Playoff time is here in Men's D2 college rugby.
And if we don't have playoffs, we have crucial games.
Liberty
It comes down to RPI vs Marist this weekend. And we have stuff more from RPI but really in the end, if you look at it, it's very close. Marist has a bigger offense. RPI has a stronger defense (4.4 points per game). Both are rested and ready. Both teams deserve to be in NCR's national playoff, but their path in that playoff can depend on this game.
MARC
The Mid-Atlantic has their quarterfinals this week and being folded in to the playoff is Virginia, the top team out of the Cardinals. This is a good move to expand the reach of the MARC and give one more crossover game for a UVA team that ran through the conference in relatively comfortable manner. (Yes they tied Hampden-Sydney, but on the rematch won by 62.) UVA scrumhalf Colin Baroudi is an excellent playmaker for them and led by captain Wynn Morris they are playing strong defense. Virginia comes in as the #5 seed and they play Salisbury, which seems like a fair way to get the Cavs in there. The teams in this conference are quite close and Salisbury—lost 20-17 to #2 seed Georgetown and beat #8 seed Towson 22-15—is a good illustration of that.
Scranton remains the top seed and a bit above the fray here. Flanker Luke Flanagan is a strong carrier and in Scranton's game against a well-regarded Villanova team he scored four tries. No. 8 Sean Comiskey is an outstanding player, and their captain, and their goalkicker. Perhaps their only enemy is complacency.
Great Midwest
We talked about this earlier—Loyola Makes a Statement and More From D2 Around the Nation—and in this Northern Iowa is way, way ahead of everyone else. This is a strong conference, and has more than once sent a lower-seed finish further in the national playoffs then the conference playoff winner. But this year we would be VERY surprised if UNI didn't do very well.
Northern Lights
Duluth vs Mankato is a big one. Mankato is favored for sure.
NACR
Vermont is on top and should remain so. They have the best offense and the best defense. Coast Guard is hoping to get an upset and hoping UMass Lowell will lose to Norwich in order to jump to 4th.
Great Lakes
GVSU is the strongest team here and should remain so. Program Spotlight: Grand Valley State and Their Powerful Back Row
