Rams excited to be back playing 15s

By Lethbridge Herald on April 19, 2024.

By Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

For the first time since pre-COVID, the LCI Rams boys rugby teams  are returning to play in the 15s league this season.

The Rams were able to field enough players this year after not being able to field a program a year ago due to low numbers, which was the main reason during the return to sports year after COVID that they could only play 7s.

“This year our goal was try (to) get it up and running,” said head coach Randy Hyland.

“ With the help of some parents we were able to get the interest back up. We were able to convince the administration to be able to give us an opportunity to see if we can get the players out and interested in it , which we were able to. So, initially, we had 37 players show up, since then we have about 27. So moving forward we decided to commit to play senior varsity and junior varsity 15s this year.”

Hyland wants to use this year to introduce the sport as a whole.

“So playing 15s, it is a little different,” Hyland.

“There’s six more players on the field. So it’s a (completely) different game, it’s not as fast as 7s . So it was obviously a learning opportunity for them and by the excitement of doing it, and them being able to spread the word that hey … come on out, find what it’s about.  And like I said it’s been able to encourage and bring more kids to the opportunity to play rugby.”

Hyland’s success going into this season was being able to  field  teams to play 15s.

“The fact that we’re able to do 15s this year, which I really didn’t think we were going to be able to, to me and to the players, I think that’s a step in the right direction and success already,” said Hyland.

Hyland is looking forward to players growing and understanding this year.

“Like I say getting that first game off our belts really helped because I think the whole attitude of them changed completely,” he said.

“It’s like it was no longer deer in (the) headlights. It was like hey you know what this isn’t bad, we can do it.”

Grade 11’s Cohan Groves is happy to see a 15s program back at the school.

“It means that we can grow on it and have a successful program in the future,” said Groves.

Groves said it’s all success, when asked about what will be successful this season.

“If we can go out and play a good game and play a good season, then I think that’s the greatest success we can have,” said Groves.

The team has committed to playing in 7s  tournaments this season.