A couple of notable results were recorded over the past weekend, as two teams that have not won much at all this fall found themselves in the W column.

St. Bonaventure, 1-5 in the Rugby East, defeated #16 Notre Dame College 34-29. Buffalo, 0-6 in Rugby East, faced a longtime rival in Brockport, and won big, 101-17.

A conference of hard knocks has made both SBU (above) and UB (below) better.

Coaches for both teams said the reason for those victories was the tough competition they are getting every week in the Rugby East.

Brockport was a team that always played Buffalo tough, said UB Coach Mike Hodgins. “but not this past weekend.

What was notable, said Hodgins, was “not so much the scoreline, as to see that in two years away from the Empire Conference, and in getting beaten in the Rugby Easy, we showed we’re making progress.”

St. Bonaventure Coach Clarence Picard echoed those sentiments.

“A couple of years ago we were a competitive team in the Empire Conference,” said Picard. “And we’re now 1-5 in Rugby East. But I think people truly underestimate what it’s like to face Army, Kutztown, Penn State, and Wheeling Jesuit in one month. I appreciate that there are a lot of good teams, but I think in at the beginning of the fall we had the toughest schedule in the country.

“When you’re facing really tough teams every week, the standard you’re used to changes.”

For both teams, losing in the Rugby East has been tough on the players. The coaches continue to preach to their student-athletes that they are becoming better rugby players by virtue of playing good teams.

“The players sacrificed winning in the Empire for the idea of a solid future for them as rugby players and the future of the program,” said Picard. This result was a reward for them. And we showed all of the players that as we work hard in these tough games, we will produce positive results, and we will produce rugby players.”