnny O’Malley did an outstanding job of ramping up the physicality. Joe Bronzo had a play that impressed all who were fortunate enough to see it happen. The Eagles gave up a line break and Joe, from across the field, chased down the opponent and held him up in the try zone. This was a huge momentum killer for Syracuse and saved the Eagles from giving up a try.

Game 2: BC Vs. Southern Connecticut- BC 12, Southern Connecticut 18
After spending a few hours in the wonderful home of the McVicker family, BC headed back out onto the field for their second game against Southern Connecticut. Unfortunately the Eagles came out flat and allowed Southern Connecticut to jump ahead with a lead. The team played soft and did not play to its fullest potential. The tries scored by BC came from amazing runs by the Bronzo boys. Despite the lost, Tim Broderick and Dylan Jorling proved to be forces to reckon with on defense. BC rebounded from their first half flop and fought hard to regain control of the game. Unfortunately this was not the case as every time the Eagles gained momentum So Conn responded.

Game 3: BC Vs. Providence College- BC 34, PC 0
Boston College played an absolutely amazing game of rugby against Providence. On offense they moved the ball well in lines and caught it with all of their momentum carrying them into the opponent’s line. The Eagles scored many tries, two by Will Rockwood, another by Allan Bronzo, one by Tim Broderick and Frankie Paleno, and Steve Ferriter ran very hard again this game and was rewarded with a try of his own. John Zimmerman and Pat Rockwell ran hard when given the chance and helped secure the rucks on offense. On defense BC was all over the field. Eric Gordon came up from the full back position a few times to nail a few attackers. BC forwards again had to hold down the fort around the ruck as the PC backs had trouble, and as usual they stepped up when they were needed the most. Tim Broderick set the tone for the younger, less experienced players and they followed his lead tremendously. T.J. Danner, Donald Lau, and John Zimmerman all had outstanding games for BC and looked as if they had been playing with the team for a while. The overall effort and intensity of BC this game far surpassed that of PC and proved the team’s resilience and desire to succeed.

Game 4: BC Vs. University of Rhode Island- BC 7, URI 6
In this game BC secured the Plate Championship and took home some hardware. This game in particular was incredibly physical and intense. The freezing rain and incredibly aggressive opponents BC faced amplified the weight of the game, and the result was a match that none will soon forget. URI managed to convert two kicks on penalties and held onto the lead for the majority of the game. Meanwhile, these two teams pounded each other mercilessly and the Eagles rose to the occasion. Tough play by the forwards, specifically Pat Rockwell, Johnny O’Malley, Will Rockwood, and Donald Lau all did incredible jobs withstanding a constant physical attack by URI forwards. Tackling in the open field proved to be pivotal in this game, and Allan Bronzo, Steve Latow, and Eric Gordon stepped up for BC in a big way. Towards the end of the second half Terry O’Neill picked the ball up from a ruck and ran about 30 meters for the game-winning try. He juked out a defender and high stepped past a diving one in order to score for BC, and then Sam Shriver converted the kick and BC had its first lead of the match. This lead held in the final minutes and BC claimed a dramatic victory over URI.

BC Defeats Bentley

This past Friday the Eagles of BC took on the Falcons of Bentley University. The game took place under the lights, and it proved to be an outstanding contest. BC jumped to an early lead with the help of a try scored by Tim Broderick, his first of three. He proved to be an offensive weapon as he read hard throughout the game and set the tone for the BC offense. Sam Shriver did an outstanding job of following his lead as he had multiple line breaks and also scored for BC. Steve Ferriter also followed suit by running over multiple Falcon defenders, and forcing his way into the try zone. A few players help set up these scores, despite the fact that they themselves did not score. Will Rockwood had a fantastic kick return that gave the Eagles excellent field position and much needed momentum. A new recruit, Joe Bronzo, looked like a veteran on the field as he cut up the Falcon's defense.
His cousin, Allan Bronzo, was very physical with the ball when he had it. The back three, Eric Gordon, Mike Marconi, and John Terwilliger all did a great job counter attacking on kicks.

On defense the Eagles hit hard and held their ground. Brendan Quinn led the defensive effort and set the standard for the rest of the team. Will Rockwood, Timothy Broderick, Pat Rockwell, Steve Ferriter and Allan Bronzo all proved to be menaces for the Falcon's offense. At the end of the match Dylan Jorling almost single-handedly held Bentley's offense on the 2 meter line as he strung a series of big hits together. It was only when the Falcons were within 5 meters of the try zone did the Eagles have trouble. The opponent repeatedly mauled their way to a try. Again penalties killed momentum and gave Bentley easy opportunities to move the ball down the field. BC proved to be too strong of a team and the result was a 38-32 victory for the Eagles.

 

Eagles Win Inaugraul Jesuit Tournament

Read Rugby Mag Article Here

 

BeanPot Round Robin Results

 

This past weekend we took on the Terriers of Boston University and the Crimson of Harvard in back to back games on the campus of BU. The first game was against BU, and they were ready to take it to the Eagles. They possessed the ball for the majority of the first half and proved to be a very physical and skilled team. But that did not hold back BC. The Eagles’ offense moved the ball well with the hard running from Carmen Gatta and Allan Bronzo. Sam Shriver did an excellent job of getting the ball wide to these guys, and proved to be a shifty runner when he kept it inside. Eric Gordon and Mike Marconi did an outstanding job of returning kicks, which also made a huge difference. With the help of Timothy Broderick and Terry O’Neill, who both scored important tries, the Eagles were able hold their ground and fend off the Terriers. Timothy’s was particularly clutch as it came with about a minute left in the game and put the Eagles ahead by one point. The forwards, such as Pat Rockwell and Eric Gore, worked incredibly hard in the rucks to fed off BU defenders and dominated the point of contact when they got the ball. Defensively BC repeatedly proved their resilience and willingness to hit. Tim Broderick and Pat Rockwood epitomized this with their incredibly physical games. Rustiness showed in this game through the Eagles’ prevalence of penalties and a few mental mistakes made. Both of which will be addressed in practice this week.

