Men’s Spring 2015 Season Recap

Anxious to keep building on their progress from the fall, the Rats scheduled a short but challenging spring schedule against a mix of Division II and III teams. Not to be defeated by the snow, the men opened the spring season in an alternative location, hosting Providence on Easter weekend. This tough match included a few season-ending injuries, and faced again with some roster setbacks, the Rats lost against Providence and then New London County the following week. Never discouraged, the team rebounded in week 3 in a round-robin with the Maccabi and Framingham. The final regular spring match against rivals Old Gold was a close, exciting contest, but the Rats came up a little short at the end.

The NERFU Cup saw some more success for the Rats. On the first day of the tournament, the men won through with two strong shutouts – first against Black River, then Monadnock. Those wins meant that Charles River played on NERFU Sunday for the first time in several years. The pool final didn’t go the Rats’ way, however, as the men lost to Springfield.

The spring extended to May 30th this year, as Charles River hosted a touring club team from Ireland to finish out the season. A motley Rats crew, including some friends from other college and club teams, took the pitch against Naas RFC from County Kildare. The strong Irish club was a little too much for the men on the field, but the international experience and the opportunity to be great local hosts made for a fitting and memorable end to a season full of challenges and progress.