The University of Delaware Blue Hens rugby team is led by head coach Struan Murray and had a record of 5-3 in the 2015 fall season. Key returning players include senior captains John McCurdy, Matt Hess, and Tommy Abram. The addition of Delaware back into the Rugby East conference is positive for the program and conference. Delaware has a balanced team in 2016, with many young players who gained experience last season as freshmen. The team is led by a few talented seniors but lacks junior players, so the core of the team consists of sophomores from last year. Coach Murray aims to have the team play fast and aggressively while also emphasizing academics and character development for the student-athletes.

1. UniversityofDelaware Blue Hens
HeadCoach: Struan Murray
2015 Fall Record
5 – 3
Currentlyrankedoutside of D1A Top-Twenty
Players to Watch
JohnMcCurdy, Sr. - Captain Inside Center
Tom Abram,Sr. Fly-half
Matt Hess,Sr. - Captain Prop
NickLintner,So. Prop
The additionof Delaware backintothe RugbyEast conference isa feel goodstoryfor all of D1A Rugby.
Both squad and conference continuallyexpressthe desire theyhave forthe programtoreach the levels
it hadbefore the suspension.Thatwouldputthemsquarelyinthe middleof the 2nd
tiergroupinthe
conference,whichisaboutwhere theydofit,judgingbytheirperformanceslastfall.
Delaware isaninterestinglybalancedteamin2016. By the numberstheyare young,and thatshould
make RugbyEast difficultforthemastheybuild. Theiryouthpickedupgreatexperienceasfreshmen
lastyear though.So,it’snot yournormal youth,persay.
The Blue Hensdo alsohave a few verygoodseniorswho remainedwiththe programthroughthe
suspension. JohnMcCurdy, Matt ‘Peach’ Hessand Tommy Abramwill nodoubtsetthe pace each week
and leadfromthe front. There are almostnojuniorsonthe squad though,sothe heart of the club is
really nowwiththatdozenor so sophomoreswhogotbackon the bus lastfall.
That group’sexperience fromlastyear,whenthe Hensstartedsevenoreightfreshmenineverymatch,
will be invaluable goingforward. The freshmanclassthatCoachStruan Murray is bringinginthisyear is
sure to experience similarmomentsof brutal doubtwhentheyface theiroppositesandsee Malcolm
May or KinaMalafu.The henswill needtheirresolve tobe firm, astheyfile throughthe phaseslooking
for theirspots.

2. That is notto say that the squad cannot compete thisyear.Disciplinedandballsyatonce,the Blue Hens
underMurray are a fun teamto watch andtypicallyquite dangerousinthe loose.Their blendof
patience anddaringcomesfrom a holisticstudent-athlete culture the teamisbuilding. Inone concise
statement,Murraydescribed it,“If theycommittothe school thingoutside of Rugby,thenRugbyisthe
release itshouldbe.”
The University hasmade itclear and the teamis line withthe order.Academicsandcharacterfirst,
rugbysecond.Murray agrees,“If we have good students,we’ll have goodrugby.”Thatsaid,Murray is
bringinghisinfectiousblendof funandintensitytothe teamaswell.Hisgameplayphilosophyallowsthe
kidsto openup,have funand release the beastsasitwere, duringthose 80 minutesof weeklymagicwe
call “Rugby”.
“We wantto playfast,we wantto playaggressive,”he said.“Notgoingtognashour teethoverdropped
ballsandthings.Practice will be intense,butthe boysare committedbecause rugbyismore funthan
the rest of the week.We’ll getthemplayingwithasmile ontheirfaces.”
To that, I say,what otherwayis there toplay?Welcome backto RugbyEast, Delaware.It’sgoingtobe a
tremendousyear.
Article &Artworkby Ryan J.Trost
Thisis AmericanRugby – RugbyEast