Sports

West Hartford Team to Partcipate in CT Rugby Tournament

CT Rugby to hold tournament in Simsbury this weekend.

Submitted release

This Sunday, May 26, Simsbury High School will be host to the to the 5th annual Ct Cup High School Rugby Tournament. 

Ten boys’ teams and three girl’s teams will play matches throughout the day to determine two state champions and the winner of the Connecticut Cup.

High school rugby teams from across the state will convene on two fields at Simsbury High School from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

The girls State Champion as well as the Division II boys champion will be crowned. 

Teams from Simsbury, Hartford, Amity, Ridgefield, West Hartford, Staples, Fairfield, Cheshire, Southington, New London and Stamford Academy will be participating in the season ending tournament  

Boys and girls rugby are among the fastest growing sports in high schools across the United States. 

There are 18 high school programs throughout the state of Connecticut with new programs starting each year. 

Nationwide there are more than 1,200 high school rugby teams.  Kids are attracted by the opportunity to play a sport steeped in the traditions of sportsmanship, respect and fun. 

The Simsbury High School program was started seven years ago and this year was made a varsity sport by the Board of Education. 

There are currently 50 boys and 25 girls playing rugby at the high school.   In October 2009, the International Olympic Committee announced that Rugby Sevens (the seven-a-side version of the game) will appear in the 2016 Olympic Games to be held in Rio de Janeiro. 

The sport of rugby has grown in popularity I the U.S.A. over the past several years.  The Farmington Valley YMCA is currently running a youth rugby program.  Rugby has also been added to the curriculum at Henry James Memorial School. 

The West Hartford Black Hearts Rugby Club has a U-19 team that plays its home games at Sterling Field.         


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