In our second game we faced the Crimson of Harvard University with only thirteen minutes to recover. BC was eager to get revenge on the team who defeated them in a fall preseason game by a small margin, but unfortunately our intensity fell a bit short. Harvard took advantage of the already fatigued Eagles and consistently spread the ball out wide, so we had trouble keeping up with the ball movement. They quickly went ahead by one try and missed the conversion. BC fought very hard to answer the score but high tackles resulting in yellow cards and a loss of a man on the field were detrimental to the team effort. Harvard also took advantage of this and exploited holes in BC’s defense. Even though we were tired and down men, we did not give up for one minute. We fought without holding anything back until the game ended. This is a true testament to the type of team we are this season. We also plan to work on our fitness levels this week, as it also proved to make a difference in our second game.

 

Spring Schedule

March 24th - Round Robin with Harvard and BU @ BU
BU vs. BC Kickoff @ 6:45PM
BC vs. Harvard @ 8PM
BU vs. Harvard @ 9:15PM

March 30th - April 1st - Jesuit Rugby Tournament @ Fairfield

April 13th - Match @ Bentley

April 14th - 7's @ UAlbany

April 21st - 7's @ Boston

April 21st - 22nd - Beast of the East Tournament @ Glen Farm ~ 715 East Main Road (Rte. 138) Portsmouth, RI

April 28th - Alumni Match

 

Follow us on Twitter

Eagles Win Inaugural ECRC 7s Tournament

11/6- This weekend the Eagles traveled to Amesbury, MA for the inaugural East Coast Rugby Conference 7s Tournament. The tournament featured a 7s team from each of the 7 ECRC member schools, as well as 2 teams from the division-champions Northeastern. The tournament was set up by dividing the eight teams into two separate pools, with the top two teams from each pool advancing to the elimination round.

In pool play, the Eagles began by dispatching of UMass 17-0. BC's next game was against a much more formidable opponent, University of Albany. The game ended much like the division match ended in early October, with a late, heartbreaking try by Albany that sealed a one-point victory, 22-21. However, the Eagles would get a chance at redemption later in the tournament, and, as they would soon discover, revenge is a best dish served cold. BC finished pool play with a beat-down of Northeastern's B-side team, 44-5, and they would take that momentum into the elimination round.

In the elimination round, the Eagles faced their toughest opponent of the day in Northeastern's A-side team. As the division champions, Northeastern fielded a strong 7s squad, with many of their players towering over the shorter and smaller Eagles. However, BC's speed and tactics proved insurmountable, and the Eagles came away with a 24-12 victory. In the championship game, the Eagles faced Albany once more, but this time they benefited from the experience of four earlier matches and unstoppable momentum. The final game highlighted the strengths of the departing seniors as Jack Casey's deft kicking, Colin Curtin's blinding speed, and Kyle Craven's uncanny tackling providing the difference in a well-fought match. When the final whistle blew, the scoreboard read BC 29, Albany 10, and the sidelined erupted in raucous cheers as the Eagles soared to their first of many ECRC 7s championships.

Most Valuable Player honors belonged to junior Carmen Gatta, who notched a total of seven tries on the day, including no less than three jaw-dropping tries in the championship match. The B-side "all-stars" also had an impressive showing in the developmental 7s tourney, as they left Amesbury with a 3-1 record and a 2nd place trophy. As winners of the ECRC 7s Tournament, the BC Eagles have been invited to compete in the USA 7s national tournament in Texas in December.

 

Eagles Finish Season with Win Over Middlebury

10/30- Yesterday we hosted Middlebury in our last game of the season. The boys fed off the high energy from the crowd and came out playing very strong rugby. Captain Colin Curtin, our scrumhalf, was the first to break the Middlebury defense, scoring a nice try to give us a 5-0 lead. Our defense remained very tight in the first half and was complimented nicely by many solid possessions by the offense. Junior Will Rockwood scored after receiving a pop pass from Sophomore Kyle McVicker. The conversions on both of these tries were missed and we went into the halftime break up 10-0. We continued to play well in the second half but not quite up to the level shown in the first period. Rockwood added a second try to build the lead to 15-0. Middlebury would not give up though, scoring two late unconverted tries. The 10 points would not be enough, and the final whistle blew with us up 15-10. Sophomore Sam Shriver played well in his first game starting at flyhalf for the A-side while Alex Brown moved to fullback where he fielded many difficult kicks in the rain. Seniors Kieran Mara and Jack Casey both had standout games playing on the wings. It was great to end the season on a 3-game win streak, giving us a final record of 4-2.

As predicted by many writers at ESPN, the B-side completed the undefeated season they had been aiming for. The weather was nothing short of atrocious by the time they took the field but the boys did not let the rain affect their play. Terry O'Neill and Scott Thomas had big days for "The Killer B's".

We had our best crowd of the season this weekend despite the freezing weather. We can't tell you how much this fueled us on to victory, so thanks for all the support.

Eagles Soar Over Southern Connecticut State

10/22- This weekend we travelled to Southern Connecticut to take on one of the new members of our league. BC came out strong from the start, pushing the ball deep into So. Conn. territory. Junior Will Rockwood was able to break through the defense and score a try, with a kick that was converted by senior Alex Brown to put us up 7-0. Junior Tim Broderick scored a try after BC continued to pound the ball forward. With a missed conversion we held a 12-0 lead going into halftime.

The BC defense was unbreakable, led by great tackling from Jake O'Brien, Drew Beaurline, and Tim Broderick. In the second half the ball was passed out wide to the backs more. Senior wing Kieran Mara broke through the line untouched on a well-designed misdirection play. Alex Brown converted the kick to give us a 19-0 lead. Towards the end of the second half So. Conn. scored 2 unconverted tries to give them 10 points. Up to that point the BC defense had been top-notch and there was a sense that we needed a late try to seal the deal. That came from junior center Carmen Gatta, who dodged a few defenders to touch the ball down in the tryzone. At the final whistle, BC was victorious 24-10, giving us a 3-2 record in our league currently.

The B-side kept up their winning form. The backs were led by Terry O'Neill, Eric Gordon, and Sam Shriver. The forwards showed good physicality on defense and on offense were helped by strong running from Eric Gore and Kevin Fabbri. Next week is our last game of the season. We will be hosting Middlebury at Noon in Alumni Stadium. Please come out and show your support for our Seniors, many of whom will be playing in their last game as BC ruggers.

Eagles Take Must-Win Game Versus UMass

10/15- This weekend we hosted the Minutemen of UMass in front of a loud crowd in Alumni Stadium. UMass started the scoring with an early try to go up 5-0. BC responded quickly and aggressively. Hard running from Alex Brown and Tim Broderick (2) got BC 3 unanswered tries, 1 of which was converted. A penalty kick made by Brown gave us a 20-5 halftime lead.

