Blacksburg Rugby

This autumn, second seems to be the magic number for Blacksburg. After finishing in a draw for second place in the 2009 Virginia Rugby Union (VRU) Senior Men's Division III standings, Blacksburg hauled home three second-place finishes in today's offseason James River Christmas 7s Tournament in Richmond, VA.

Blacksburg entered three sides in the tournament, and the sides were placed in each of the three men's divisions (Red, Gold, and Green) created for the tournament. The three separate men's divisions were created to accommodate the 18 men's teams entered on the day, allowing each division group to compete for separate championships because there would not have been time to establish one champion from all sides during the one-day tournament event. Each division was set up to function at the same competitive level, without deliberate differences in performance or age group across divisions.

Blacksburg's representatives put together a consistently strong day, making the grand final in each division to earn second in each competition. More importantly, the Blacksburg representatives were able to have a good time in the wintry atmosphere of the annual event.

With the seven-a-side event complete, Blacksburg now shifts its focus back to offseason skills and fitness training in preparation for the 2010 Mid-Atlantic Rugby Football Union (MARFU) knockout rounds. Last year, Blacksburg won the MARFU title and advanced to the USA Rugby Senior Men's Division III national quarterfinals, and the club will be working hard to repeat as the only side from the VRU to have won the MARFU tournament and appear at the national playoff rounds.