Fresno entered the 64-team nationwide playoff and got an unlucky draw as their first game came against the defending national rugby champions. ̢۬While the team gave it their all, they came up short against the Red Mountain Rugby Club from Mesa, Ariz. ̢۬

“I thought our team played well, but we could have played better,â€Â Brenner said. “The other team was a quality team and they played well; it just didn’t go our way.â€ÂÃ¢€¨

And although the season didn̢۪t end as the team had hoped, there was plenty of success to be found in what it accomplished this season. ̢۬

Andrew Clark, president of the team and club member, said that despite the loss, the club, as a whole, gained a lot of positives. ̢۬

This is the first year, according to Clark, that the club has been able to get a solid group of college students to join and buy into the game. ̢۬

As a result of the rapid interest by those at the collegiate level, Clark said that the club is hoping to create a separate college team for next season. ̢۬He said that the goal is to help those players that are college-age to form a team independent of the club.


“Everyone part of the Fresno Rugby Club is extremely excited about the new Fresno State team,â€Â Clark said. “The club is giving 100 percent in backing and supporting this team.â€ÂÃ¢€¨

In an effort to help the development of this new team, Clark said that he and the other officers plan to offer assistance to coach the team and even try to help financially. ̢۬

“I think it’s exciting that the sport is growing and that only good can come out of it,â€Â Brenner said. 


If the players from Fresno State form their own club, they will be able to schedule their own practice times, have their own club officers and simply become a separately run program. ̢۬

Clark believes that in the long run, creating a collegiate team will only benefit his club, because when students who play graduate, they can move to the Fresno Rugby Club and come in with experience under their belt. ̢۬

Experience is something that the youth of the team lacked tremendously this season. Most of the students that joined played football in the past, but they were forced to adjust to the rough style of rugby.

“I would say that rugby is a more intense version of American football,â€Â Clark said. “It’s just a faster pace game, it’s non-stop and there are no pads.â€Â