Rugby team still optimistic after losing two games
By Ashley Skipwith
Jan. 29, 2003 9:00 p.m.
Coming off consecutive losses to UC Santa Barbara and UC San
Diego, the two best teams in their league, the UCLA men’s
rugby team needs a win against Long Beach State in its home opener
this Saturday.
With only eight games all season, each match ““ including
Saturday’s ““ is important to the squad’s playoff
chances.
“We should come out with a convincing win,” head
coach and veteran rugby player Jake Pike predicted confidently.
Injuries, notably a hand injury to senior fullback Andy Nelson,
contributed to both losses. But with two weeks passed since their
last game, the squad looks forward to competing at full capacity on
Saturday.
“We definitely found our flaws in the last two
games,” said Pike. “They should all be corrected in
this weekend’s game.”
Bouncing back from a 2-4-1 season last year, the team returns
only five players and gains eight pure rookies. Although many of
their starters have never played before, Pike believes their
athleticism will make up for it.
The team also began the season with a new coach after Mike
Baskket left to compete in New Zealand.
“I jumped at the chance to coach at an athletically
prestigious school like UCLA,” said Pike, who has experience
on collegiate, club and refereeing levels.
He is looking forward to building UCLA’s rugby team to the
same caliber as the sport holds in the athletic world.
Like most club sports at UCLA, the men’s rugby team lacks
practice field space and must share the North Athletic Field space
with nine other groups. And because they practice only twice a
week, it’s difficult to compete at a high level.
The team has also struggled to recruit athletes out of
UCLA’s huge talent pool. While rugby needs 40 players to fill
a competitive squad, only 23 players showed at UCLA’s last
game.
Despite these setbacks, fourth-year captain Joshua Veltman is
optimistic after two games.
“I expect we will be playing a lot better now,” said
Veltman. “This is the strongest team since I have been
playing at UCLA.”
Key returning players that will help in the upcoming match are
Nelson, third-year Sean McGuire and fourth-year Thomas
“T” Pinney.
Veltman said that traditionally, the team has always played
better at home. “The whole team is juiced to play this
Saturday,” said Veltman.
Pike and Josh only see the program improving in the future.
“This year, we have a shot at the playoffs,” said
Pike. “In three years, we will definitely be competitive for
the national title.”
