In 1973 a group of University of Alabama students got together and introduced the sport of rugby to campus. Thirty eight years later, the Alabama Men’s Rugby Football Club still thrives.
Club president John Solter says the team’s successful longevity has everything to do with chemistry. Mix guys with great work ethics who have great attitudes about one another with athleticism, and it can make for a winning team.
The team consists of experienced players who competed in high school but also with men who have never played the game before stepping onto the field before their first practice. Among its eight newcomers this fall with high school experience is New York All-American Nick Byrne.
“I think the pinnacle of our success comes from our wealth of athleticism. The most talented part of our team comes from our younger guys. We had a wealth of experience that came in this year, but we also have a lot of players who have dedicated themselves to hitting the weight room and committing themselves on the practice field, treating every practice like it’s a game,” said Solter, a junior scrum half and wing from Melbourne, Fla., who is in his third season. “Probably one of our best attributes comes from years of Southern toughness. I don’t know how else to characterize it. We have a group of guys who were all raised in the South playing football and some of them playing rugby. But we’re also all friends, and that makes a big difference. When every one of your teammates are guys you hang out with, that makes a huge difference in your chemistry and your success.”
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