MONMOUTH RUGBY ROLLS UNION COUNTY
League Championship, National Run in View
The Monmouth Rugby Club (10-0) annihilated in state foe Union County (5-4) on Sunday, 81-24 in the Empire Rugby Union semifinal, setting the stage for a showdown against rival Buffalo (NY) for the league championship and a spot in the National Sweet 16. Winger John Campbell (Red Bank) scored a hat trick, and Nic Lucarelli (Middletown) scored 21 points on a try and eight conversions to lead all scorers on the day. Captain Evan Fitzgerald (Neptune) is happy with the victory but not at all satisfied: “The team played inspired rugby today,” said Fitzgerald. “But this game was just one small step on our road to a National Title. We have a long way to go before we’ve reached our goal.”
Monmouth, currently ranked #9 nationally by Rugby Magazine, will play its next game April 26th against Buffalo (7-3) at Thompson Park. It will be the third meeting between the teams in the last two years, with Buffalo winning the first and Monmouth avenging in the fall. On Saturday, Buffalo narrowly defeated defending champion Princeton Athletic Club, 25-22.
Next up: Monmouth vs. Buffalo; Saturday, April 26th, 1pm @ Thompson Park
The Monmouth Rugby Club is a Red Bank based non-profit organization that serves Monmouth, Ocean and Middlesex counties. The club has men’s, women’s and high school teams, featuring competition for all levels and professional coaching. For more information, please contact Rob Morello, rob@monmouthrugbyclub.com