Thursday, November 29, 2012

Day 1 Opponents - St. Mary's

St. Mary's Rugby is the oldest athletic club at the school and carries a proud legacy of rugby excellence.  Coached by the legendary Patrick Vincent, a former New Zealand All Black captain, from 1968-1983, the Gaels went from a fringe sport to one of the most popular on campus, building a winning tradition along the way. The team has continued to grow over the last few years, revitalized by a new coaching staff and increasing alumni support. The Gaels finished the season ranked among the top ten college rugby teams in the country for three consecutive years. Head coach Tim O'Brien was named coach of the year by American Rugby News following the 2006-07 season.

All-American Kingsley McGowan
The Gaels best season was the 2007-08. The Gaels reached the semifinals of the USA Rugby National Championship losing to Cal 41-31 in the semifinals, and finished the 2007-08 season ranked #2 in the nation for Division 1. The Gaels were led that season by Kevin Swiryn, who went on enjoy a rugby career with the U.S. national team.  The Gaels reached the quarterfinals of the 2011 USA Rugby Sevens Collegiate National Championships. St. Mary's won the 2012 West Coast 7s tournament, with a semifinal 17-12 win over favored Cal, and a win in the final over Cal Poly 35-19 The Gaels finished third at the 2012 California 7s, and secured an at-large bid at the 2012 national championships.
 
While the Gaels are without their All-American star Kingsley McGowan (former Houston St. Thomas player) as a result of a knee injury, they still have plenty of firepower to go around.  Garrett Brewer, Augie Heath, and Bubba Jones are all fast, elusive runners.  The Gaels also have a formidable pack with the likes of Mike Haley, Kelly Harris, and Tim Maupin.  St. Mary's poses an impressive challange to the Aggies on day 1 and the Ags will have to be fully focused and playing their best rugby when they step on the field against the Gaels.

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Aggie Rugby Player Profile - Lukas Jacobson

Lukas Jacobson
Today's Aggie Rugby player profile features Senior Lukas Jacobson.  Lukas is a four-year starter for the Aggies at wing and fullback.  Lukas is known for his shifty moves, great break-away skills, and his ability to score tries.  He has played a number of high profile games during his career at A&M and is a leader both on and off the field.
 
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 196
Position:  Wing/Fullback
Major:  Industrial Distribution
 
Lukas's hometown is the Woodlands, Texas where he played high school rugby for the Woodlands RFC.  Under the leadership of Coach Phil Beck, Lukas flourished for the Woodlands team, serving as their captain and twice being named the Woodlands MVP (2008-2009).  His superior play saw him named to the Texas Select squad in 2007 and 2009.  He also recieved invites to USA U17 and U-20 camps.  Lukas finished his high school career in style when he was named the Texas Multi-School Player of the Year (09).
 
Lukas has 35 CAPs for the Aggies and has scored 20 tries over his career.  He has been a mainstay in the Texas A&M backline during his career.  Lukas has been a critical part of the Aggies 7s success, earning All-Conference ARC honors for the 2012 season.   He has also been heavily involved in the leadership and operation of A&M Rugby thoughout his tenure, serving as Vice President (2011-2012).  This ability earned him the Klinghoffer Coaches Award in 2012. 
 
Lukas likes to travel, fish, and waterski in his spare time.  His original plans for after graduation were, "to get a job that will pay me to see the world."  Mission accomplished; Lukas accepted a job offer on his birthday and will travel to Orlando in June for his new employment!
 
What Does Aggie Rugby Mean to You?
"On Saturday I feel energized and fast, on Sunday I feel like an 80 year-old man."

National Championships LIVE on ESPN




The semi-finals and finals of the 2012 USA Collegiate 7s National Championships will be broadcast live on ESPN 3 (see listing of times below).  In addition, USA Rugby will provide live webcasting of the matches played on fields 1 and 2 on their streaming channel - www.YouTube.com/USARugbyTV. 
 
ESPN 3 Live College 7s Schedule/Saturday, Dec. 1, 2012
11:40 am CT - Women's Cup Semi Final 1
12:00 pm CT - Women's Cup Semi Final 2
12:20 pm CT - Men's Plate Semi Final 1
12:40 pm CT - Mens Plate Semi Final 2
1:00 pm CT - Men's Cup Semi Final 1
1:20 pm CT - Men's Cup Semi Final 2
5:30 pm CT - Women's Cup Final
6:00 pm CT - Men's Cup Final
 

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Invite to the National 7s Championships!!!!


