Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, September 13, 1995 TAG: 9509130015
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-7 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: CHRIS KING
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The club hosted the sixth Mountain Cup Tournament Sept. 2-3. Blacksburg finished sixth, and thrashed Charleston (W.Va.) 63-14 Saturday to close what amounts to a preseason schedule.
``It's just a good way to get tuned up and play good teams from other unions [leagues],'' Blacksburg coach Bob Urban said. The season, which starts Saturday, will run through the state tournament, with the Roanoke Rugby Club to be the host Oct. 28-29.
The Blacksburg club is a member of the Virginia Rugby Union with 10 member clubs around the state, including Richmond, Virginia Beach and Quantico.
The clubs hold fund-raisers to help pay for their frequent trips across the state. As difficult as funding is, keeping people healthy in a sport that is similar to football, but without the pads, is difficult. The average age of the Blacksburg club is around 30, according to Urban, who also coaches the Virginia Tech women's team.
The 33-year-old Urban, who was forced to quit playing because of health problems, thinks Blacksburg will have a strong team this year - but injuries have already damaged his squad.
``We are a little thin along the back line,'' Urban said. ``We have already had some key injuries and lost some people.''
Out of deference to the Tech men's club, Blacksburg's team does not recruit undergraduate students. Most of the team members are graduate students or former students who have remained in the area. But the club is open to anybody in the area who would like to play.
The scoring in Rugby is similar to football. The object is move the ball into a zone, in this case the trizone instead of the endzone. It is worth five points to a team to get a "tri." The point-after kick, if successful, is worth two points.
A rugby team is allowed 15 players on the field, with eight in the "pack." It is the pack's responsibility to win control of the ball and pass it along to the backs, who try to turn the possession into points.
by CNB