Playing a number of scrimmages and preparing for official conference games, the Harding rugby team continues to work on the field to improve in size and strength.
In their scrimmage against Freed-Hardeman University on Oct. 13, Harding officially tied against the opponent, but, in an unheard of sudden death overtime, were barely defeated.
“Freed came on a little stronger than we expected,” senior coach and captain Hayden Dorsett said. “We were able to hold on pretty well during the first half, mostly through the second half and picked it up toward the end when we scored twice in six minutes.”
The team currently has 31 players and 15 are able to participate on the field at a time. During the Freed-Hardeman game, everyone was given the opportunity to display his skills.
“We wanted to make sure everybody had sufficient playing time for their friends and family to see them play,” senior Wade O’Dear said.
According to Dorsett, approximately half of the team consists of new members, which was a challenge against Freed Hardeman’s 17 out of 20 returning members.
The team will proceed to face the men’s Little Rock Rugby Club at 2 p.m., on Oct. 27, at the Little Rock Rugby Complex.
O’Dear said Harding has a great relationship with the men’s team and each match presents an opportunity to compete against some older, more experienced rugby players.
Members of the Harding rugby team traveled with the Little Rock team for their first game this fall in Nashville, Tenn., playing as the men’s team substitutions.Though the games thus far have been non-conference exhibitions, the Bisons are seeking to defeat Freed-Hardeman in their first upcoming conference game.
The team will play against Freed-Hardeman again on Nov. 3, this time on the road in Henderson, Tenn.
They will present their first home conference game on Dec. 1.
The season will continue into the spring semester and more home games will be played following Christmas break.
The team has a realistic set of goals to win their conference, make it to the tournament, continue to national playoffs, retain players and most importantly, gain support from Harding.
The team has nearly doubled in numbers and recruits men each fall to join the team. Dorsett said experience is not required to play, and many of the members learn as they go.
Freshman Stern Harris said that although he had no previous experience in the game, he decided to give the sport a try.
“It keeps me in shape,” Harris said. “It keeps motivating me; it’s just encouraging seeing all these guys, lifting each other up.”
