UGA Rugby kicked off our competitive season this past weekend with a huge win over South Carolina’s B-side! We should point out, the Gamecocks B-side are nothing to sneeze at – with several recruits from perennial powerhouse Xavier High School (New York City), this side has as much athletic talent and experience as many of our prior A-side teams.
Our boys came out strong, striking first blood within the first few minutes, when Captain Mike Sample executed a beautiful kick into the try zone which our back line dotted down. From that point, Georgia kept their foot on the gas and never relinquished the lead. South Carolina fought hard, and had some moments where they threatened to steal back the momentum – but they simply couldn’t handle the Dawgs, who kept their wits, stayed strong on defense, and implemented the gameplan. At the final whistle, the score told the story of the day: 38-17, UGA over South Carolina B.
The coaches are super proud of our boys for showing heart and playing within the system. We had so many fantastic performances and contenders for Man of the Match, but we ultimately decided on the following: For the backs – Man of the Match went to captain and flyhalf Mike Sample, for his execution and command of the game. Honorable mention to newcomer and inside center Nico Marchini, who showed out in his first UGA match with 2 tries. For the forwards, Man of the Match went to flanker Luke Pankey, who tackled everything that moved and forced multiple tacklers to handle him on every carry. Honorable mention went to our big man, tighthead prop Matt Haberman, who stole multiple lineouts and carried for 50+ meters.
Our B-side fought bravely, but the difference in athleticism and experience was clear, and we were simply outmatched. However, we got everybody much-needed playing time, and had a few new guys show us some amazing potential, including first-year Rafael Saitowitz (our B-side man of the match), as well as Big Mike Hardie and Eliot Goggans.
There were multiple reasons to celebrate off the pitch as well. A strong turnout on the sidelines, including a good number of parents and families, as well as various club supporters. For the first time in a while, we actually had a post-match social with BOTH teams! And last but not least, we LIVE-STREAMED the match on the UGA Rugby YouTube channel!
HATS OFF to the Gamecocks for a good match, and for joining us at Little Italy at the post-match social, where they showed a lot of class. THANK YOU to all the friends, family, and other supporters who cheered us on, whether in person or watching the livestream. Your support means a lot, and we want you along for the ride all season!
UP NEXT: UGA @ Lander. On Sept 4, the boys will travel to Greenwood, SC to face the Lander Bearcats, a high-quality side who recently moved up to D1, and have been working hard on building up their program. UGA and Lander have traded wins in recent history, so this will be competitive, but we’re looking to carry this past weekend’s momentum straight into that match.
Match Photographer: Onyx Mills