Join Texas A&M Rugby this weekend as they host the 2012 USA Collegiate 7s Rugby National Championship!  The competition will take place on Friday, Nov. 30 and Saturday, Dec. 1 at Penberthy Club Sports Complex (West campus, next to the Tennis Center) from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm both days.  A $5.00 entry fee covers both days of the competition.

The national championship will feature 24 men’s teams with a total of 64 matches over two days of intense Olympic 7s competition.  The field for this year’s competition is extremely strong with teams from all around the country earning their way in – providing spectators with some entertaining games to watch.

Aggie Rugby is currently ranked 8th in the nation and have won the last four tournaments they have played in, finishing the fall 7s season with an 18-1 record.  They defeated Georgia 24-12 to win the SEC 7s championship in November.  The Aggies have a high-scoring offense (averaging almost 32 points per game) and a stingy defense (allowing only 8 points per game).  The Aggies open pool play on Friday morning at 10:20 am against Bowling Green.  Please join us for what will prove to be an thrilling rugby event!

National Championship Promotional Video

Please check out this uber cool video by Director of Rugby Craig Coates - he has the best taste in music!  Make sure you pay close attention to Jan Young's massive hit.  See you in College Station!
http://youtu.be/vEw67LqksOc

Monday, November 26, 2012

Aggie Rugby Player Profile - Aaron Durke

The subject of today's Aggie Rugby player profile is Senior Aaron Durke.   Aaron is a two-year starter (3rd year overall) for the Aggies at scrumhalf.  During his career at Texas A&M, Aaron has proven to be one of the most versatile players on the squad.  He has started matches at scrumhalf, center, and wing, moving to wherever the coaches have asked, playing extremely-well in whatever role he has been assigned.  Aaron defines the selfless team player.  He is one of the surest tacklers on the team and can be counted on to give opposition scrumhalfs a very physical and badgering experience. 
Aaron Durke
 
Height:  5'10"
Weight: 155
Position: Scrumhalf
Major: Chemical Engineering
 
Aaron is a native of San Antonio, Texas, where he graduated from Clark High School.  Although his high school did not have a rugby program, he was a 2nd team All-State player in football for Clark.  He has 10 CAPs for the Aggies and played in some very high-level matches last season.  He continued to improve his game throughout last season and won the team's Most Improved Player Award (2012) at the end of the campaign.  This fall he has started every match for the 7s squad and was also a part of last year's national championship qualifying team.  Despite his stature, Aaron is one of the most physical players on the team and is a fantastic one-on-one tackler, rarely missing in the open-fielf.  The coaching staff is looking for an even bigger 2013 season for Aaron!
 
Aaron loves to spend his leisure time, "coming up with cool ideas that usually turn into bad decisions..."  He was a Junior class leader for the team last year and is currently serving as the coordinating secretary for the 2012-13 season.  When asked what his plans were for after graduation he responded, "no idea.."
 
What Does Aggie Rugby Mean to You?
"Acting like a family both on and off the field."

Day 1 Opponents - Western Washington University

Western Washington University is located in Bellingham, Washington in the scenic Northwest.  The rugby team was formed in 1955; giving  the Vikings a 57 year of tradition of on-field excellence.  The Vikings compete in the Northwest Collegiate Rugby Conference in both 7s and 15s.  They qualified for the USA Collegiate 7s National Championships in 2011, finishing 13th. The program is under the leadership of Director of Rugby Paul Horne (who is also the Canadian national team U21-U23 head coach).  The WWU 7s squad is coached by Adam Roberts, a former Canadian age-grade representative player, and current skills coach with their age-grade squad.
 
This fall the Vikings have performed well in 7s tournaments, finishing second in the Palouse 7s and the NCRC 7s Championships losing only to powerhouse Central Washington University.  In the Palouse 7s the Vikings went undefeated in pool play and then beat host Washington State 59-0 in the quarterfinals.  They went on to win a very tight match against University of British Columbia-Okanaga 19-17 in the semi-finals before going down to Central in the final 29-12.
 
