Bennie Rugby reaches Northern Lights conference final; ranked No. 12 in DIII

CSB rugby has been a club sport since it started in 1978. This year, the team is transitioning from a developmental league to a competitive league.  

The CSB rugby team is led by senior president Lillian Marberg. There are three captains: senior Lexy Gunter and juniors Kyla Smith and Liz Kurhajetz. 

The team of 23 rostered players said they are ecstatic to be recognized as an official sports team, though, they are not yet recognized as a sport in the NCAA. The team has an official plaque up in the HCC gym.  

“They just added one that says ‘Rugby’. I remember seeing that and being so excited,” junior Ava Packer said. 

The team is also being led by a new director: Nate Augspurger. Augspurger is the director of both CSB and SJU Rugby. He is also head coach of the Johnnies team and assistant coach for the Bennies. Kyle Salverda or “Cubby” is the Bennies head coach.  

Though the teams play separately, sophomore McKenna Sunder said they try to work together with the Johnnies to form a bigger rugby community.  

“Nate has really made an effort to kind of make the one program mentality,” Sunder said. 

The team is currently sitting at 4-2. Their next game is the conference final, which will be on Oct. 31, against UND in Clearwater, Minn. 

Because of the switch to a competitive league, the Bennie are having to put in more commitment. 

“It used to be whenever you can come you should, but now, coming has an impact on playtime,” Packer said.  

As they transition to a competitive league, their games look a little different. Junior Ceci Freund said that before, in the developmental league, they played what is called sevens or tens. This is when the team has seven or ten players on the field at once. Now that they are in the competitive league and have more players, they can play fifteens.  

Rugby can have different amounts of players on the field, but the rules stay the same. Packer said the biggest rule to know is that the players cannot pass the ball forwards.  

“The basic rule of rugby is to run forward but pass backwards,” Packer said. “The only way you can really advance yardage… is to run with the ball.” 

Somewhat comparable to football, the Bennies have to try and get the ball to the “endzone”. 

“The ultimate goal is to score in the try zone, which is like a touchdown,” Packer said. “After that, you get a chance to kick a field goal or a conversion” 

Packer said that although rugby may have a rigid facade, the team is very welcoming off the field. 

“I would say rugby is definitely one of the most diverse sports,” Packer said. “Anyone can play. Any body type, any fitness… there’s multiple races on our team… and then even you know sexuality.”  

Freund said she was hesitant to join rugby but was convinced to join at the Involvement Fair.  

“I was trying to convince them that I was not athletic at all… they said they’d teach me and they did.” Freund said. 

Sunder came to CSB knowing she wanted to join the team.  

“The first night I was here, I happened to meet the captain of the club… I showed up to the first practice and now I’m here,” Sunder said. 

Though the fall season is coming to an end, the team practices year-round. They typically take a short pause before and after winter break, but they start up again shortly after.  

“If you’re considering trying out, we’re always super welcoming to new people. We love new people,” Sunder said.