Rutland competes at 2015 Can-Ams Tournament

By Kate Troy

Chris Manjuck breaks a tackle in the game against Lost Land Pirates.

By Maxx Steinmetz

After three weeks of home games and practices, Rutland Rugby Football Club travelled to the Lake Placid/Saranac Lake region for the largest amateur rugby tournament in the northern hemisphere, the Can-Am tournament hosted by the Saranac Mountaineers.

Rutland entered into the “Social” division (one of seven divisions), of which Vermont clubs The Green Mountain Boys of Ludlow RFC and Bennington RFC and Burlington Rugby also competed.

Rutland’s first game at 8 a.m. saw them play against the Lost Land Pirates, who travelled from Pennsylvania. Slow out of the gates, Rutland was never able to convert offensive efforts into points and were thusly shut out 27-0 and put into the consolation bracket, as every team was guaranteed two games.

After a six-hour wait between games, Rutland took the pitch to face North Jersey Rugby. The long wait again led to Rutland coming out slow. In this game however against the Division 2 side (Rutland plays in Division 4 in the fall), Rutland was able to have a say on the scoreboard, though North Jersey still came away with the 36-18 win.

The Green Mountain Boys also went “two and out” like the Rutland Roosters, but Burlington took the Social Division Championship on Sunday in the first Can-Ams they had entered in five years, against Danbury RFC of Connecticut.

The Rutland Roosters will be starting their fall season soon. For more information visit facebook.com/rutlandrugbyclub.