At universities, clubs come and go as the student body cycles each academic year, but some groups have a bit more staying power. Celebrating its fifth decade of existence this spring, Ole Miss Men’s Rugby Club has stood the test of time.
Every year, the club hosts a reunion weekend to connect current members to alumni members. For junior mechanical engineering major and Ole Miss Men’s Rugby Vice President Race Davis, these connections keep the club tethered to its roots.
“It’s a great honor to be a part of a club that has such a long history at this university. I have had many great interactions with alumni from the club from all different age ranges. Without them, we wouldn’t be where we are today,” Davis said.
The reunion weekend includes events such as a match between the current squad and former members, who are affectionately known as the “old boys.” Additionally, a social is held to allow the players to better connect with the alumni off the field. This year’s events will take place on the weekend of March 23.
The club also encourages closer engagement with the opposing teams they face. Generally, after matches are played, the club will partake in socials with the opposing side.
Rugby is unique in the sense that it is a full-contact sport played without any padding. Because of the physicality of the sport, opponents often have a greater deal of respect for one another; this, in turn, creates a culture that values good sportsmanship.
This camaraderie is what junior management major and club President Kai Nihira loves most about playing rugby.
“Rugby has the tradition of hanging out with the opposing team after a game. The fact that we can go from beating each other up for 80 minutes at a time to having a laugh with the other team immediately after is something that not many other sports can offer,” Nihira said. “You dislike your opponent during the match, but afterward you will sing and hang out with them.”
While the club has existed for decades, it has faced challenges. Maintaining membership has been a problem in recent years. Last year, the team was forced to forfeit a number of matches for lack of players.
However, a greater emphasis on recruitment and a large freshman class have helped the club bounce back this school year. The club normally has a group of about 20 players who come to practice regularly, while 25 to 30 players are available to play in matches.
The club has employed several recruitment strategies.
“We recruit players by posting on Instagram as well as by word of mouth,” Nihira said. “Rugby isn’t a big sport here in Mississippi, but in some parts of the country, it’s big. We also work with campus recreation to spread our message about joining the team.”
For Assistant Coach Trevor Reeves, who played for the club from 2018-2022, it is important to continue teaching younger players about what it means to play rugby at Ole Miss.
“When I joined, I was lucky to have experienced players and a coach to teach me the game and help make me better, so it was important to me to pay that forward,” Reeves said. “I think the more people I can get to be passionate about rugby at Ole Miss, the better the experience will be for future generations.”
The club competes in Division II of the Southeastern Collegiate Rugby Conference, which falls under the purview of National Collegiate Rugby. Opponents include typical rivals such as Mississippi State University and Auburn University, but the team also frequently competes with other Southern schools such as the University of Memphis, Georgia Institute of Technology and Tennessee Tech University.
The squad plays home games at the Ole Miss Sport Club Fields on Insight Park Drive, where the team will host a tournament on Saturday, April 20.
In addition to their alumni reunion weekend and home tournament, the club will travel to various tournaments throughout the South for the spring season. A promising season for this squad includes trips to Huntsville, Ala., Memphis and Knoxville, Tenn.
