By Zach Waltz
Assistant Sports Editor
The men’s rugby team (0-1-1) is gearing up for a tough away match against interstate rivals Binghamton tomorrow.
Head Coach Clarence Picard said Binghamton is always a tough matchup for the Bonnies.
“Binghamton is a team that has really given us trouble over the last few years,” Picard said. “We lost to them last season up in Binghamton, and then back in 2010, they beat us here at Bonaventure. Even though they are 0-2 to start the league season, they’re definitely not someone we are looking past. They always bring a physical game and have a smaller field than ours, so they try to work it in tight and give a tough, physical matchup.”
Picard said the team has been focusing on defense in practice to prepare for the hard-nosed Bearcats.
“(Tuesday), we had a really strong defensive-focused practice,” Picard said. “We feel like that’s the area where, if we get that going a little bit more, it’s going to kind of snowball and get us going in the right direction overall as a team.”
Senior wing Kevin Corley agreed, saying defense has been a main focus for the team.
“What we’re trying to do is improve our defensive setup and understanding in the forward and back lines, so everyone is on the same page,” Corley said. “That way, we don’t have gaping holes, so they don’t break off long runs like the last two teams we’ve played have.”
The Bonnies have been faced with the normal, early-season difficulties of trying to replace key graduates and transfers.
Picard said some of the players who left held important roles on last year’s team, making them difficult to replace.
“It’s not easy because a few of the guys we lost were key positions,” Picard said. “So you’re not only looking to replace them just as general overall players, but also you’re replacing them as key decision makers.”
Fifth-year senior lock Tim Hanna said underclassmen have been doing a good job in filling the positions.
“We lost a few guys that were important, but we’ve had young guys step up,” Hanna said. “We haven’t quite filled the shoes yet, but we’re getting there.”
The Empire Rugby Conference changed its playoff system this year, setting up an eight-team playoff for teams from the Midwest and Northeast. This playoff will result in a fall championship, which differs from previous years because there used to be only a spring championship.
Hanna said even though the playoffs are in the Bonnies’ sights, he takes games one at a time because it’s a long season, and the team is ultimately trying to win as many games as possible.
“Right now, we’re trying to concentrate on our next game, because we haven’t really done anything yet,” Hanna said. “We’re 0-1-1, so it’s tough to start thinking about the playoffs when we haven’t even won a game yet. Our goal is to make it to the playoffs and eventually win, but my concentration right now is just on this week.”
