Sports
Updated November 11, 2008 4:52 AM
Pete Steinberg can't get enough rugby.
After opening the season with a loss to rival Navy, some may have considered first place out of reach for the Penn State Ruggers.
Updated November 10, 2008 4:00 AM
Back in August, captain Justin Lotter and the Penn State Ruggers set a main goal: finish as the No. 1 seed in the Mid-Atlantic Rugby Football Union.
The Penn State Ruggers have won five straight matches, beating teams by an average of 38 points. They are No. 1 in their division and on pace to clinch the No. 1 seed in the postseason.
Austin Manelick knew it. He told everyone and warned them, but they didn't believe it. Yet at the end of the day, he was right.
Senior fullback Luke Roberts has kicked hundreds of penalty kicks in his life. Saturday was no different.
Winning hasn't been difficult for the Penn State Ruggers, as they have beat their past two opponents by 30 and 58.
Like most freshmen, Joe Baker didn't think he would have much of an impact on the Penn State Ruggers' A-side.
But when Ryan Sustakowski went down with an injury against Trinity, Baker was given an opportunity -- and he has made the most of it so far.
The Penn State Ruggers could get up before dawn, travel for five hours and beat a team by more than 50 points.
Two weeks ago, two of the best rugby matches of the season took place here in Happy Valley when Navy took on both Penn State's men's and women's teams.
Mike Doyle was happy to avoid starting 0-2 again, even in a match that wasn't up to the team's standards.
Monday night was a rare day off for the Ruggers, but they were back to work as usual on Tuesday.
Justin Lotter and his teammates knew what to expect. His opponent uses the same game plan every time.
Don Ferrell and Pete Steinberg have been preparing their teams for this Saturday for over a month.
Not even two days after winning the Big Ten Tournament, the Penn State Ruggers were at it again, but this time with a rare opponent -- Trinity College of Dublin, Ireland.
Unlike when they beat Notre Dame for the Big Ten tournament title on Sunday, the Ruggers were severely outmatched.
Senior flanker Steve Hurley knew it didn't look good, but a win is a win.
As Ohio State comes to town, the Penn State Ruggers prepare for a long-awaited rematch.
But beating the Buckeyes won't be the main focus of the Ruggers.
Nearly 50 people watched the annual men's rugby alumni game Saturday hoping to see a positive preview of the 2008 Ruggers.
The alumni had other plans.
When Ivan Jackson roamed the halls of East Area Locker Room, the smile never left his face as he walked around a hall that wouldn't be possible without him.
When Colorado upset Penn State in an epic overtime battle in the national playoffs, it ended the Ruggers' season, their dream of winning the program's first national championship and -- for the seniors -- their careers.
When he arrived in January, Australian exchange student Harry Guinness was a little worried about making the transition to life in Happy Valley.
Jonathan Swart's teammates don't call him Jonathan. Or Jon. Or even Swart.
Despite the Penn State men's rugby team being seeded third out of four teams, coach Don Ferrell expected his team to win the conference title.
Saturday night's rugby contest against Penn State-Berks was labeled a scrimmage, but for Ruggers' scrum half Dan Marshall, it was so much more. Marshall is one of five current Ruggers whose collegiate rugby careers began at Berks.
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