We heard a few rumors about the ASU rugby club last week and we had to go check out what is going on.
Quick summary of the ASU Rugby Clubs for the ones not familiar with the organization. ASU Rugby Club has been doing a tremendous amount of growth over the past few years. One of the major changes in the program was the naming of new head coach Pieter Hugo. A local rugby coach with a long rugby resume, Hugo and his assistants Simon Dunlop and Roger Tushingham had the hard task of rebuilding a club that was not in the greatest shape when they took over. Coach Hugo had to come up with a rehabilitation and development plan not only for the team representing the club on the field but also for the club in general. For those not familiar with the rugby world, the coaching position at ASU is voluntary and not a paid position so Hugo and his staff volunteer their time and resources to help the club, develop players and keep growing the sport of rugby.
In 2021 the future started to look brighter for the reformulated club. Despite having low numbers compared to previous years they were able to come together and find a strong core of student-athletes determined to turn the club around. There was a ton of hard work and dedication and their efforts paid off. ASU Rugby had a better season and two of their players were selected to represent ASU at the national level as part of the Collegiate Rugby Shield, a post-season invitational game held annually at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman Utah. The competition provides collegiate players an opportunity to showcase their skills in front of MLR (Major League Rugby, one of the professional rugby leagues in the USA ). The two athletes representing ASU are Sean Martin and Devin Rivet both of whom will return to represent ASU in the 2023 campaign.
Now that you are all caught up with what's going on with the ASU rugby club let's get back to our rumors.
Last week one of our sources informed us that a large number of ASU students showed interest in joining the club, 85 new intent applications to be more exact. Now, 85 new players is a huge positive impact for any club but for ASU, a club whose numbers have been on the low side, this is a HUGE step in the right direction and it shows that the club's hard work and dedication are paying off.
When we heard the good news we grabbed the camera (of course) and asked if we can come hang out with the new players and have a chat with the man that has been a huge part of ASU's latest success, team captain Nick Davies.
"None of this happened by mistake. The club's officers and leaders have been working non-stop to make this happen, from holding high school touch events all summer long, working with alumni on different projects, and direct recruiting we made every effort possible to make this upcoming year a successful one. This right here shows that we are on the right path. I am very proud of the effort our club put in recruiting this summer and I am very proud of ASU Rugby Club," said Nick Davies, ASU Rugby's team captain.
"Seeing all these new faces and all the new talent is definitely exciting. I can't wait to get going. We are excited for the new season." added club president Isaiah Fatigoni.
The fall season is now underway and the team is preparing for the upcoming season. During our visit, we noticed a lot of raw yet impressive talent so we will keep an eye on the ASU Rugby club and see how it will all come together.
Below are a few pictures from our visit for you to enjoy
