Should men's and women's rugby be D-1 NCAA sports?

[bigmatt718]

What are your thoughts on men's and women's rugby as full fledged D-1 NCAA sports? I personally think rugby should be for spring, as they already have a collegiate national tourney in Philly the first weekend in June, plus I am biased and would love to see the B1G dominate in a spring sport (lax is up and coming).

RU could host rugby matches at Yurcak in the spring and maybe one or two at RU Stadium, the B1G can host their tournament the weekend after the conference lax tourney. Just so many opportunities. What do you guys think?

 

[AdamsGarden]

I’ve often wondered why more schools don’t sponsor NCAA Rugby. I know nothing about the game, but it looks fun and the fans are loyalists on par with lacrosse people. That said, we are probably a generation away from offering either, certainly mens. We need to prove that we can be good at the ones we have first, generate more revenue, and then walk about adding the sports we cut.

 

[gef21]

It would be difficult to become fully funded, and then recruiting would be odd since high schools do not play it. Many colleges have very successful club teams but I do not see colleges making them fully funded programs. Would be cool though.

 

[Leonard23]

We haven't adequately funded our current sports for over a century so I'm not in favor of adding more. We're way behind our B1G peers.

 

[bigmatt718]

Rugby isn't an NCAA sport, so until it becomes one, the talk of funding is irrelevant. If/when that day comes, then maybe funding becomes a valid argument.

 

[AdamsGarden]

Rugby isn't an NCAA sport, so until it becomes one, the talk of funding is irrelevant. If/when that day comes, then maybe funding becomes a valid argument.

There are a handful (like 12?) NCAA programs, mainly NESCAC-type schools along the east coast. The premier Rugby programs, like Cal, don't offer it as an NCAA sponsored sport, however.