Men’s rugby club gaining attention going into playoffs

For Minnesota State senior Alex Wehrman, the key to winning at rugby is simple. 

“If you want to go fast you go alone. If you want to go far you go together,” Wehrman says.

Wehrman has been playing rugby for four years. He says the team’s goal is to make it to nationals and establish themselves as a high-quality program.

The MSU men’s rugby club is now part of the Sweet sixteen and will play its next match Saturday in St. Louis, Mo. to get to the final four and three national championships which will be held in Houston in December. In October the team defeated NDSU 21-14 to take the Northern Lights Conference championship.

If you’re unfamiliar with rugby, think of it this way: in simple terms, it is about 90% football and 10% soccer. But it is 100% unique in every way. In rugby, all players have each other’s back; no man runs alone. Rugby is played between two teams. It’s the same in the sense of football where a player is trying to score a touchdown (but in rugby it’s called a “try.”) 

Rugby culture is growing in Mankato, especially men’s rugby; MSU’s men’s rugby club has 20 active members, and has been around since 1972. 

Men’s rugby clubs have one championship per season, one of which is the national season. The Minnesota conference has five teams including MNSU. However, in nationals there are about 200 clubs in each division. 

MSU is competing in the top 16 right now and plays on the Division-II level. Rugby clubs are trying to revive the culture of rugby like It used to be.

The Rugby Club has two coaches helping players hone skills and game knowledge. As far as recruiting goes, most players never really played rugby before college. For a new student one can join rugby club through Involve U page or Instagram page. 

Sophomore Blake Martin has been playing rugby for a year and a half and is the president of the men’s rugby club.

“If a new student is looking to join, we are recruiting in the Dining Center for all the freshmen that go there. They can find us there. They are welcome to join. We are a huge open group of guys. We love to have new people and we are always looking for new players.” Martin said.

Senior Maxwell Shoger has been playing rugby for more than four years and is the team’s captain.

“It’s a game where you fall in love with it just by playing it,” Shoger said. “In the start I had no idea what ticks back. My first time going to practice was like this is something I want to be a part of. Being around guys makes everything better because you have a good group that’s like a good culture around you, they support you and are there whatever you need anytime.”

Header Photo: The Minnesota State Men’s Rugby club set to play in the playoffs Saturday, Nov. 19 at St. Louis, Mo. (Asutosh Silwal/The Reporter)

Write to Ayan Muhammad at Ayan.Muhammad@mnsu.edu