Western Washington University rugby is aiming for a successful season following two lackluster years.
The Vikings, who open with a scrimmage on Saturday, Oct. 7, have consistently been one of the best rugby programs in the Pacific Northwest since they were established in 1957, competing at the Division I level in the Northwest Collegiate Rugby Conference.
The team has failed to qualify for the American College Rugby 7’s National Tournament the past two seasons, losing in the West Coast Regional final both times.
Paul Horne, director of rugby and a former Western rugby player, is confident in the potential of the team to succeed.
Horne has been part of the rugby program as a director since 2012 and is excited by how much the recruiting has improved the talent levels coming in.
“The majority of the players we get now have played high school rugby in their background and their skills are way above what we would get 10–12 years ago,” Horne said.
This has led to an increase in wins since Horne made his way back to the team. Being a game away from the national tournament two years in a row means they have high expectations.
Western student-athlete Max Stone, current president of the club and starting fly-half, shared the same disappointment about the previous seasons.
He and Horne have lofty goals for this year’s squad.
“This season, one of the goals is to reclaim the Northwest Collegiate Rugby Conference title,” Stone said. “The big goal though is to win the national championship, and we have the firepower to do so with some of the new guys we brought in.”
The ambitious goals have led to the team developing an important motto. Horne used the word “commitment” over and over when talking about the Vikings’ potential. To begin the season, the players train three days a week and then work out in the gym three other days.
“Our guys have come in better shape than they have in the past,” Horne said.
With the season starting, the club expects one player to take a huge leap forward, Stone said.
“Eli Ashman, who is a winger, has come in and put in an unruly amount of work in the gym and on the field,” Stone said. “He’s definitely going to be someone to watch out for this season.”
Another key aspect that could lead to a positive outcome is their depth. They have about 35 to 40 players who are ready to make an impact when the games start, Horne said. Depth will be needed in a season that lasts from September to May.
Stone believes depth and talented players will create more flair and speed on the attacking end, but also will allow the team to be even more uncompromising defensively than they have been in the past.
The Vikings open their season Saturday, Oct. 7 at deWilde Rugby and Polo Fields in Ferndale. They host their home opener on Saturday, Oct. 14 against the University of Washington at Harrington Field. Game times are still to be announced.