The second half was slightly less explosive on the offensive side for BC, but the defense remained very strong, with the ball staying deep in UMass territory for the large majority of the second half. A nice burst of speed off a maul from Drew Beaurline gave BC 5 more points. Penalties were again an issue for BC, something that has slowed us in nearly every game this year. Luckily these setbacks didn't affect the outcome of the game - 25-10 after UMass scored a late try.

As they have continued to do all year, the B-side crushed their opponents. Sam Shriver and Eric Gordon led the way for the backs, while the forwards played a physically dominating game. Scott Thomas and Dylan Jorling were tackling machines while Luke Kruse was able to break through the defense and carry a few defenders with him on several occasions.

Northeastern Topples BC in Classic Showdown

10/8- This weekend we headed to Northeastern to play our crosstown rival. The two sides appeared to be rather evenly matched but Northeastern wasted no time and got on the scoreboard early. Three unanswered tries gave them a quick 17-0 lead. Throughout the match BC committed penalty after penalty which resulted in Northeastern gaining possession in threatening areas of the field. The game was filled with end-to-end kicks from the wings and fullback of both teams. BC got a try after Brendan Quinn passed the ball wide to Jack Casey who fixed his defender nicely and passed wide to Mark Muldowney who touched it down in the corner. Later on a converted penalty kick gave Northeastern a 20-5 lead at halftime.

BC showed a little more fire in the second half but continued to be their own enemy when it came to turnovers and penalties. A penalty kick by Mark Muldowney would be the last points we would score, while Northeastern tacked on two more tries for a final score of 30-8. From BC's perspective, the game could be summed up as lack of discipline resulting in frustration. We look ahead to this coming weekend where we face off against UMass at home. We certainly have some work to do at practice this week. I will send out more details as they become available. Thank you to all who came out to Northeastern. Our crowd was just as loud if not louder than the home crowd.

Albany Takes Down Eagles in Thriller

10/1- Thanks to all who came out and supported the team in Amesbury against Albany. We had a great crowd and it was nice to meet all of you. The game was tight the whole way. BC had many chances early on and finally got in the tryzone with a score from senior Jake O'Brien. BC made it 10-0 after Kyle McVicker scored. Albany would not give in though, scoring 12 unanswered points to take a 2 point lead into half time.

Dropped balls and penalties slowed the BC offense in the second half. A converted try put them up 19-10. Jack Casey converted a penalty kick to make it 19-13. The end of the game was very tense, as BC was constantly pushing forward. In the dying minutes, John Potapchuk scooped the ball from the ruck and dove in for a try in the corner. Although this fired up the team, it left Jack Casey with a difficult kick from the sideline which was missed. BC was down a point with very little time left. The offense held onto their momentum and was pushing into Albany territory when one of their players committed a foul, giving us the option to take a penalty kick for 3 points. The kick was a challenging one from pretty deep and unfortunately Jack put it wide. The final whistle blew and Albany had beaten us. We left extremely frustrated knowing that 9 times out of 10 we would win that game.

 

Website

Eagles Topple UConn in Season Opener

9/17 Storrs, Connecticut The first match of the season ended with a well deserved W. BC's first try came courtesy of flyhalf Alex Brown. Brown picked off a UConn pass and ran it back for 5 points. Brown converted the kick as well as a penalty kick five minutes later to make it 10-0 BC 20 minutes into the first half. Brown scored another try ten minutes later and converted the kick. BC entered the half up 17-0.

BC kept up the intensity in the second half with a try from center Kyle Lacy. A missed conversion left BC up 22-0. UConn got on the board with a penalty kick and at the end of the game they managed to touch down their lone try of the match. Overall, BC looked very strong and it was clear that the work we put in during the preseason had come to fruition. We are pleased to start the season with a win. To add to the success of the day, the B-side posted an impressive 72-0 victory. Many new faces found the try zone and it is clear that the future is bright for BCRFC. Around the conference, UMass beat Middlebury, while Southern Connecticut fell to Northeastern.

Harvard comes back to Beat BC

9/10 On a beautiful Saturday, BCRFC hosted Harvard in theirlast preseason match. The two teams were relatively evenly-matched throughout the contest. It was a tough physical match that feutured some great rugby. BC took the lead first after big junior center Carmen Gatta outpaced a few defenders to touch down a try. Not much longer, Gatta, added a second try.. The kick was converted to give BC a 12-0 lead at halftime.

The second half was a different story. BC was plagued by mistakes, especially on defense. Costly penalties and a nonstop attack from Harvard allowed them to not only break the shutout, but to take the lead. Harvard went on to score 17 unanswered points to give them a 17-12 win.

 

It was certainly a disappointing finish for the squads preseason. This week in training the team will work out the kinks and get things in gear for this Saturday's first regular season match AT UCONN.

 

Special thanks to our coaches Jeff Monfette, Jason Lett and Justin Goonan( and Dimo). The team deeply appreciates your hard work during the preseason.

 

Eagles Tested against Neighborhood Rival

9/3- BCRFC squared off against BU in a preseason matchup. The team wanted the hard work they put in during camp to pay off on the field and sure enough it did.

Will Rockwood started off the scoring by pouncing on a kick put through by Alex Brown. Soon after, Kyle Lacy was able to touch a try down after dodging a few defenders with good support from the back line. John Terwilliger scooped up a pass that was dropped by BU near our own goal line and went the distance to score a solo full-field try. Alex Brown added a long breakaway try to widen the gap on the scoreboard. Sophomore scrumhalf Terry O'Neill had a solid performance featuring two tries. The offense was firing on all cylinders as further tries were scored by Dylan Jorling, Steve Latow, Steve Ferriter and Mark Muldowney. The defense was strong throughout the game and BU only managed to get one try on the board.

Final score 58-7, BC.

 

A New season for BCRFC...

Started with preseason camp the 24th of August. Those selected for camp worked hard training physically and mentally for the long season ahead. With a newly formed conference the team is excited to compete for the top position. The side with the best record advances to the playoffs.

 

Mark Muldowney wraps up BC CRC Weekend

"This past weekend we competed in the Collegiate Rugby 7's Championship in Philadelphia, PA. On Saturday we played 3 games against some very tough competition. We knew going into this tournament that we would be facing some challenging opponents and that nobody expected us to do well, especially in our difficult pool consisting of Dartmouth, Utah, and Notre Dame.