At the NCRC 7s Championships, WWU defeated Boise State 40-0 and Washington State 31-0 in pool play before smashing University of Oregon 52-5 in a quarterfinal.  They managed a thrilling 22-17 sudden-death overtime win against Oregon State in the semi-final before getting beaten by Central Washington 46-14 in the final.  As a result of their tournament performances, the Vikings recieved an at-large bid to the national championships.
 
The Vikings have a number of weapons to include NCRC All-Conference players Quinton Willms and Gavri Grossman.  Grossman led all scorers at the NCRC tournament with 46 points, followed by Willm's 44 points (8 tries).  Team captain Matt Jenson and Nate Muir also add punch to the WWU attack.  Muir has recently returned to action after suffering a severe ankle injury over the summer.   

Friday, November 23, 2012

Day 1 Opponents - Bowling Green


The Aggies open the 2012 National Collegiate 7s Championships against Bowling Green - here is some background on the Falcons.

Bowling Green rugby was founded in 1968 and has a very proud tradition of excellence.  It has an average membership of 80+, with BGSU fielding five squads each season (each squad typically posts nine wins).  The Falcons boast an all-time record of 1663 -358-82.  Led by Head Coach Roger Mazzarella, the BGSU has made numerous final four appearances, won 26 Mid-American Conference titles, and been featured in a Sports Illustrated article.  The university has embraced rugby as a quasi-varsity sport with a home game fan attendance that easily makes it the fourth most watched sport on campus.  The Falcons have a dedicated home pitch on campus with fan seating and electronic scoreboard.


This season the Falcons took second to Davenport University at the MAC 7s Tournament, losing 36-12 in the final.  The score is a bit misleading as BGSU faced only a two-point deficit at halftime (14-12).  Bowling Green defeated Northern Illinois 28-0 and Ball State 35-5 in pool play.  They went on to defeat Western Michigan 21-5 in the quarterfinals and Wheeling Jesuit 14-5 in a semi-final match.  According to an interview with Rugby Magazine, Coach Mazzarella said, "We started two freshman and had a third freshman on the squad, so for a young team I thought we did great."  The Falcons received an at-large bid to the finals.

Falcon players to watch for at the National Championships are Mike Powell and Mitch Sora (both freshmen).  In addition, veterans Mike Ziegler and Dominic Mauer add punch to the BGSU side.  The Aggies play the Falcons at 10:20 on Friday morning in what will be an exciting matchup.

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

National Championship Day 1 Schedule

USA Rugby announced the schedules for the upcoming National Championships in College Station.  The Aggie's schedule is listed below, please come out and support us.  All matches will be held at Penberthy Sports Rec Complex on campus
Game 1 - (10:40) Texas A&M v. Bowling Green
Game 2 - (2:20) Texas A&M v. Western Washington
Game 3 - (6:00) Texas A&M v. St. Mary's

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Aggie Rugby Player Profile - Conor Mills

Texas A&M Rugby captain Conor Mills is the subject of this player profile.  Conor is a four-year starter at flyhalf for Texas A&M and a two-year captain.  He has had an extremely distinguished playing career to this point and has been a key component in the Aggies success over the last four seasons.
 
Height: 6'
Weight: 195 lbs
Position: Flyhalf
Major:  Business Management
 
Conor Mills beating the Oklahoma defense
Conor is from Magnolia, Texas and graduated from St. Thomas High School in 2009 where he played rugby all four years.  He holds 22 career records and is the all-time leading scorer in school history with 759 points.  He was All-District, All-State, Texas Select/High Performance player throughout his four years in high school.  Conor was team MVP twice (08-09) and Offensive Player of the Year three times (07-08-09).  He was twice named Texas High School Rugby Player of the Year (2008-2009) and his senior year recieved the Father Allnoch Scholar-Athlete Award (STH's highest honor).  Conor was also captain of the STH team (08-09) and the Texas all-star squads (07-10).  While at STH Conor's teams won two state titles 08-09), placed 2nd (07), and won three Western RFU regional championships (07-09), and made three national championship appearances.
 
Conor has an impressive representative resume as well, having been selected for the Texas Collegiate All-Stars (09-10), West Collegiate All-Stars (2011) and the U17, U18, U20 USA Age-grade National teams. He played on the the US team at the Junior World Trophy in Tibilisi, Georgia in 2011. 
 
