Home of the College of New Jersey Men's Rugby Football Club
EPRU Division II Championship Fall 2011
Welcome to the official site of The College of New Jersey Men's Rugby. TCNJ is located in Ewing, NJ and has been home to Men's Rugby since 1997. The club started with a simple flyer posted by Ralph Citarella. The word spread and after the first meeting there were 30 prospective student athletes bound together learning a completely new animal- the game of rugby. Practices began as a comedy of errors taking place behind ABE dormitories. Eventually an interim coach was recruited- Chris Kasner of the former Hibernians- who was able to add structure to the practices and single out positional players. The inaugural fall semester of 1997 consisted of no real games, but served as a season to weed out weaker players and reveal glimpses of future standouts. Although no official games were played, the team attempted full contact tests on the then astroturf football field. Several concussions and other injuries later, the team was forced to retire for the upcoming spring season. With a non-sanctioned match against the Seton Hall Pirates scheduled for the spring, the team started the season with new purpose. With limited numbers and knowledge of the game, TCNJ struggled to prepare and acclimate themselves to the type of game they were about to jump head first into. When the day finally came for TCNJ to test their luck in a real live game, they did not have enough players to field a full side. The Montclair State Norsemen were kind enough to loan enough players to complete a side and this hybrid team took the pitch- inexperienced, but determined. Michael Perentin is credited with the first try in team history with an 8-man pickup that ended with touching the ball on the post (ironically, several minutes and a referee's explanation were needed since the team was unfamiliar with the rule). Regrouping in the second half, the team scored a second try but was defeated by the more experienced Seton Hall squad by a 3 point difference. It will be remembered as a victory for the club however, because TCNJ Men's Rugby had officially begun.
~Adapted from team history
Today the team consists of a Division II A side and B side that competes in the Mid Atlantic Rugby Conference (http://www.marc-rugby.org/index.html ) with its inaugural season beginning this fall. Our home pitch is located at Green Lane Fields just inside the campus grounds. Currently, the team hosts two team runs/workouts and two practices per week, with season schedules of at least 6 games/tournaments per semester. Additional information about our current team can be found above. Any questions about our club or the website can be directed to the contact information at the bottom of the navigation menu. I hope all are able to enjoy the website and stop by frequently for up to date standings and news.
~Adapted from team history
Today the team consists of a Division II A side and B side that competes in the Mid Atlantic Rugby Conference (http://www.marc-rugby.org/index.html ) with its inaugural season beginning this fall. Our home pitch is located at Green Lane Fields just inside the campus grounds. Currently, the team hosts two team runs/workouts and two practices per week, with season schedules of at least 6 games/tournaments per semester. Additional information about our current team can be found above. Any questions about our club or the website can be directed to the contact information at the bottom of the navigation menu. I hope all are able to enjoy the website and stop by frequently for up to date standings and news.