We opened the weekend squaring off against Notre Dame. Notre Dame surprised us with their combination of speed, skilled passing, and spreading the field. We did not manage to get on the board against them, and other than a highlight-reel tackle from Alex Brown, our team appeared rather flat. Nerves may or may not have been an issue, but we knew we had to improve.

Several hours later we took on Utah, last year's champions and a nationally-known rugby powerhouse. BC did not seem intimidated by Utah's reputation. Our defense was solid, even against the unbelievable speed of some of their All-American ball carriers. A nice passing sequence set up a try for Peter Kerr. In the end Utah came away with a 19-5 victory. It should be noted that Utah beat Cal, consistently the nation's best team, by a larger margin (21-5). BC played its best rugby of the weekend against Utah and earned the crowd's respect for playing hard against a very talented but also rather dirty Utah team (they received multiple yellow cards for high tackles and late hits).

We wrapped up Saturday by facing Dartmouth. Dartmouth are a team who we used to compete against in 15's but they have since moved on to a separate league. We knew they would be good - we didn't know just how good they would be. They proved to be an extremely tough side both offensively and defensively who demonstrated a clear understanding of the 7's game. After beating BC, Dartmouth would go on to win the championship. They dissected our defense and allowed us no room to operate when we had the ball. Their was an obvious gap in rugby experience and knowledge. Dartmouth surprised many teams and we can do nothing but take our hats off to them.

On Sunday we competed in the Challenger's Bracket. We matched up against the Tigers of LSU on Sunday morning, not knowing what to expect from a team we have never come across. The match was pretty even until they found the tryzone twice to take a 12-0 win. It was a depressing way for the tournament to end.

Although the games did not go as we would have liked, we certainly learned a lot from the weekend. BC has not seen competiton from the likes of teams such as Utah in a long time and it was a wake-up call to improve before our fall season. The tournament was also "baptism by fire" for a few of our younger players. That will be the biggest stage that most of us will ever play on and the best teams that most of us will ever compete against. We are looking forward to taking what we have learned and applying it to our games next year.

This tournament would not be possible without the help of a few individuals. First and foremost to our coaches - Jeff Monfette and Jason "Goose" Lett. They took the time to guide us through the principles of 7's and make sure we were prepared for what the weekend would bring. We would also like to thank all of you who contributed by buying tickets and making donations to the Friends of BCRFC. I was blown away by some of the donations we received. It is difficult to express how much these boost our club and we are extremely grateful for your help. On that note I would like to thank Geoff Hunt for helping with outreach for the club - we are financially stable in large part due to his work with the club. Thanks must also be given to each of the players who marketed the event and helped to sell tickets and bring in donations. I am not the only one who has been bothering people for money over the last few months - several players had taken to Facebook or getting on the phones to promote ticket sales. I'm sure there are a few people who I am forgetting but the point is that this was a successful collective effort that BC Rugby can be proud of.

The CRC was the last tournament that several of our players will compete in for BC due to graduation. Sunday's game against LSU was the final game for Stew Harris, Peter Kerr, Conor Hynes, and Dave Walsh. We wish them the best in the future and thank them for their years of hard work for BCRFC.

Buy Tickets Here

BCRFC Heading to Collegiate Sevens Championship

 

Many of our players have been working towards the national 7’s
tournament (7 vs. 7, 7 minute halves) in Philadelphia, this June. The games
will be nationally televised on NBC from PPL Park in Philadelphia, which seats
around 18,000 people. The top 16 teams in the country have been selected to compete in this
tournament on June 4-5, and we are very excited about the opportunity to play
on such a big stage.

Our club’s goal is to sell 300 tickets for the event, which we believe, with
your support, is a goal that can be reached. The tickets cost $40, and will
allow you to attend games on both Saturday, June 4 and Sunday, June 5. This
price will also include a performance by Boston’s own rock band, Dropkick
Murphy’s.

If you are interested in purchasing tickets, please go to the website at
https://commerce.cashnet.com/bcRPSTR , and fill out your information. The club
will mail your tickets once they have been purchased. To learn more about the
tournament venue and the teams competing, please visit
http://www.usasevenscci.com/. We are very eager to compete, and we hope you
are as excited as we are to play with the best schools in the country.

Invigorated Alumni Rally to Win after Halftime Speech

Yesterday we had our annual alumni game held on Alumni Stadium. It was a great day for all as we got to play some quality rugby against former BC ruggers. The game had a fun atmosphere to it, as some guys were trying out new positions. We kept substitutions flowing so everybody could get a good run.

We had a solid turnout from the alumni who enjoyed the chance to play against the current faces of the club. The match was pretty even with both sides answering the other team's tries with ones of their own. After a back-and-forth battle the alumni came out on top, 34-24.

We enjoyed a nice barbecue afterwards kindly hosted by a few of our seniors living in the Mods where we got a chance to meet the alumni. The day was a great success and we look forward to keeping this tradition alive for many years to come.

Alumni Match this Saturday

We hope everybody had a safe and happy Easter. As we move towards the end of
our Spring season, we can look forward to our Alumni game, and our 7’s
tournament in June. The Alumni game will be held at Alumni Stadium this coming
Saturday, April 30. Kickoff will be at 12:30 pm, and we will hopefully be
having a cookout afterward.

Any Questions Please contact

Alex Chipman-Schervish
Boston College Rugby Football Club
Alumni Representative
Chipmana@bc.edu

 

 

BC gets Blown away by Boston Mens

This past weekend BC faced off against Boston Men’s Rugby Club in very windy conditions. BC took advantage of the wind in the first half by pinning Boston Men’s back in their half. Constant pressure, both on offense and defense, forced Boston Men’s to commit several errors and allowed BC to score two early tries. BC missed the first conversion but Alex Brown was able to convert the second to make the score 12-0. Boston Men’s came back and scored a try of their own making the score 12-5. Minutes later BC again used the wind to their advantage and it resulted in a Michael Lopes try. Alex Brown hit his second conversion of the day and the score was 19-5. BC continued to play good rugby but Boston Men’s stepped up their game. They ended up scoring three more tries before the half to put themselves up ahead at the half 19-20.

Much like BC, Boston Men’s used the wind to keep BC deep in its territory. Early on BC tried to relieve the pressure by kicking the ball but the wind made that impossible. As a result, Boston Men’s scored several tries. BC then decided to keep the ball in hand. With the ball in hand BC was able to create several scoring opportunities but just could not punch it in. The difference in the half was Boston Men’s capitalized on their try opportunities and BC didn’t. The end result was around 19-50.