During his career at A&M Conor has 35 Caps (every game since his freshman year) in 15s and 40 7s Caps.  Last season he was third in the D1-A competition in scoring with 101 points and led the country in penalty kicks with 16.  He finished the season with 169 total points and was named to the D1-A All-Conference team and as a Honorable Mention All-American.  Conor was named to the SEC 7s All-Conference and ARC 7s All-Conference (as a unanimous selection) teams this fall.  He was the Aggie Recruiting Officer from 2010-12.  Conor was the Aggie Rookie of the Year (09), MVP and Back MVP in 2012.  Conor's leadership and skill on the field has been critical to the Aggie's success during his career at A&M.
 
In his leisure time Conor likes to play Call of Duty, work out and do other "manly things".  When asked what his plans after graduation are, he responded, "move back in with my parents."  Conor's younger brother Riley is the manager and video director for A&M Rugby.
 
What Does Aggie Rugby Mean to You?
"It is a tight-knit group of brothers that will put everything out on the line for each other both on and off the field and for which I would do the same."

Pools Announced for National Championships

USA Rugby announced the national championship pools last night and the Aggies are in Pool E.  They are joined by St. Mary's, Western Washington, and Bowling Green State.  St. Mary's was a top four finisher in last year's championship.
 
POOL A
POOL B
POOL C
POOL D
POOL E
POOL F
Life
California
Central Washington
Dartmouth
Texas A&M
San Diego State
Wisconsin
Arkansas State
Kutztown
Cal Poly SLO
St. Mary’s
Davenport
Colorado State
North Carolina State
Virginia
Air Force
Western Washington
Delaware
Northeastern
Middlebury
Texas
Navy
Bowling Green State
Lindenwood

Monday, November 19, 2012

Help Aggies Fund their Season

Running a rugby team is an expensive proposition and we are constantly looking for help meeting our financial obligations.  You can help by purchasing a raffle ticket for a spectacular hunting trip.  Contact one of the A&M players or go online.  Thanks for your support!
 
Here is the link for purchasing raffle tickets online, $10 per ticket.  The raffle includes a 3 day- 2 night hunting/fishing/touring trip for two at the 15,000 acre 777 Ranch.  The trip includes lodging, meals, beverages and an open bar in the evening. Guide will take you hunting, fishing, and tourning in a 4-wheel drive vehicle.  One whitetail management Buck up to $1500 value and one whitetail doe, to be split between two hunters or both could be taken by one hunter with one non-hunter guest. Raffle ticket total value $3,000.

All proceeds benefit the Texas A&M Rugby Club.
 
 
 

Game Video on ARC Channel

The Allied Rugby Conference has posted video (with commentary) for the last two ARC events.  Please go to http://vimeo.com/channels/alliedrugbyconference in order to watch the Aggies in action!

Aggie Rugby Player Profile - Chris Frazier

The acrobatic Chris Frazier
Texas A&M Rugby team president Chris Frazier is the subject of this week's Aggie rugby player profile.  Chris has been an integral part of Aggie rugby over the past two years as both a player and officer. He has gained a reputation as a fierce defensive player, but also has fanastic speed and poses a major threat to the opposition on offense.  Chris's efforts on the sevens pitch have played a large role in the team's success this fall.  However, what really defines Chris's play is his "high-flying" acrobatics while scoring tries, avoiding tackles, or making tackles - it is difficult to find a picture of Chris with his feet on the ground!
Height:  6'1"
Weight:  200 lbs
Position:  Flanker/#8 (15s) - Prop (7s)
Major:  Petroleum Engineering
 
Chris is from Baytown, Texas and graduated from Barbers Hill High School.  His high school did not have rugby, so Chris learned the game after he arrived at A&M.  However, he proved to be a quick study earning 20 Caps for the Aggies during his two years with the squad.    His play was electric last year in an extremely tough D1-A competition which earned him the 2011-12 Aggie Rugby Defensive Player of the Year Award.  He continues to grow as a player and has been sensational during the sevens campaign - scoring a hat-trick in a semi-final match of the ARC championships.  The coaching staff feels that Chris is one of the best loose-forwards they have ever worked with and fully expect a spectacular spring season from him.
 
