Spring Break
Rugby teams achieve mixed results
Ben Yarnell
Issue date: 3/22/07 Section: Sports
If it is always darkest before the dawn, the men's rugby team is hoping for a very bright sunrise right around the corner.
After dropping their first two games of the season to the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University, the Bulls went into last weekend's game against the University of Missouri-Columbia expecting the best. A combination of difficult weather conditions and difficult play by Missouri resulted in a 10-3 loss for the team. The loss brings their spring record to 0-3.
Head coach Bill Sexton said the team is in uncharted waters with such a record.
"I don't remember the last time we were 0-3," Sexton said. "A lot of guys are really frustrated right now."
The frustration over last week's game started in the first half of play, when Missouri almost completely stopped the Bulls' offense. Going into halftime, the Bulls held a slim 3-0 lead off of a penalty goal by sophomore Will Holleman.
Throughout the second half, the Bulls continued to struggle offensively. With 10 minutes left, Missouri capitalized on a few small mistakes to score two tries.
With the Bulls unable to respond, the final score was 10-3.
"It was a game that was begging to be won by somebody, and we weren't able to get it done," Sexton said.
Because the Bulls have been officially eliminated from the running for the Western Championships, Sexton said he sees this year as a restructuring year. With three straight losses on the spring season, he said he is turning to the players to find out what needs to change. He said he has asked each player to give reasons why the team is not clicking right now.
"For me to stand there and say, 'We need to fix this, this and this' - that's all well and good," Sexton said. "But until a player buys into it - until the players understand what they need to do to make the team better - then we are not going to go anywhere."
One of those players examining the flaws in his team is freshman Paul Edgerley. As a rookie this season, Edgerley said he thinks he has a different perspective on needed changes than others on the team.
After dropping their first two games of the season to the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University, the Bulls went into last weekend's game against the University of Missouri-Columbia expecting the best. A combination of difficult weather conditions and difficult play by Missouri resulted in a 10-3 loss for the team. The loss brings their spring record to 0-3.
Head coach Bill Sexton said the team is in uncharted waters with such a record.
"I don't remember the last time we were 0-3," Sexton said. "A lot of guys are really frustrated right now."
The frustration over last week's game started in the first half of play, when Missouri almost completely stopped the Bulls' offense. Going into halftime, the Bulls held a slim 3-0 lead off of a penalty goal by sophomore Will Holleman.
Throughout the second half, the Bulls continued to struggle offensively. With 10 minutes left, Missouri capitalized on a few small mistakes to score two tries.
With the Bulls unable to respond, the final score was 10-3.
"It was a game that was begging to be won by somebody, and we weren't able to get it done," Sexton said.
Because the Bulls have been officially eliminated from the running for the Western Championships, Sexton said he sees this year as a restructuring year. With three straight losses on the spring season, he said he is turning to the players to find out what needs to change. He said he has asked each player to give reasons why the team is not clicking right now.
"For me to stand there and say, 'We need to fix this, this and this' - that's all well and good," Sexton said. "But until a player buys into it - until the players understand what they need to do to make the team better - then we are not going to go anywhere."
One of those players examining the flaws in his team is freshman Paul Edgerley. As a rookie this season, Edgerley said he thinks he has a different perspective on needed changes than others on the team.
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