Harvard Tests Young Eagles Squad

BC traveled to Harvard knowing it would be a tight game. Normally we are pretty evenly-matched with them but we aimed to give a lot of younger guys more playing time and although they all played well, Harvard's physical play and smart tactics proved to be too much for us.

Harvard set the tone early with a powerful attack. Their strong runners were able to find many holes in our defense in the first half. BC found themselves in a huge hole. Our scrum looked weak and Harvard's backs were talented ball-carriers.

The second half wasn't as bad. Our offense showed signs of life, with sophomores Carmen Gatta and Kyle Lacy seeing a lot of the ball. Sophomores Will Rockwood and Dylan Jorling both played admirable games of physical rugby and left with the scars to prove it. The final score was Harvard 53-BC 15.

Although there were little positives to be taken from this game, it did allow lesser-experienced guys to get some A-side action. This is normally a big focus for our spring season, compared to the fall when our games, technically speaking, have a lot more riding on them. We have only two games left - against Boston Men's (a local club team) and the alumni game, where past BC ruggers come back to take on the young studs.

BCRFC Attends Cherry Blossom Tourney

Two weekends ago the team traveled down to our nation's capital for the Cherry Blossom Tournament. The tournament provided us with the chance to give a lot of new players game experience as well as the opportunity to play a few teams we normally would not play. The games were all 20 minute halves.

We kicked off the tournament against Pittsburgh. Due to fierce hail, the game was delayed about 20 minutes, and although the hail stopped, the field remained in poor condition. Our defense was very solid, as Pitt struggled to get any real offense going. Much of our offense came from our forwards off the pick and go. We had solid contributions in the pack from newer players Dylan Jorling, Brian Byrne, and Kyle McVicker. Neither team ended up scoring a try, but senior Andrew Wolf nailed two penalty kicks to give us a 6-0 win.

With little time in between games, we geared up to face Georgetown, a side we knew would be tougher than Pitt. The game was very evenly-matched the whole way through. The BC defense remained strong and again allowed no tries the entire game. Offensively, we were our own worst enemy. Multiple times we came very close to scoring only to be denied by our own penalties and/or turnovers. The backs got to see more of the ball in the second game but BC did not manage to score. A penalty kick for Georgetown gave them a 3-0 win and left us feeling like we had lost to a slightly inferior side.

Sunday morning we boarded the bus at 6:30 for our 7:45 kickoff against Cornell. Finally the BC offense came to life, as we scored two tries in the opening stages of the game. Senior Stew Harris offloaded a nice pass while being tackled to junior Alex Brown who touched down his first of 2 tries on the day, and moments later sophomore stallion prop Brendan Quinn dished a pass to senior Remy Venners who scored. Both kicks were converted by Andrew Wolf to give us a quick 14-0 lead. Later on, senior "king" Peter Kerr eluded a few defenders to add another 5 points to our score. Alex Brown(c) added his second try, which was quickly followed by a great counter-attack beginning from a Cornell kick fielded by sophomore Eric Gordon. The ball was spun through the hands, being touched by about 5 BC players before Andrew Wolf flipped it to Peter Kerr who touched it down in the corner. Wolf converted 3 of 5 kicks. That was just the first half. Ironically the team did not score in the second half but maintained strong defense to secure the shutout. Through 3 games, BC had given up 3 points. The team was really showing signs of greatness.

Our last game was against West Virginia. Early in the game, Remy Venners scooped the ball off a ruck close to the West Virginia tryzone and snuck in to give us a 5-0 lead. Not much later, sophomore Pat Wolf ripped a ball from the grip of a West Virginia player and the ball was moved with quick short passes until it got to Remy who broke away on a solo run for a great try, 10-0 BC. The offense started quickly but began to struggle as the game went on. West Virginia was a physical team that tightened up their defense as the game went on. Slow defensive alignment on our part allowed them to run in a quick try after a penalty. Our defense showed its first signs of weakness, eventually allowing 27 points, 5 of which came from a pass they intercepted and ran back on the final play of the game. Final score: WVU 27- BC 10.

Special thanks to the Venners family for hosting the team and coaches for a great barbecue after the last game at their beautiful home in Virginia. I think I'm still full.

Lastly, for those of you on Twitter, we have recently created a team account that will be posting instant updates after games, as well as information regarding upcoming games and tournaments. Follow us: @BCRFCnews . Uchacha.

Spring Season Opener

BC’s season opener against both Holy Cross and Providence College had its ups and downs. The Eagles first game was against Holy Cross. The first half for BC was not pretty. BC kept committing mistakes and penalties that allowed Holy Cross to control the game. The BC eagles generated very little offense and for most of the half were on their heels playing defense. Fortunately BC’s defense, thanks to a couple try-saving tackles by Kyle McVicker, kept Holy Cross out the try zone and allowed for the game to go into halftime with a score of 0-0.

The second half was a completely different story for BC. After a little pep-talk during halftime BC came back out on the field determined to dominate the game and that is what they did. BC controlled the game during the second half and it led to many tries. 8 minutes into the half, off a tap and go Stew Harris found his way into the try zone. A missed conversion and BC was up 5-0. Minutes later a break in the line by Dave Walsh and then an off-load to Alex Brown led to another try. Mark Muldowney’s conversion made the score 12-0. BC kept up the pressure and intensity and soon after that try, Alex Brown broke the defensive line and took in 50 meters before off-loading to Stew Harris for his second try of the day. That put the score at 17-0. Later in the half, just to top it off the forwards took matters into their own hands and mauled a lineout 15 meters into the tryzone. Oliver Maarraoui scored the try for another BC score. Score 22-0 and that was ended the game. The second half was a completely different game than the first half. BC committed very few penalties and kept control of the ball for the whole half. Good things happen when you have the ball and play sound rugby.

BC’s next game was against Providence College. Much like the first half of the first game, BC came out committing error after error and Providence took advantage of it. BC went into halftime down 0-22. BC came back out and played much more solid rugby. BC came close several times to scoring but just could not punch it through. Neither team scored in the second half and the game ended 0-22.

