It's easy to miss the fact that in their own 7s tournament last week, Kutztown not only won, they beat AIC 33-12.

Kutztown, it seems, might be poised to make some noise this spring, and they are big, powerful, skilled, and experienced. KU has a lot of talent, and one you might want to keep an eye on is freshman Dmontae Noble.

The Ramblin’ Jesters is an elite invitational sevens team in the grand tradition of the Barbarians and other compilation teams, operating out of London in the UK.   This year they won the Rosslyn Park Floodlit 7s (beating London Irish and five-time winners Harlequins en-route to the final). The Jesters also won the Rugby Rocks Festival in London and the Copenhagen 7s in Denmark.  In addition, the team also finished runner-up tp the German national team in the Nancy 7s tournament in France, and, on their first trip to the USA, took third place in the Serevi RugbyTown 7s in Glendale Colo., finishing 6-1, and losing only to the eventual winners, Denver. The Ramblin’ Jesters are keen to grow their US activity and connections and create opportunities for players on both sides of the Atlantic to play rugby to an elite level.  One demonstration of this initiative was that last week the Jesters had a squad of 13 players in Glendale, of which seve were US-based college players, all under the age of 21. Those players mixed with players from overseas for a unique playing experience. The Ramblin’ Jesters are pleased to sponsor this Goff Rugby Report USA Young Sevens Player of the Month Award.

The former West End and Atlantis speedster, Noble has been converted from a sidestepping, super-fast winger into a 7s hooker, and he's still lighting him up. With Kutztown's depth, Noble rarely has to play more than seven minutes in a game. And yet, he's scored 36 tries so far this spring.

"O'm plying hooker and prop, and it's a great feeling," said Noble. "In 7s I've never played in the pack before. It's great because it helps me learn more about the game. I feel like I've had a piece of everything because I've played in the forwards and I've played in the backs. It's huge because we have so many players, and we don't ever get tired. We have so many good players in so many different positions."

Enrolling at Kutztown as a freshman Noble had some adjustments to make as many students do new to the college experience. At the same time, he was adjusting his role as a rugby player, and finding out how best to fit a not-very-tall frame into DI college rugby.

"LC, our coach, had us working hard in the gym," explained Noble, speaking of Larry Chester. "I know I'm playing at the next level and I need to compete. I didn't want teammates taking advantage of my size in practice, let alone opponents. So I did what Doc Jones and LC told me to do, and I got heavier and stronger. LC has done wonders for me - he gives us all the right tools."

Noble started working with Chester over last summer, and started at 165 pounds and bulked up to over 200. Now is about 185 - but more of it muscle. He has retained his speed and his elusiveness, and the combination is hugely effective. And he's done that despite having to bounce back from an Achilles tear playing at the LVI in Las Vegas. 

"He is playing lights out at the moment," said Kutztown Head Coach Gregg Jones. 

Noble played for West End and made his first national splash playing for Atlantis at the LVI. He credits his West End coaches with teaching him much, but he has other influences, including his brother, and some close friends who have excelled in different sports and in the classroom.

"The Strandemos," he said, meaning, among others, Madeline and Thomas, who are accomplished student-athletes at Minnesota (Madeline, track and cross country) and Louisiana-Lafayette (Thomas, golf). "They work hard and they study hard. They're such a great influence to me because they get straight As, and when they compete, they compete at a high level to the best of their ability. But it's more about how hard they work in the classroom."

But, he adds, it's a different world once you get to college yourself.

"We work really, really hard," said Noble. "We practice late at night and you have to have the energy to practice and train, and also manage your time so you can do well in school. All of it is important. My first semester I was still learning how to study. On the rugby field, in high school you want to make your calls, tackle the guy you're supposed to tackle. But hre at college it's a different level of intensity. It's not you being asked to make your calls or mke your assignments, it's, you have to, or you're not going to play. And I want to play, so I know I've got to do that."

Dmontae Noble is our Ramblin’ Jesters Young 7s Player of the Month.

For more on the Ramblin' Jesters, see here.