As president of the team, Chris demonstrates an amazing work-ethic, leadership skills, and accountability in all things.  The team has been well-served under his leadership and he provides an excellent example for the younger players aspiring to officer positions.
 
Chris possesses an amazing charm and easy-going personality which makes him popular with everyone he meets.  Chris is an outdoorsman and enjoys fishing and kayaking in his leisure time.  He plans to pursue a career as a petroleum engineer upon graduation.
 
What does Aggie Rugby Mean to You? 
"Aggie Rugby is a commitment to bettering one's self and the team."

Friday, November 16, 2012

Aggies Name National Championship Squad

The Aggies named their squad for the upcoming USA Collegiate 7s National Championships last night.  The squad consists of a group of players who have seen an extensive amount of game play this fall and have had an opportunity to build a team chemistry.  It is a mix of both veteran (many are going to their second straight National Championship) and younger players and if they play to their full potential it should be a very exciting tournament for the Aggies.  Congratulations to the following players -
 
National Championship Squad
Amsler, Danny
Tyler Gessner breaks through for a score against Sam Houston
Deao, John
Diaz, Andres
Durke, Aaron
Frazier, Chris
Gessner, Tyler
Guillen, Brian
Hawkins, Raymond
Jacobson, Lukas
Larsen, Rob
McMath, Andrew
Mills, Conor (C)
Smiley, J.D.
Starks, Dylan
Theodore, Matt

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Oh What a Season!

Congratulations go our to our JV squad for a brilliant sevens season!!  They closed out this past weekend's ARC Grand Final with their third championship in a row.  The only reason they did not win four in a row is due to the fact that teams were split at the ARC North tournament, and even then both JV squads made the semi-finals and barely lost (one in overtime and one by 5).  Their accomplishments stand even taller when one considers they did not have the same lineup throughout the season and were missing two key starters for the finals weekend.  All of these players have extremely bright sevens futures with Aggie Rugby and we look foward toward their continued success.  In addition, many of these guys are projected to be varsity starters at 15s, so this was an excellent way for them to work on skills and fitness in match conditions.
 
Perhaps the most impressive factor of the JV squad's most recent success is the fashion in which they dominated the competition.  In the three ARC competitions, the Aggies outscored their opponents 354 to 76.  They averaged 29.5 ppg and gave up only 6.3 ppg.  They are operated both the defensive and offensive systems extremely efficiently and demonstrated mastery of both against stiff competition.
 
John Deao captained the JV 7s squad to another championship
Last weekend saw the Aggies begin the tournament with a 43-0 smashing of Baylor.  They dominated the match from start to finish, with prop Josh Fojtik having a monster game (3 tries).  A&M followed-up with a 29-0 victory over Sam Houston State - John Deao was unstoppable, scoring two tries and physcially dominating the opposition defensively.  The Aggies faced arch-rival UT in the semi-final match.  Scrumhalf Rob Larsen led the way with another hat-trick and the Aggies stomped the Longhorns 36-7.  The final was also a one-sided affair as the Aggies beat Texas Tech 31-7.  Fojtik had two more tries (six tries on the day), capping off a brilliant tournament.  With the victory, the Aggies claimed their third straight JV title and put an exclamation point on the end of their sevens season!
 
Dylan Starks had an amazing championship weekend after being moved for his usual center position to flyhalf for the injured Tyler Lunsford.  He ran the offense with the efficiency of a veteran while scoring a number of spectacular tries throughout the tournament.
 
The ARC 7s Series championship was determined by combined points and the JV squad was a major factor in the Aggies securing the first-ever trophy.  Kudos go out to this fine group of players who demonstrated all fall a committment to Aggie Rugby and a burning desire to come home champions! 
 
JV Roster for ARC Grand Finals
Prop - Jason Fojtik
Hooker - Chris Semler
Prop - John Deao (C)
Scrumhalf - Rob Larsen
Flyhalf -Dylan Starks
Center - Grayson Dowlearn
Wing - Kaleb Cornitius
R - Philip Hanson
R - Trigun Soni
R - David Saparitio
R - Robbie Chilton

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Aggies Move up in National Rankings

In the newest national collegiate rankings released by RugbyMag (11/14/12), the Aggies moved up a spot to #8.  This is the highest ranking the Aggies have ever attained in 7s.  Yesterday's ranking will most likely be the last until the National Championships.
 
