The Dead Rabbits opened up their SoCal Varsity White season with an impressive 32-0 defeat of Desert Sands to start 1-0.

For Head Coach Steve Lohmeyer it was a nice league opening for a team that all sorts of athletic potential, but maybe not a lot of rugby knowledge, yet.

The Rabbits return five or so veteran players. The rest are new to the game.

“We’ve got a lot of athletic talent,” said Lohmeyer. “But it’s a case of putting it together.”

Lohmeyer said his team left some tries unsecured due to knock-ons and forward passes. The biggest problem, he said, was that players were too eager and came up too flat. They were in the right position, but not the right depth.

“Hopefully we’ll get better at that,” said the coach. 

They should. The Rabbits faced Mira Costa in a preseason game and lost 27-7, but the players told Lohmeyer they would like another shot at the perennial power after some more seasoning.

Leading the way for the Dead Rabbits are Elijah and Alapiti Paopao, and Jasyn Walker, who is the son of a Dead Rabbits women’s team player. The surprise player might be diminutive fullback Zion Hood. Lohmeyer said he liked to have experience at scrumhalf, flyhalf, and fullback, but ended up with the sophomore Hood after he had such a strong season in football returning kickoffs. Hood is speedy and very elusive is also an experienced head. 

Next up for the Dead Rabbits is Roosevelt, the newest member of the now four-member Inland division. Roosevelt lost to Citrus Valley this past weekend. It appears the Dead Rabbits and Citrus Valley will be the top teams in the Inland, but we will have to wait until after Christmas - New Year’s Day in fact - to see them play each other.