Rugby Football Union Announces Select Side Teams

The Metropolitan New York Rugby Football Union, (Met Union) recently held several fitness & skills assessment tryouts along with trial matches in an effort to select both U19 and U17 select side teams. The Met Union represents parts of Connecticut, New Jersey and New York. The teams will have several test matches in early June against the Eastern Penn Rugby Union and the Upstate Rugby Union before heading down to Baltimore to compete in a tournament that will be hosting some of the best select sides on the East Coast.

Among those selected were 5 members of the Long Island RFC U19 Colts, including 4 players from Garden City. Heading up the U19 squad is junior Jeff Fell who is just coming off touring with the USA U17 team in England this past spring. Jeff was his usual dominating self in the trial matches. Joining Jeff will be brother Billy Fell who impressed the selectors at both second row and number 8. Billy has become a dominating player in the line outs and scrums. Billy is headed to Ohio State in the fall where he hopes to contribute to a team that is a perennial member of the collegiate sweet 16.

The other two Garden City players are Chris Ciquera and Matt Nesi. Chris, a former All-County running back at Garden City, played flanker for the Colts this spring, but made the U-19 team as a center. Chris broke off two long scoring runs during the trials that had selectors buzzing. Chris will be attending Clemson University in the fall, another highly ranked collegiate program. Matt, in his first year playing rugby, made the U-17 squad as a winger and led that group with 3 trys in two trial matches. The fifth member of the Colts to make one of the teams was Anthony Corbo a 280 lb All-County Wrestler out of Port Washington, who made the U-19 team as a prop.

Several other Garden City players made major contributions to the Colts this past spring season. Junior Greg Miele, probably the fastest player on the Colts, had several electrifying runs making a statement that he may be the go-to back next spring. Greg was a lock to make the U-17 team but a late season shoulder injury forced him to skip the trials. Seniors Nigel Carpenter, Patrick Gallagher & Joe Mohen were all main stays in the Colt forward pack and were an important part of the Colt success this season. The Colts currently play their home games in Glen Cove but are looking for a field in the Garden City/Mineola area due to the strong contingency of players from these towns. For more information about the Long Island Colts or rugby in general, contact Willaim Fell at fellw@USMMA.EDU or John Royal at jmroyal@msn.com.