For the first time in six years, the Cape Fear Rugby Club has earned a spot in conference playoffs against the only rival team it failed to defeat during its regular season.
The game kicks off at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 11 at the home field, FlyTrap Downs in downtown Wilmington. Captain Jason Gruner said he expects the spring weather and Azalea Festival weekend to attract a decent number of spectators.
“I think it’s a great opportunity to watch a full contact sport; football season isn’t in right now,” he said. “I’ve yet to have somebody come out and not enjoy it. They might not really understand everything but … it’s just a good family atmosphere out there.”
The team, which consists of around 30 men ranging in age from 19 to their early 40s and hailing from as far away as South Africa, will take on Columbia, S.C. During two regular season matches against Columbia, Cape Fear tied and lost by one — the team’s only loss of the season.
“It’s a revenge game for us,” Gruner said. “We’re looking to take advantage of that and … hopefully win big.”
After two close games, the teams know each other’s strengths and weaknesses, Gruner said. In recent weeks his team has been practicing and strategizing with this game and this team in mind.
“We know what we need to do to stop them on defense,” he said. “We feel like there are some opportunities for us to exploit some positions on their side of the field.”
If Cape Fear wins its playoff game, Gruner said, it will likely travel to Chapel Hill for the conference championship. The team has the opportunity, if it continues to win, to advance to the East Coast championship and then the national championship in Colorado. Gruner said despite the physicality of the sport, it is the team’s mentality that makes it successful.
“It sounds kind of cheesy but the idea that the team is a family … just knowing the other guys on the field truly have your back … makes such a difference,” he said.
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