The ASU men’s club rugby team punched its ticket to the USA Rugby Division II National Championships with an 85-0 win over Long Beach State on March 13.
The No. 2 Sun Devils also won 20-10 against UC Irvine last Saturday, closing out league play undefeated on the season.
ASU (7-0) will open up tournament play on April 16 against a team to be determined from a nearby region in the round of 16. This is the club’s second trip in row to the national tournament.
Kicker Matthew Bulkley is optimistic about ASU’s chances in the postseason.
“We play each game like it’s the championship,” he said.
Bulkley played soccer for 15 years before joining the ASU rugby team, and had 25 points, all through kicks, in the win against LBSU.
Head coach Gary Lane said he has been pleased with the work ethic so far this season, but also there was a lot of work to be done. With four weeks until the national tournament, Lane said he will increase the intensity of the practice and the number of practices a week.
“Everyone wants to win a championship,” Lane said. “I expect it to be very tough.”
Last season, ASU finished sixth in the national tournament.
“[Winning a national title is] a realistic goal for us,” team captain Steven Johnson said. “We’re getting better every game.”
Johnson is no stranger to success on the field. A few years ago, he played for the U.S. National Under-20 team.
“Being able to compete at that level is awesome,” Johnson said. “It was a great experience.”
Senior Travis Hughes said the depth of the team is a major factor in the team’s success. The team has three different levels of experience, and, “with the B-side nipping at our heels,” Hughes said, the varsity players have to keep improving or risk losing a spot.
ASU will finish up the season against against Washington on March 28.
