Salve Regina is ranked #33 in the Goff Rugby Report Men’s DII College Rankings, and faces #37 Endicott this weekend in a game that should as good as clinch the Colonial Coast.

Salve sits 5-0 and having beaten #36 Plymouth State already, can take command of the conference with a win over 3-1 Endicott. 

New coach Ronan Hingerty said he joined a program with a strong rugby tradition, and he just needed to add to that.

“I was clear that if they’re serious we can take this team to another level,” said Hingerty. “The boys have responded.”

Hingerty made some game plan changes and moved some players around. A big advocate of a full 15-player approach to the game, Hingerty asked more of all his players.

“We spread the workload,” said the coach. “A lot of college teams are very forward-oriented. We need all 15 players to play and at the higher levels you have to do that. We have good athletes, some with rugby experience from high school but others from wrestling, soccer, football, lacrosse, and basketball. They all bring talents.”

Salve Regina puts opposition teams under pressure both defensively, with an aggressive defensive line, and with the ball, where Hingerty likes dynamic ball and to speed up the game.

“The team has caught on to what I’m trying to do, and they realize that if you play the game in the other team’s half, then no team should score against you,” said Hingerty.

In the end, Salve wins on hustle and speed, and they might well do that several more times this season.

This weekend's game with Endicott is a special Breast Cancer Awareness game, with pink T-shirts being sold to raise money for breast cancer causes. 

And you know it's a big game when the school mascot, Sammy the Seahawk, will be attendance.

Kickoff is 2pm ET at Fort Adams State Park.