The Rugby East Conference is a premier collegiate rugby conference in the United States, which determines its champion based on regular-season records rather than a playoff. The conference consists of Army West Point, Life University, University of Mary Washington, Mount St. Mary's University, U.S. Naval Academy (Navy), Penn State University, and Southern Virginia University.
Kutztown University has been bumped up to #1 in Goff Rugby Report’s fall rankings thanks in large part to their 39-26 defeat of Army on Homecoming Weekend at Kutztown.
It was a watershed moment for the program - a crucial win in Rugby East, played in front of a big home crowd, and their first-ever win over West Point.
Kutztown University defeated West Point 39-26 Saturday at Kutztown, dropping Army to 4-2 in the Rugby East and putting Kutztown up to 5-0.
The game was intensely physical and very tight for most of the game, but a sterling effort from the Kutztown forwards saw the Bears survive.
Army tries to bounce back from losing to Iona by traveling to Kutztown this weekend.
It’s a huge game for both as each team is in with a shot at the Rugby East title.
Asked to characterize Sean Hardiman’s game at scrumhalf for Iona in their victory over Army this past weekend, Iona Head Coach Bruce McLane was succinct - “he played the best game of his life.”
Good timing for Hardiman, as he did so against a formidable opponent. Hardiman himself said his day, and the team’s day, came down to a lot of self-belief.
Here are highlights and post-game interviews on Iona's defeat of West Point.
Iona shocked Army 43-26 Saturday in Rugby East action.
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"We'd just give it to the big men; they could create space and then we'd take it up out wide," said freshman Greg Amaty.