Chris Frazier beating the Tech defense

1. (1) Life

2. (2) Cal
3. (4) Central Washington
4. (8) San Diego State – Won California 7s
5. (10) Dartmouth – Won Ivy 7s
6. (3) St. Mary’s – 3rd at California 7s
7. (17) Cal Poly – 2nd at California 7s
8. (9) Texas A&M – Won ARC Dallas
9. (5) Air Force
10. (6) BYU
11. (7) Arkansas State
12. (Unr.) Wisconsin – Won Big Ten 7s
13. (11) Penn State – Second at Big Ten 7s
14. (12) Delaware
15. (13) Kutztown
16. (14) Virginia Tech
17. (15) Utah
18. (16) Davenport
19. (18) UCLA
20. (19) Virginia
21. (20) Navy
22. (21) Arizona State
23. (22) Western Washington
24. (24) Colorado State
25. (25) Oklahoma – Third at ARC-Dallas

Aggie Rugby Player Profile - Andres Diaz

We are introducing a new feature on the the Aggie Rugby site called player profiles.  The profiles are designed to introduce fans to the Aggie Rugby family and let them know who our players really are...  Todays profile features 5th year senior Andres Diaz.
Andres Diaz and family
Height - 5'11"
Weight - 195
Position - hooker
Major - Agricultural Economics
 
Andres is a 2008 graduate of St. Thomas High School in Houston, Tx.  He was a prolific player while at STH earning All-Greater Houston and All-State honors while there.  His hard-work and style of play earned him a spot on the USA U-18 National team, with which he toured England in 2007.  He played on a state-runner up (2007), state championship (2008), two Western RFU championship (07-08), and two National Championship (07-08) qualifer teams while in high school.  Andres recieved St. Thomas's highest rugby honor when he was inducted into their rugby Hall of Fame in 2010.
 
Andres has played for the Aggies for five years and has 48 15s caps (appearances in a varsity match), and 33 7s caps while at TAMU.  While at A&M Andres has been named to the Texas Collegiate All-Stars and the Western Collegiate All-Stars.  He was named to two U-20 USA National teams, traveling to Nairobi, Kenya in 2008 (the 2009 team did not travel to Moscow).  Andres was named the Texas A&M Rookie of the Year in 2008.  He was a member of the Western Collegiate Championship and "Sweet Sixteen" team in 2009. 
 
Andres is known for his ability as a fierce defender, and his mastery at the breakdown.  He has been among the team's leading tacklers throughout his career with the Aggies.  This quality has been extremely evident throughout this fall's sevens season.  Andres has been an amazing steward of the Aggie Rugby traditions and a real servant of the team throughout his career in College Station.
 
When asked about his plans for after graduation Andres replied, "I want to become an official Crossfit Athlete and eventually open my own Crossfit gym."  In his leisure time Andres enjoys doing Crossfit and fishing. 
 
What does Aggie Rugby mean to you?
"It means being a selfless teammate - sacrificing yourself for the greater good of the team.  Always having your teammates back throughout any hardships you may encounter."

ARC 7s Championship JV Pictures

Follow the link below to access our JV pictures from last Saturdays ARC 7s Grand Final.

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Thoughts on ARC 7s

The final leg of the ARC 7s Series was completed on Saturday and I thought it would be a good opportunity to look back at the experience.  The Allied Rugby Conference was initially created as a 15s conference, with no intention of having a 7s competition.  However, after examing the burgeoning popularity of the sevens game it was decided to include a sevens series in the fall.  Considering the short amount of lead-time and some huge logistical mountains to climb, the league did an outstanding job.  By their own admission, it was not perfect, but the flaws were small and easily correctable.  The events were enjoyable, well-run, and most importantly, the competition was stiff.  It was the perfect atmosphere for getting the Aggies ready for a run at the national championship.  The most appealing aspect of the competition was the series format.  Rather than one tournament, we had three which gave our players a great deal of playing time in a match competitive format.  The inclusion of the JV squads was also a great idea, which will pay big dividends for not only the Aggies, but the rest of the league as well.  Kudos to the ARC for a successful fall sevens season!
 