 

 

BCFRCWelcomes New Faculty Advisor

BC Men's Rugby is pleased to introduce it's new faculty advisor, Fr. Jeremy Clarke, S.J. Fr. Clarke is a Professor in BC's History Department and focuses on Asian history, including the history of the Society of Jesus in the region, as well as China in particular. A native of Sydney, Australia, he has played and been around rugby his entire life. According to Club President, Jack Casey, "We were very lucky to find an advisor like Jeremy who knows rugby and shares our passion for the game."
|
| Having been appointed officially to the position at the beginning of the semester, Fr. Clarke has made it a priority to get to know the guys, attending practices and matches when he can, organizing a fantasy rugby competition among the squad, and making himself available as a mentor. "Our main criterion in our search for a new advisor was that he play an active role in the lives of the players and the functioning of the Club. The fact that Jeremy's vision for the future of rugby at BC aligns so well with that of the officers and the coaches is a huge bonus," said Casey.
|
| Fr. Clarke's office is located in 21 Campanella Way, #452, easily identified by the Wallabies and BC kits hanging in the window. Feel free to stop by his office or contact him by email, jeremy.clarke@bc.edu, with any questions. The Club sends its most sincere thanks to its former advisor, Professor Michael Barry, for his service to and support of BC Rugby.

Northeastern Ends Eagles Nationals Bid

Oct 30- Boston College's season ended on Saturday night as they lost in an intense season finale to Northeastern 24-13. The match not only decided the winner of the New Englend Division title but also determined who would advance to the Division 1 Nationals tournament in the Spring.

In the first half, both teams exhibited the intensity that such a huge match warranted. The Eagles' aggression led to a few mistakes, however, and a BC penalty gave the Mad Dogs an easy try. After grabbing an early 7-0 lead, Northeastern's attack slowed considerably, and BC forced turnovers and dominated possession. The Eagles' game strategy relied heavily on quick and physical forwards ball, and BC successfully, albiet slowly, marched down the field. With 20 minutes remaining in the half, an impressive Eagles drive culminated in a Jake O'Brien try. Trailing 7-5, the Eagles took their first lead off a Muldowney kick which sailed straight and true through the uprights to make the score 8-7. Soon after, the Eagles continued their offensive onslaught with another try, extending their lead to 13-7. They had swung all the momentum in their favor, but not for long. With only seconds left in the half a missed tackle off a quick line-out led to a Northeastern try, and the Mad Dogs retook the lead 14-13. The Eagles' two missed conversions were only a few of their many missed opportunities, and their dominant play did not reflect the score at the half.

BC began the second half at a huge disadvantage because they were missing their loosehead Prop, Alex Chipman Schervish, due to an ankle injury. Earlier in the season, the Eagles had lost loosehead Kevin Murtagh to injury, so they were especially thin at the position, and it showed in their scrums. The Mad Dogs stepped up their physical play in the second half and continued to steal the momentum away from the Eagles. They scored two quick tries off of set pieces as BC's scrums began to crumble. Because they could not control possession in their set pieces, the Eagles rarely had possession in the second half. After another hard-fought 40 minutes, Northeastern won the playoff berth with a 24-13 victory over the Eagles. However, the final score was not indicative of how closely-fought the game was, and both teams were matched fairly evenly. Although the season did not end the way they had hoped, the Eagles will continue to work hard on and off the field, and they will certainly use this defeat as motivation for next season.

 

Army Brings Soaring Eagles Down to Earth

Oct 16– On saturday the Boston College Eagles hosted the Army Black Knights at St. John’s Seminary field at the Brighton campus in Chestnut Hill. After years of facing each other in league play, the teams were now meeting in an exhibition match. The Eagles went into the game with high expectations and hoped to gain valuable game experience against a nationally ranked opponent. Although the Eagles did not come away with a win, they were able to test their defense as well as offensive structures against a competitive Army side.

The match began as BC received the ball off the Army kick-off. After catching the ball near the 22, the Eagles ran several phases before kicking back to the Black Knights. It became evident early on that possession and kicking would be an important aspect of this match-up. After moving the ball forward with their pack, Army then threw the ball out wide to their backline and scored the first try of the day. They missed the kick after and led 5-0. BC did not allow this early score to take the wind out of their sails and after bringing the ball deep within Army territory forced a turnover of their own. Peter Kerr blocked an attempted kick out of the try-zone and then touched the ball down for a BC score. Mark Muldowney converted the kick after and gave BC an early lead, 7-5. Army’s offense dominated possession of the ball for most of the game. Their strategy was to suck the BC defense to one side of the field and then capitalize on the overloads by swinging the ball out wide, resulting in two quick scores. The score was 7-17, but BC had plenty of opportunities early. BC's kicking kept Army in their own 22, and they created a couple turnovers deep in Army's half but could not capitalize on scoring opportunities.. After another BC penalty that resulted in a turnover, Army seized the opportunity and drove downfield for a try making the score 7-24. BC responded off a lineout deep in Army territory, with Alex Brown evading Army's defense for a try. With a good conversion the score was 14-24. Right after, as Army was driving downfield Alex Brown intercepted a pass, put it into 5th gear, and took it back 80 yards for the try. Brown was lucky however, another 5 yards and he would have been caught by the pursuing army players. The score was 21-24, but the tiring BC defense began to miss tackles and Army responded with multiple tries of their own. BC went into halftime trailing 21-43.

In the second half the home team began to unravel. Army scored a number of tries and started to pull away on the scoreboard. With limited numbers on BC's squad due to injuries, BC could not keep up. Army was too big and too fit. BC had it chances late with nice runs from Colin Curtin, Rob Veiga, and the forwards picking and going. Those runs put BC deep into Army territory but nothing came of it. The end result of the game was 21-86. Head coach, Jeff Monfett noted after the game, “Our guys came out strong today and were able to stick with Army through the first half. If it wasn’t for some small defensive break-downs, the score would have been much closer.” Captain Alex Hunt, out with a shoulder injury, also took several positives away from the game, “We played strong and hopefully this experience will help us to prepare for our final game of the season against Northeastern.” BC will have two weeks to prepare for the final and most important match of their season against the Mad Dogs from Northeastern on October 30. The match will determine who advances to the national Sweet Sixteen tournament in the Spring.

 

Eagles Topple UMass at Home

Oct 11– Boston College moved one step closer to a National Sweet 16 berth with a huge win over UMass 30-15 at their home field at Saint John’s Seminary on the Brighton Campus of Boston College. The match was especially important because it counted for twice the amount of points in the league standings.

