With a dominant performance, AHO Rugby finished the fall regular season Saturday with a 73-0 victory over UNCG. With the victory, AHO Rugby improved to 4-1.
The game was a blowout, as App State pummeled UNCG for 80 straight minutes.
“The crowd was awesome, we normally don’t have it this big,” AHO Rugby player Ross Miller said. “With it being our last match it feels awesome to have this many people out here.”
As a unit, the team played to perfection, having very few mistakes and capitalizing on big plays. App State also delivered some brutal hits throughout the game, making it an overall satisfactory performance to end the season on.
There was a large crowd that came out for the game, including many alumni that played rugby at App State.
“I always love to come back and watch,” said AHO Rugby alumnus Jeff McGalliard. “It’s fun talking with the other alumni on how we used to play when we were young and fast. We love to reflect on the past.”
The AHO Rugby team has a strong tradition within the club. The team was founded in 1976 and has grown in success ever since. AHO was named club team of the year by the university in 2014 and has gained recognition within the rugby world as well, being known as one of the top rugby club college teams in the nation.
The victory against UNCG prepares the team for the playoffs and to follow in the footsteps of the previous AHO Rugby teams and try to match their success. Previously, the AHO Rugby team was very successful, being ranked eighth in the nation, so it’s no easy task following in the footsteps of this team.
“It feels good to have all this support, it’s a lot more fun to score when you have this many people cheering you on,” current AHO Rugby player Daniel Van Driesen said.
“We’re a lot closer in where we need to be in terms of playoffs,” Miller said. “We’ve improved a lot from week one and that’s where you always want to be. I feel confident where the team is right now.”
The team finished the season 4-1 and will travel to Coastal Carolina for the Southern Rugby Conference playoffs. The playoffs are set to kick off Nov. 7.
Story by: Brent Gilmore, Intern Sports Reporter