Last weekend was a pivotal time for the men of the OU 7s Rugby Squad. Unfortunately, it may cause the men’s team to pivot in an unforeseen direction.
On June 27th, the team traveled to Dallas, TX, to participate in a tournament that would hopefully qualify them to compete for the Western Rugby Territory Championship.
The men needed to place in the top three in order to earn points toward entry in the West Championship tournament, said Head Coach Kenny Forehand. But the team finished the tournament with a record of 1-3.
Team Captain Danny Dunlop said the main problem was a lack of both preparation and dedication.
“We only had eight people. There were originally 10 on the roster, but two didn’t show up.” Dunlop said it’s really disappointing to see the hard work of many go to waste as a result of a few “slackers.”
“That’s pretty much the summertime battle. We’re trying to get people dedicated to this work we’re trying to accomplish for the team, and they’re trying to do their own thing, live their off time.”
OU’s squad lost their first game to the Dallas Elite by three tries and their subsequent conversions. The final score was 35-14.
They then had an hour break before they went up against defending national champions, the Gentlemen of Aspen.
“It wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be,” said Colin Coleman, who plays center in the backline.
“We did pretty well against Aspen, comparatively speaking,” said Dunlop. OU lost 28-14.
OU won their third game against the Dallas Harlequins’ B side, winning by four tries for a final score of 42-14.
Two and a half hours later, the men played their fourth and final game against the Glendale Raptors.
"Even with that long break, we were still dead by the time that last game rolled around," said Kyle Lubers, the team's scrumhalf. "When you only have eight guys, that means you've only got one sub. It's impossible for people to stay energized with numbers like that."
Even though 7s is a much shorter game with only seven minutes per half, it's very exhausting because the entire field has to be covered with only seven players, Coach Forehand said.
"A regulation rugby pitch is 100 meters long and 70 meters wide. That's about the same size as an international soccer field and way bigger than a football field," Forehand said.
If OU's squad wants another crack at vying for the Western Championship, their next chance is in Denver on July 11, according to the West Web site. But Dunlop is unsure if that's a possibility for his men at the moment.
"I've got to see what the team feels like, I'm not taking another eight-man side to a tourney like that," Dunlop said.
"The paperwork is supposed to be in for it by tomorrow actually, so I don't think it's going to happen unless I get a lot of people committing themselves to it. So, we'll see, but I don't think so."
Dunlop said that this weekend was a very revealing time for the team as far as dynamics go, and he feels the team may be headed in a different direction for the rest of the summer season.
"If we don't go to the next qualifier in Denver, then our option is to go to a social tournament. I think that's the direction that our team is going in for the rest of the summer, based on the dedication level right now," he said.
"We definitely have the talent to pretty much win all the social [tournaments], so if we just go social we'll try to win the TOLA. But I don't think we have nationals in us unless we get a commitment from all of our players."
The men will spend the next two weeks preparing for their home tournament in the TOLA Series, Dunlop said.
OU will host Tornado Alley 7s on July 18 at the Al Velie Rugby Complex, located at the corner of Chautauqua and G.T. Blankenship, just west of he Lloyd Noble Center. The first game kicks off at 9:00 a.m.
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