Andres Diaz and his high-flying act were big against Tech
The Aggies did a fantastic job throughout the series and managed to win all three events, which is a massive achievement.   The Aggies scored a combined 412 points over the three tournaments, averaging 31.69 points per game.  During that same stretch they gave up a combined total of 110 points for 8.46 points per game.  This might have been even lower had we played better defense in the first tournament.  If the SEC tournament is added to the numbers, we scored a combined 574 total points for a 31.88 average per match.    TAMU gave up only 22 points at the SEC tournament for a combined total of 132 and 7.3 points per game average.  This is very impressive stuff, but considering the level of competition, it as outstanding and speaks volumes about the committment of the players to our defense.  We finished the regular fall 7s season with an 18-1 record on varsity with four tournament wins and the overall ARC 7s Series Championship.
 
We played some very tough competition throughout the fall.  ARC rivals Oklahoma, Texas Tech, and Texas gave us some very stiff challenges.  In addition, Colorado State, Auburn, and Georgia were all extremely athletic and tough teams to beat.  It is clear for anyone watching that the level of collegiate sevens competition has risen to a new high in the United States.  This makes the accomplishments of the Aggies this fall even more impressive and all that sweeter.
 
The Aggies were able to accomplish so much through hard-work, teamwork, and dedication to the team.  They bought into the system the coaching staff has implemented and approach every match like it was the national championship.  Their dedication to teamwork and teammates is the core to Aggie success so far this season.  The Aggies are proud and grateful for having won the inaugural ARC 7s Series and for having the opportunity to play in it.  We look forward to having the opportunity to play in the National Championship and are excited about our chances!

Leading Scorers for ARC 7s Finals

The Aggies scored 135 points on Saturday and averaged 33.75 points per game while demonstrated a balanced attack among scorers.  Captain Conor Mills once again led the way in scoring with 45 points and 7 assists.  TAMU had three players score 20 points; Chris Frazier, Lukas Jacobson, and Matt Theodore all had four tries apiece. 
Scorer Tries Conv. Assists Total
Conor Mills 3 15 7 45
Chris Frazier 4 0 0 20
Lukas Jacobson 4 0 0 20
Matt Theodore 4 0 1 20
J.D. Smiley 3 0 2 15
Danny Amsler 1 0 0 5
Aaron Durke 1 0 1 5
Andrew McMath 1 0 0 5
Matt Theodore scoring one of his four tries

Monday, November 12, 2012

ARC Grand Final Varsity Pictures

If you follow the link, you can view pictures of the varsity squad during the ARC 7s Grand Final this weekend.  The JV pictures will be uploaded soon.
http://photobucket.com/TAMURFCVarsity-ARC7sFinaleTourney

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Aggies Claim ARC 7s Series Championship

The Ags traveled to Irving, Texas this weekend for the final leg of the ARC 7s Series.  The Grand Final was the last event in a three-leg competition that also had tournaments in Norman, Ok. and Austin, Tx.  Texas A&M came into the Grand Final leading in total series points with 82, but University of Oklahoma trailed by only 13 points going into the last weekend.  In order to ensure the importance of the Grand Final, the point totals were doubled, making it extremely important for the Aggies to play well.  The Aggies were also looking for a historic fourth straight tournament win, so Saturday appeared to be a high-stakes affair.

The Aggies were grouped in Pool A along with University of Texas and Texas Tech.  According to the Longhorn coaching staff, UT rested its starters the previous weekend in order to be ready for the finals, posing a big threat to the Aggies.  Texas Tech is one of the more athletic teams in the competition and  produced some big wins so far this year, making the pool the strongest in the competition.  

The Aggies started strong against Texas Tech with Matt Theodore and Lukas Jacobson scoring tries.  However, the Red Raiders scored right before the half after a defensive lapse by the Aggies making the score 14-7.  After making adjustments at halftime, A&M came out strong with Conor Mills and J.D. Smiley finishing off the scoring and giving the Aggies a 26-7 win.  

