Imagine this: It is a perfect September day in 2021 just after my first-year orientation week. My eyes lock onto the blue sky as I exit the one and only Gordon Commons. As I make my way to the steps, a flash of maroon dives past me as two rugby players tabling outside the building demonstrate a pass. Broken out of my trance, I hurry down the steps before they have the opportunity to make eye contact. Although I did not approach them then, their enthusiasm for the sport and recruiting secretly intrigued me. Now in my third year of college, I sat down with Vassar men’s rugby captain Olly Skeet Browning ’24 in an effort to learn more about rugby and his experiences with the sport.
Browning began by describing two types of rugby, 15s and sevens, which are played in the fall and spring, respectively, with the former being the most common form of the sport overall. The name dictates the number of players on either team. The object of the game is to score points via a try, conversion kick or penalty. A try, totaling five points, is made by getting the ball to the in-goal area, after which a player can attempt a conversion kick to score an additional two points. Penalty kicks are awarded for a multitude of reasons and are worth three points each.
A unique form of play that occurs when a ball has gone out of bounds is a line-out. During this time, a player goes off of the field to throw the ball back into play, and others on the field lift another player up to catch the inbound ball. Describing the play, Browning commented, “It’s a really cool part of the sport, but definitely one that catches people’s eyes.”
To advance the ball, a player must either pass the ball—only backward or laterally—or have a group of teammates form a ruck, similar to a defensive pocket, around them. The players forming the ruck block the opposing team so the player in possession of the ball can then push forward to gain territory.
Recently, Vassar’s rugby program has seen growing success. This past fall, the men’s team became tri-state champions, defeating Hofstra University 47-31. Prior to this, the women’s team achieved the Division II national title in 2018, 2021 and 2022. Browning attributes some of the men’s season’s success to the hard work and achievements of the women’s team. He noted, “I feel like them just setting that baseline really helped. Because it’s like they are just so successful and just consistently accomplish so much.”
Browning’s rugby career began during the COVID-19 pandemic as a way to remain active and socialize at Vassar. He was inspired by the persistence and dedication of Coach Tony Brown, who at the time advertised the team with fliers and emails. After hearing about the no-contact, relatively low-stakes practices from a friend, Browning decided to try the sport. Though the many rules of the sport took time to master, he immediately found community and a highly rewarding experience. Because of the complexity, the team’s fall championship win is a standout memory for him. At the start of Browning’s tenure, the men’s team had not made the playoffs in a while, which motivated him to mentally set the goal for himself. As such, the fall championship felt like a true culmination of years of work.
Today, rugby is still an open team that anyone can join. For those interested in joining either team, the quickest avenue is to contact Coach Brown directly via email.
Reflecting on his experiences, Browning expressed that he, too, was initially intimidated by the physicality of the sport, but later realized it is one of the game’s greatest assets. “I think that there’s something about a sport where you like, physically put your body on the line, where it just brings you really close to the group of people you’re playing with,” he stated. Considering his time with the Vassar team specifically, he concluded that the open team is a valuable opportunity for students—regardless of athletic ability—to enjoy a competitive sport and welcoming community. “You can just show up, put in the work, and I think it’s a very rewarding experience,” he said.
Though I am still intimidated by the thought of being tackled, Browning’s fond memories of the game and the team are an encouraging introduction to the sport. Perhaps I will be inspired to take a walk over to the farm and try my hand at rugby.