Despite Revere High School’s lack of an organized rugby squad, seven determined student-athletes have found a way to pursue their rugby passion.

Revere High School will not have a rugby team for the third year in a row, so interested athletes will have to play on Copley’s organized team. The team includes a coalition of kids from Copley, Revere, Firestone, Walsh, and Hoban. Revere athletes make up more of the team than any of the other schools. Four year rugby veteran and Revere senior Brant Hursh believes the team’s mix of speed and power will help them achieve a very successful season. He detailed how rugby compares to other sports.

“Rugby is a combination of many sports. You have the constant motion of soccer, and the brutality of football,” Hursh said.

First year rugby player and Revere senior Ben Berry talked about what he likes most about rugby and what he believes makes it special.

“Really anyone can play [rugby], and we get kids from almost every sport on the team,” Berry said.

The Rugby season consists of eight 80-minute games. The flow of the game allows all fifteen players on the team to get a chance to touch the ball.

Tommy Little, the team’s coach, has coached rugby for fifteen years. Little explained how he expects the Revere athletes to help the team.

“The addition of the Revere players has made having a team possible this year. Several of the Revere players have brought good speed and athleticism to our back line. I think they will bring a lot of offense to the team,” Little said.

Although the team is very young, they expect to build on the success of last season. Last year the team went above .500 and ended up losing in the first round of the playoffs. Little talked about why he believes the team will have a successful season.

“Based on our first match results, a 96-0 victory I am expecting we will have a good, exciting year,” Little said.

Little mentioned that due to the lack of rugby teams, he wants to introduce the sports into as many high schools and middle schools as possible.

Hursh has taken it upon himself to get the word out about rugby.

“I want to build a foundation to keep rugby going and maybe bring rugby back to Revere,” Hursh said.

Hursh expressed his belief that rugby will benefit those who participate, and if one ever gets the chance, he encourages them to try it out.

RHS seniors on the team include Ben Berry, Brant Hursh, Simon Kirkendall, Broderick Lewis and Patrick Mehal. The team also includes junior Cole Orcutt.