The game began as BC received the ball and drove down the field and into UMass territory. UMass committed a penalty 22 meters in-front of the posts, and Mark Muldowney kicked the Eagles to an early lead 3-0. UMass responded by kicking for points after a BC penalt, tying the game after 10 minutes of play. The game slowed down as both defenses settled down and started to make stops. BC broke through the UMass defense with several strong runs but could not capitalize on their opportunities. As each side battled for a chance to score, another UMass penalty gave BC the opportunity to kick for points. Once again, Mark Muldowney converted and made the score 6-3. Soon after, BC drove back down the field. Another penalty was awarded at UMass' 5 meters line. A quick tap and go to Brendan Quinn gave BC its first try. The point after did was not converted, and the score was 11-3. Unfortunately, soon after this play, one of BC’s star forwards, Kevin Murtagh, was seriously injured as he tried to break through the UMass defense. Murtagh was taken from the field for medical treatment and the team is hopeful for a full recovery. After about a 20 minute break, play resumed. A bad kick allowed UMass' quick wing a wide-open field, and but before he could break away he was met by Brendan Quinn. Quinn was carded for a high tackle and sent off the field with a chin injury. UMass took advantage of the yellow card and scored a quick try, making the score BC 11, UMass 10. UMass drove back down the field and was able to put the pressure on BC's defense, but the Eagles fly-half, Alex Brown, intercepted a mishandled pass and took it the distance for a momentum-building try. With 40 minutes of play in the books, the score read 18-10 in favor of Boston College.

While the first half was dominated by offense, the story in the second half was all about defense. BC kept UMass in their own half of the field, forcing them to resort to a heavy kicking game. Both teams moved the ball forward but neither could touch the ball down for a score until Peter Kerr scooped up a fumbled pass and lifted the Eagles spirits. After scampering through the defense and scoring the try, the kick was converted and the scoreboard read 25-10. With a 15 point lead and 15 minutes left on the clock BC hoped one more try would seal the victory. UMass refused to go down without a fight and scored a try of their own, closing the margin to 10. BC answered with an impressive offensive attack of their own. The Eagles put tremendous pressure on UMass' defense and forced them to commit another penalty 5 meters out. A quick tap and go to Jake O'Brien resulted in a try and brought the game to a close.The final score was BC 30, UMass 15.

The victory not only kept BC's playoff hopes alive but also served as a lesson in overcoming adversity. With several key players out with injuries, the reserves stepped up to the challenge and helped their team to victory. Boston College hopes for a similar result next week when they host Army at home.

 

Eagles Soar Over UConn Huskies

Oct 2– In an unprecedented Sunday morning match on the campus of Eastern Connecticut University, the Boston College Men’s Rugby team faced off against division foe University of Connecticut. Going into the game, the Eagles expected a physical and aggressive UConn side and knew that they would have to rely on a superior team defense, speed, and skill of their backline to come out victorious. The Eagles needed a win to keep their play-off hopes alive.

The game began with a UConn kick to the hands of the BC offense. They received the ball and wasted no time in moving up the field and into Husky territory. Husky defense used an aggressive counter-rucking strategy and took over possession. An early BC penalty allowed UConn to attempt a penalty kick and take an early 3-0 lead. After conceeding an early score, the Eagles turned up their intensity and were able to take control of the game. They capitalized on several U-Conn mistakes and turned two penalties into points after Mark Muldowney was able to successfully convert the kicks. After 20 minutes, BC lead 6-3. The game progressed with both forward packs working hard in the contact zones to maintain possession of the ball. The Eagles were able to get an edge over their opponents in set piece plays, and their back line moved the ball quickly and efficiently. After moving deep within Husky territory, the BC pack won a 5 meter scrum which allowed the 8 man, Tim Broderick, to pick the ball and dive into the try zone for the score. The Eagles now led 11-3. BC attack did not slow down and once again found themselves knocking at the door of the U-Conn try line. This time, it was sophomore lock, William Rockwood, who powered the ball through the Husky defense for the score. Mark Muldowney was able to convert the kick after and gave BC an 18-3 lead. Before the half came to an end, U-Conn struck back with a try and conversion of their own, cutting the BC lead to 18-10.

The second half opened with UConn receiving the ball and making their way across the mid way line into BC ground. After high tackles and rough rucking led to BC injuries, several reserves came into the game. The Referee took charge and warned both captains to keep their teammates under control in the tackles and rucks. After scoring a try and expanding the Eagle lead to 23-10, Center Jack Casey received a yellow card and was sent to wait in his try zone for high-tackling. Despite being a man-down, the Eagles kept possession of the ball and junior Jake O’Brien broke through the Husky defense for another try, making the score 28-10. After Caser served his ten minute penalty, two Uconn players were yellow-carded for illegal tackles, crushing all hopes for a Uconn comeback. BC took advantage of the loss of two key defenders and ran the ball up the middle with the forwards. Eventually, Jake O’Brien scored his second try of the game. Muldowney’s kick was good and, as the final whistle blew, the Eagles soared victoriously with a 35-10 win. At the end of the match, BC captain Alex Hunt, who sat out of the game with a shoulder injury, commented that he was proud of the intensity that his team was able to show in the second half and hoped it would carry into their match next week against UMass.

 

Northeastern Defeats Boston College in Final Minutes of Play

Sept 18– the Boston College Eagles opened their regular season with a match against the Northeastern University Mad Dogs at Moakly park in South Boston. The game was a low-scoring aggressive battle which lasted until the final minutes of the match.

The game began with a BC kick off to the Mad Dogs. The Northeastern attack relied heavily on forward ball that crashed into the center of the BC defense. Although the Eagles rose to the challenge and were able to halt the Northeastern charge, they could not do so without committing several penalties, one which lead to a Mad Dog penalty kick. Luckily for BC, the kick sailed wide of the post, but penalties would prove to do the Eagles more damage than any player on the Northeastern side. After the failed kick, BC took the ball up the field and began an exchange of deep kicks. Eventually, Northeastern forced a BC turnover and was able to recover a dropped kick and touch it down in the BC try zone for the first score of the game. The conversion after the try was missed, so the Mad Dogs had a 5-0 lead. BC kicked Northeastern the ball but was able to recover possession and spin the ball outside to the wing through the hands of the backline. Junior Rob Guerrero avoided several defenders before he touched the ball down and put the Eagles on the board. Jack Casey missed the points after, and the game was tied 5-5. Before the end of the half, Northeastern capitalized off another BC penalty and took the lead 8-5 going into the break.

