New Orleans Rugby Football Club

NORFC
Full name New Orleans Rugby Football Club
Union USA Rugby
Founded 1973
Location New Orleans, Louisiana
Ground(s) Gretna Park
President Mike Kerrigan
Coach(es) Trip McCormick (head)
Captain(s) Jeff Reuther
League(s) Deep South Rugby Football Union
Team kit
Official website
www.nolarugby.com

The New Orleans Rugby Football Club (also known as NORFC), founded in 1973, is a men's rugby union team based in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. The club competes in and is governed by the Deep South Rugby Football Union (LAU), True South Geographical Union (GU), and USA Rugby.[1]

History

The New Orleans Rugby Football Club is a member of the Deep South Rugby Union (DSRFU). New Orleans Rugby competes against other DSRFU teams such as: Battleship Rugby Football Club, Birmingham Rugby Football Club, Jackson Rugby Football Club, Montgomery Rugby Football Club, Okaloosa Rugby Football Club, Panama City Beach Rugby Football Club, Pensacola Rugby Football Club and Tallahassee Rugby Football Club.[2]

NORFC won the USA Rugby South Division II Deep South Pool in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011. In 2011, NORFC fielded a 2nd XV in the DIII competition. This team won the Deep South Pool and advanced to the South Finals. New Orleans won the 2011 DII Club Rugby National Championship, defeating defending champions Tampa Krewe. In 2012, New Orleans DI side won the South union. The DIII side went 22-0 and won the USA Rugby DIII National Championship. The DIII side has since been promoted to DII.

Current players

Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.

Player Position Union
Tony Breaux Hooker United States United States
Adam Massey Hooker United States United States
Wes Eustis Hooker United States United States
Mike Gibbs Hooker New Zealand New Zealand
Sean Malek Prop Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago
Matt Upton Prop United States United States
Mason Briant Prop United States United States
Ian McNulty Prop United States United States
Ismail Muhammad Prop United States United States
David Sage Prop United States United States
Jimmy Courtenay Lock United States United States
Ben Benvenutti Lock United States United States
Matt Lytle Lock United States United States
Matt Oertling Lock United States United States
Chris Beacher Lock United States United States
Bogdan Negulescu Lock Romania Romania
Chase Donaldson Lock United States United States
Michael Guarisco Lock United States United States
Jimbo Hotard Lock United States United States
Jerry Zifodya Lock Zimbabwe Zimbabwe
Kevin Kern Flanker United States United States
Robbish Hoffman Flanker Japan Japan
Ryan Fitzgerald Flanker United States United States
Corey Lesassier Flanker United States United States
Timur Alptunaer Flanker
Seth Magden Number 8 United States United States
Will Barrett Number 8 United States United States
Gary Giepert Number 8 United States United States
Jarrett Falcon Number 8 United States United States
Paul Bode Number 8 United States United States
Nick Benvenutti Number 8 United States United States
Player Position Union
Kevin Smooch Delaney Scrum-half Ireland Ireland
Joel McLain Scrum-half United States United States
Todd Fitzgerald Scrum-half United States United States
Casey Mackintosh Scrum-half United States United States
Ricky Decastro Fly-half United States United States
Geoff Orsmby Fly-half United States United States
Jeff Reuther Fly-half United States United States
Will Traylor Fly-half United States United States
Jeff Ahlemeyer Centre United States United States
Joe Palermo Centre United States United States
Eric Mackintosh Centre United States United States
Jeremy Boyce Centre United States United States
Seyi Aiyegbusi Centre Nigeria Nigeria
Mauricio Urrutia Centre Chile Chile
Pat Kennedy Centre United States United States
Andrew Quackenbos Wing United States United States
Alex Phillpot Wing United States United States
Joey Nieto Wing United States United States
Brad Guarisco Wing United States United States
Nick Raziano Wing United States United States
Mike Freeman Wing United States United States
Seth Stevenson Wing United States United States
Blake Hosli Fullback United States United States
Trip McCormick Fullback United States United States
David Buckingham Fullback United States United States
Saade Bou-Mikael Fullback United States United States
Screech Bellaci Fullback United States United States

Notable alumni players

Gary Giepert, Tim Falcon, Bob Olsonowski (USA Eagles), Chip Curtis (USA Eagles) and countless others.

Coaches

Trip McCormick is the current head coach of NORFC. Geoff Ormsby is the assistant coach. Messrs. McCormick, Ormsby and Dr. Todd Fitzgerald coach New Orleans' Division II side.

Practice/Field location

Currently the NORFC practices at the Gretna Rugby Pitch located on Gretna Blvd, just off Belle Chase Hwy. in Gretna, Louisiana. New players as well as experienced ones are always welcome to come out and join. Practice starts at 7:00 PM on Tuesdays and Thursdays. See NORFC's Home Page for contact info about practice.

Sponsorship

New Orleans Rugby Football Club is able to display logos on team jerseys and paraphernalia as well as on the playing field during games and tournaments.

High School Rugby Program

NORFC created the Louisiana High School rugby program, with clubs such as the Jesuit Blue Jay Rugby Club, the Brother Martin Crusader Rugby Club, Rummel Raiders Rugby Club, Shaw Eagle Rugby Club, Audubon Rugby Club, Lake Area High School Rugby Club, St. Paul's High Rugby Club and ESA Rugby Club.

See also

References

  1. "USA Club Rugby: Geographical Unions". http://usarugby.org/. Retrieved 2014-03-04. External link in |publisher= (help)
  2. Gambit Weekly: Scrum Club

External links


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