Change at Texas A&M Rugby

Change at Texas A&M Rugby

Craig Coates

Director of Rugby, Texas A&M Rugby

For a college that prides itself on its traditions above all else, a lot of change has occurred at Texas A&M Rugby over the last few months.

Facilities

A new Recreational Sports Complex was recently completed which allows for 2 full size grass fields and 2 full size turf fields to be utilized for rugby, with an additional 2 turf fields available for warm-up. All fields are fully lit for evening use, have permanent sleeves for rugby posts, and an electronic scoreboard for each field. The complex also includes restrooms, changing areas, showers, a meeting room with AV capabilities and wireless internet; as well as a covered outdoor area with tables and seating for 200 people.

 

7’s Rugby

Mirroring the increasing focus on 7’s Rugby across the country, Texas A&M Rugby hosted the inaugural Texas A&M Rugby 7’s Kickoff Tournament on September 10th. Baylor, Oklahoma, Sam Houston State, Texas, and Texas A&M competed in Varsity, JV and Developmental brackets throughout the day, with Oklahoma taking out the final in the varsity bracket, reversing a loss to Texas A&M earlier in the day in pool play. All of these teams will renew their battles at the Oklahoma 7’s event on October 15th for a spot in the USA Rugby Collegiate 7’s National Championships.

 

Coaching Staff

As the vast majority of college rugby coaches around the country can attest to; it is impossible to be an effective college rugby coach while also serving as the fundraiser, trainer, administrator, alumni contact, recruiter, promoter, etc; not to mention holding onto our actual jobs. To improve the on-field performance of the Aggies, Texas A&M Rugby has recruited additional coaches to allow the separation of on- and off-field responsibilities. The

complete staff is listed below. We would particularly like to acknowledge the contributions, time, and effort of Coach Johnny Smith, as he takes a break from the grindstone to spend more time with his young family.

Director of Rugby – Craig Coates

Head Coach – Brett Mills

Assistant Coach (Forwards & Manager) – Jeremy Stewart

Assistant Coach (Backs) – Chris Lind

Assistant Coach (Forwards) – Daniel Allmon