In the second half, possession went back and forth until BC was deep inside Mad Dog territory. The Eagles pounded away at the Northeastern defense for close to ten minutes before the number 8 man, Tim Broderick, scored a try after the BC pack won a scrum on the 5 meter line. BC retook the lead, but missed the points after. With no more than ten minutes left in the game, BC led 10-8. The Eagles defense was able to hold strong until they gave up another penalty. The Mad Dogs chose to kick from 25 meters out for the win, but the attempt sailed wide. BC was still alive. In the last minute of the game however, BC knocked the ball on at their own 22 and gave Northeastern another penalty kick from 20 meters. This time the Northeastern kicker converted and gave the Mad Dogs the edge they needed to win the game. The final score read Northeastern 11- Boston College 10.

This loss in the regular season opener was a disappointment for the BC players and coaches alike. Captain Alex Hunt acknowledged that his team played aggressively and dominated possession but were unable to score when they had the opportunities. BC proved formidable in the set-pieces, winning all their scrums and line-outs and taking a few of Northeastern’s as well, but their mistakes prevented them from pointing points on the board. Head Coach Jeff Monfett was concerned with the amount of penalties his team committed and said it would be dealt with at practice the upcoming week.

 

Eagles Take Down Delaware

Sept 11 – Boston College hosted Premier League competitor University of Delaware at the Irish Cultural Center in Canton, MA. The match pitted an aggressive Eagles side against a much larger Delaware side, with the Eagles ultimately prevailing 24-17.

The Eagles came out of the gate with purpose after receiving the initial kick-off and started to move the ball up the field against the sizeable Delaware defense. BC began their possession with several phases of forward ball but Delaware’s aggressive rucking in the contact zone caused a BC turnover. Within the first ten minutes, a costly BC penalty gave Delaware a line-out deep within BC territory. A successful fake maul off the lineout allowed the Delaware eightman to scamper through the tryzone untouched, and Delaware took an early lead 5-0.

The Eagles regained their composure and their aggressive attack style soon left Delaware on its heels. Using a combination of quick ball and precision passing, the Eagles drove deep into Delaware territory. Sophomore prop Kevin Murtagh punched through the Delaware line and put BC on the scoreboard. After a missed conversion, the score was knotted at five points apiece with twenty minutes left to play.

Following the try, BC dominated possession of the ball but could not capitalize within Delaware territory as penalties seemed to be their Achilles’ heel. BC got its first lead of the game when Alex Brown intercepted a poor Delaware pass and dashed forty meters down the sideline before off-loading to Stewart Harris for the try. Delaware had an opportunity of their own but could not break the Eagle defense before the end of the half. At the break, the score was 10-5 in favor of BC.

After receiving the second half kick-off, Delaware showed a new sense of urgency and began hammering the BC defense. Once again, they scored in the opening minutes of play and tied the game 10-10. On the ensuing kickoff, Murtagh re-ignited the Eagles intensity with a massive hit that sent the BC sidelines in an uproar. A yellow-card given to Delaware’s scrumhalf ended whatever momentum Delaware had gained in the second half and BC took charge.The reinvigorated Eagles used successful counter-ruking and forward ball to regain the lead. John Potapchuk scored the try and Jack Casey made his conversion to put BC ahead 17-10.

Another debilitating try in the 60th minute by Drew Beaurline gave BC a 24-10. The Eagle’s momentum carried them through the second half as they proved to be the fittest team on the pitch. BC had another close scoring opportunity but a knock-on in the tryzone kept Delaware within two scores.

With only ten minutes left in the game Delaware scored a try of their own, cutting the score to 24-17. Delaware’s offense put pressure on the Eagles until the final seconds of the match, which ended in a decisive goal-line stand by BC.

The team’s Captain, Alex Hunt, who sat out the game with an injury, was impressed by the Eagle’s determination. “This was a great win. Everyone was making great sticks and showed a lot of intensity. We will keep up the hard work this week and get ready for Northeastern.”

 

Head Coach Monfette Assembles World-Class Coaching Staff

August 13 – The Boston College Rugby Football Club (BCRFC) has named Jeffrey (Jeff) Monfette as their new Head Coach. Monfette advances to the head coaching position in his sixth season with BCRFC; the previous five he served as the Assistant Head Coach.

Monfette has enjoyed considerable success in his playing and coaching careers. After captaining the Bryant College Rugby Club, Monfette played eight seasons for the Worcester Rugby Club. Prior to coaching with BCRFC, he became the Assistant Head Coach for Worcester; the club placing well in national divisional play in both his years of coaching for Worcester.

Monfette has assembled a world-class group of assistant coaches to compliment his leadership. Michael Diamantopoulos joins the BCRFC coaching staff adding his considerable experience. Diamantopoulos has amassed an impressive winning percentage in his twelve years of coaching collegiate, select side, super league and National U-18 teams. Mike continues as Director of Rugby for Boston Men’s Rugby Club. New Zealander Jason Lett also joins the coaching staff for this upcoming season. Jason has played with a number of prestigious Clubs and Representative Sides in NZ as well as Worcester Men’s, Boston Irish Wolfhounds Super League, Northeast Select Side and USA Eagles here in the states. Jason’s coaching experience is with Worcester Men’s as well as USA U-18 camps. Justin Lee Goonan is returning to BCRFU with a focus on the development of the players speed, strength and conditioning. Justin has honed his expertise with his association over the years with several Clubs and Representative Sides in Australia, South Africa and the US. Jason continues with Boston RFC, Super League, Division I, Sevens.

"We are very fortunate to have Coach Monfette accept the Head Coach position continuing his years of experience with the club and adding his own style of leading," stated BCRFC President Andrew Wolf, who added: "the coaching staff committed to assisting Jeff demonstrates his dedication to the club’s success and his stature in the rugby community. Jeff is also very adept with the administrative aspects of club management and recruiting and is very well respected by Boston College Club Sports, NERFU as well as our supporters in the Friends of BCRFC, www.friendsofbcrfc.org.”

In accepting the position, Coach Monfette noted; "BCFRC has a strong and successful tradition as a leading program in Division I Northeast competition. I look to build upon our success as we approach the club’s 45 anniversary and hope to position us to compete at the D-I national level with eyes on the College Premier League. The quality of the Club’s student athlete leadership on the pitch, in the classroom and in their community service made this an easy decision for me.”