St. Bonaventure University hired Tui Osborne as the new head coach of their men's rugby team. In his first season in 2015, the team finished with a 3-5 overall record and 6th place in their conference. Key returning players include Kyle Ciquera, Luis Carpo, and Christian Artuso. The hiring of Osborne as a full-time coach, along with Clarence Picard overseeing the overall program, aims to improve the team's culture and competitiveness through increased structure and high standards. Osborne believes the team's mentality has changed after winning their last few games of 2015 and intends to build the game plan around players' abilities.

1. St. Bonaventure University
HeadCoach: Tui Osborne
2015 Fall Record
In Conference Overall
2 – 5 3 – 5
6th
place,RugbyEast
Currentlyrankedoutside of D1A
Top-Twenty
Players to Watch
Kyle Ciquera,So. Hooker 1st
TeamAll-Conference,2015
LuisCarpo, Sr. Prop 2nd
TeamAll-Conference,2015
ChristianArtuso,So. Fly-half Honorable MentionAll-Conference,2015
PatrickMcCormack, So. Flanker
EamonnMatthews,So. Scrum-half
StephvanTanner,So. Center
Afteralreadymakingstrides late inthe fall of 2015, St. Bonaventure made one huge final statement
aheadof theirappearance atthe ACRC Bowl Series.Asreportedhere,the Bonnies’Directorof Rugby,
Clarence Picardwasable to workout a relationshipwithformerLife Universitycoach, Tui Osborne just
daysprior to theirmatchwithWesternMichigan . It wasa move thatwas sure to have implicationson
the team’sfuture.Thisoff-seasonthe SBUathleticdepartmentmade theirsupportofficial aswell.Both
Osborne andPicardare nowfull time salariedcoachesof the varsityprogram.
Delegatingthe coachingresponsibilitiesof the men’steamwasa savvydecisionbyPicard,whois
overseeingbigpicture developmentof the Bonnies’ Rugbytradition.Itsaysalot aboutthe direction in
whichthe program isheaded. Theyare honestabouttheirbenchmarksandcommittedtoreachingthe
top.
So,like dual bladesona razor, Osborne andPicardare now cuttingcleanerstructural lines forthe boys
to follow, bothonandoff the pitch. “The culture wasalreadyprettygoodwhenIgot here,”said

2. Osborne.““Winningthat(ACRCBowl match) wasveryimportant. We put instructuredphasesthatweek
and afterthe win,theirmentalitystartedchanging.”
There isa like-mindedvisionthatPicardwaslookingforwhenhe hiredOsborne. Osborne describesitas
a “peer-drivenstandardof excellence”,thathe andDan Payne instilledatLife U.To raise the standard at
Bona,Picard and Osborne identified issueswithlastyear’steam,whichhadmore todo withmentality
than withtalent.
Theywant athletes,buttheywantthe rightathletes. Theywanttheirplayerstoapproachsportand life
more professionally.“The mentalityshouldbe thattheirgoals(includingrugby) are notan ‘option’,”said
Osborne.Afterthree consecutivewinstofinishthe conferenceseasonlastyear,followedbyaBowl win
and an excitingCollege7splayoff performance,Osbornebelieveshismennow see the benefit.
He isconfidentinthe talentcomingupat SBU and withPicardguidingthe cultural aspects,Osborne is
free tofocus ondetailsof gameplay. “They’vegottenalotof repstogetherthissummer,inmini
groups…gettingto knoweachother’s traits,”he said.“Runningoneach other’sabilities,the game plan
will be aroundthat.”
One of the interestingmoveshe hasalreadymade istotransitionformerflanker,StephvanTannerout
to the #12 position.The 2nd
yearBonnie isa truck of a man at 6’1” 235 lb.Witha few extrapaces ahead
of him,he couldbe a verydangerouselementforopposingcenterstodeal with.
Indeed,the Bonnies sophomoreclassis lookingveryhealthy.A couple of Freshman All-Conferencenods
and a numberof justunderthe radar matesalongwiththemhave longtime Bonaslike LuisCarpo eyeing
a chance to close the gap onthat top tierin Rugby East. Itis a prettysignificantgapattimes,butwe say
Ionapull closerlastyear.We will see if the Bonnieshave the formula thisyeartoo.
Article byRyanJ. Trost Artworkby ToddJ. Elliott
Thisis AmericanRugby – RugbyEast