BOYDES, MARYLAND — Friday kicked off National Collegiate Rugby’s Collegiate Rugby Championship, bringing 144 men’s and women’s collegiate programs to the Maryland SoccerPlex for a jam-packed weekend of rugby. Northeastern brought both a men’s and women’s side to represent the ‘Maddog’ moniker.
With the women’s half of the tournament not beginning until Saturday, Apr. 25, the focus on Friday was about the men’s team. Returning to the CRCs was an important mark for the Northeastern Men’s Rugby team — having not made the tournament since 2023 — so they looked to make themselves known on the National scale.
“It’s great,” said Northeastern head coach Tony Salvatore in regards to what CRCs meant to the program. “I mean, it’s the National Championship weekend tournament, and it’s a real honor to be selected. We had a nice high-seed from the work the guys put in, and you know, it’s a great event. It’s great for the guys, [a] great experience. And, I’m really happy for them.”
The day kicked off at 11 a.m. for Northeastern under blue-bird skies and a beautiful 75 degrees. Their first matchup was a 7-on-7 date with unfamiliar foe UNC – Charlotte. As hoped, the Maddogs cruised to a 21-0 victory supported by tries from senior Bobby Walker and freshman Harry Johnston — who had two in the match, including this late-game clip, shot by yours truly.
Nonetheless, Northeastern started off strong in their chase for a title. However, the fair-weather began to turn (literally) before, and during, their second round matchup with West Chester that was originally slated for 2:20 pm. As early afternoon came in Boydes, so did the unexpected storms that caused three concurrent lightning stoppages delaying play for nearly three hours.
So, the matchup with West Chester, which they had led going into the final play, was less than ordinary and ended in a 17-15 loss in heart breaking fashion. The loss pushed Northeastern out of championship contention, but not out of the running to set new program records.
“It definitely had a mentality aspect to it,” Salvatore said of the rain delay’s impact. “You have to work so hard. I mean, the game itself [has] already such a mental component to it. … Then you have to stop, start, [and] stop, start, in a game that is supposed to be so fast. It had an effect, but I thought we came out pretty strong after the first and second rain delay. So, yeah, maybe it had an effect, but I wouldn’t call it the difference maker.”
Northeastern had the upper-hand for much of the game against West Chester, but again, narrowly fell on the match’s last play following the multiple delays. Also, with some questions stirring regarding if the game was actually played and concluded whilst the postponement was still in effect — because the game seemingly resumed from the stoppage prior to when the league allowed play to start again — is cause for some hesitation.
But, I digress.
With the tournament now three hours behind schedule and most of the fans who had flooded the expansive, five-field (and one stadium) complex gone, Northeastern still had a meaningful third game to play: a match with Sam Houston State that would, with a victory, give them a chance to compete for their highest ever finish in a CRC, fifth-place.
Guided by strong defense and tries from sophomore Bryce Hubbard and Johnston, again, (his fourth in three games), once the final whistle was blown, Northeastern came out on top, besting SHSU 10-0.
So, Northeastern will have to set a new program record on Saturday, as they take on Western Michigan at 4:30 in the fifth-place game. For the Maddogs the work is not finished.
“I’ve been saying this all season. I said it all day today, we haven’t earned [expletive],” said Northeastern captain Gerald Mahoney. “I don’t care what anyone tells us, we know we’re the best team out here, but there’s a lot of respect for us to earn tomorrow, and we have to go out there and take it, because no one’s gonna give it to us.”
Luke Graham is the Sports Director and former Digital Content Manager for WRBB Sports. He has covered Northeastern hockey and baseball with WRBB both on-air and in print for three years. Read all his articles here, and follow him on X here.