The ASU men’s rugby team fought a tight battle with Utah for the final playoff spot in the Western conference last season. ASU finished in third place and narrowly missed the playoffs.
The club team looks to rebound from the missed opportunity and prove to the rest of the country they are ready to compete.
It will not be an easy road for ASU if they want to get back to the postseason. Playing in the conference is a tough enough challenge for them as they go up against other club teams such as BYU, Utah and UA.
This season will also include matchups with teams like Army, Penn State and last year’s defending national champion, Cal.
Managing a tough schedule is going to be a challenge for the ASU men’s rugby team. The team’s success lies with its mix of young talent and veteran leadership.
One of the big returners for the team this season is sophomore Adam Sandstrom. Last season, Sandstrom was named to the USA Junior Men’s National U-20 rugby team, which he called a “high honor.”
Despite losing some key players, Sandstrom remains optimistic about this year’s squad.
“We lost four key seniors from last year, but have a good crop of young guys for this year,” he said.
Stepping up to help lead the team will be senior Zach Utley. He will try to fill the void left by the four departing seniors from last season, but looks ready for the role.
“We have to come ready to practice,” Utley said. “We need to come focused every night. I know it’s a cliché, but we need to practice how we want to play.”
For coach Gary Lane, it’s going to be a busy season. From dealing with the new recruits for the rugby team to what he calls “the toughest schedule in all of Division 1A,” it will be quite the season for the ASU men’s rugby team.
For a coach trying to get his team ready for the season as a national championship contender, a busy season is to be expected.
Reach the reporter at talopez3@asu.edu
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