The second match against UT was a hard-fought affair with early scoring going back and forth.  The Longhorns scored first to take a quick 5-0 lead, but the Aggies answered with a Jacobson try a short time later, tying the game at five a-piece.  UT scored again right before the half giving them a 12-5 lead.  The Aggies continued to struggle until Mills made a break, cutting up the Longhorn defense before off-loading to Danny Amsler who cruised in for the score in the corner.  Mills made a monster conversion from the sideline for a 14-12 lead.  Theodore put the icing on the cake with a try at thirteen minutes, however, the Aggies had to scramble after the restart because Andres Diaz was yellow-carded with a minute remaining.  The Aggies played ferocious defense, keeping Texas out of the in-goal and came away with a 19-12 victory and first place in Pool A. 

In the semi-final match-up TAMU faced Sam Houston State.  Sam Houston has improved a great deal throughout the season and it was exciting to see them advance to the knock-out rounds.  Unfortunately for the Bearkats, the faced a hungry Aggie squad.  Texas A&M crushed Sam 50-0 with Chris Frazier scoring three tries and Jacobson, Smiley, Durke, Mills, and McMath all adding scores.  Oklahoma played Tech in the other final and were shocked by an offensive onslaught by the Red Raiders who came away with a huge upset victory.

The final was a rematch of the first game of the day and the Aggies wasted no time in asserting their dominance with a Frazier try 45 seconds into the match.  Theodore and Jacobson added tries and it looked like the Aggies were going to blow out Tech, however, they came back with two quick tries of their own narrowing the gap to 21-12 at halftime.  Adjustments were once again made and the Aggies stormed through the second half with Smiley, Mills, and Theodore scoring tries.  Mills was a perfect 6 for 6 on conversions and A&M cruised to a 42-12 victory.  The victory clinched the ARC 7s Series Championship and secured tournament victory number four.  It was an incredible weekend for the Aggies, who also won the JV championship (more on this in different post).  The Aggies are now 17-1 this season and excited about the national championships.

Conor Mills had another spectacular weekend, leading the Aggies with 45 points.  Chris Frazier continues to thrill fans with long runs that produced four tries on the day.  Freshman sensation Matt Theodore had a four try performance and was fantastic on defense all day.  Lukas Jacobson added another four tries with some key runs during the tournament and Andres Diaz had a dominating defensive performance.  As has become the custom, another brilliant team effort to win the championship!  

2012 Allied Rugby Conference 7s Champions

Friday, November 9, 2012

Aggies Name Squad for Grand Final

The Aggies announced their squad for the Allied Rugby Conference's Grand Final this weekend in Dallas.  Brian Guillen returns to the lineup after being out for injury the last two tournaments.  He will be joined by forward Danny Amsler, who makes his first varsity appearance of the season in 7s.  The Aggies will play in Pool A which includes Texas Tech and University of Texas.  Texas A&M plays their first match at 10:20 against Tech.  Fields are located at 600 E Royal Ln. Irving, Texas 75039.
 
Lukas Jacobson attacking UT
Varsity Lineup
Prop - J.D. Smiley
Hooker - Andres Diaz
Prop - Chris Frazier
Scrumhalf - Aaron Durke
Flyhalf - Lukas Jacobson
Center - Conor Mills (C)
Wing - Brian Guillen
R - Tyler Gessner
R - Matt Theodore
R - Ray Hawkins
R - Andrew McMath
R - Danny Amsler

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Current ARC 7s Series Standings

The Aggies remain at the top of the overall standings in the ARC 7s Series after last week's victories in Austin.  The Aggies received 30 points for their varsity championship win and 12 more for the JV victory.  Texas A&M leads in the overall standings, varsity standings, and the JV standings.  This weekend's Grand Final will be extremely important for the Aggies as the points are doubled for this event. 

ARC 7s Series Points Leaders

ARC 7s Series Overall Standings

WonLossDrawSeries Pts
Texas A&M University1520 82
Oklahoma University 117 0 68
Texas Tech10 60 50
Baylor University 4110 43
Sam Houston State 2 13 0 27
University of Texas 160 17

ARC 7s Series Varsity Standings

WonLossDrawSeries Pts
Texas A&M University8 1 060
Oklahoma University 7 2 0 50
Baylor University36035
Texas Tech University3 4 0 30
Sam Houston State 170 15
University of Texas 1 3 0 15

ARC 7s Series JV Standings

WonLossDrawSeries Pts
Texas A&M University 7 1 0 22
Texas Tech 7 2 0 20
Oklahoma University 45 0 18
Sam Houston 16 0 12
Baylor University 15 08
University of Texas 03 0 2