The Rugby Arizona season started this past weekend with Blackbirds beating Desert Vista 45-7 and Scottsdale downing El Mirage 36-19.

Defending champion Red Mountain didn’t get to play their game as Salpointe forfeited, but it’s fair to say that Red Mountain is, once again, the team to beat.

The league looks more competitive this season than last, if only because Scottsdale and Tempe are running two separate teams again. With their numbers up, quality should be up, too. Desert Vista looked to be an up-and-comer, and may well still be, but their opening loss to Blackbirds indicates there could be more parity this year.

“For a lot of clubs, keeping the numbers up is always tough,” said OJ Hawea, who coached Red Mountain to a state title last year. “We’ve worked hard at it in our club by getting the kids starting at a younger age. We’re now running out the under-10s and under-12s. We’ve got big numbers in under-12s.”

Those kids graduate to the varsity side eventually, and they are experienced. 

Hawea expects to challenge for the state title again this year, and there’s little evidence to say he’s wrong, and Red Mountain has bigger goals than that.

“We’re planning to go to the Pacific Cup and we want to perform well there,” said Hawea. “We’re looking to play as many tough games as we can. We gradated some good players, but what we have now is a group that plus more of a team game.”

This weekend, it’s not a league game for Red Mountain, but a clash with Snow Canyon out of Utah. The defending Utah single-school champion Snow Canyon squad opened up their season at the Storer Classic, getting playing time for a bunch of players. Led by Joe Servati, Kody Jacobsen, Dulan Parry, Brecken Anderson, and Andy Day, they will be strong this year, also.