Occidental has two rugby teams: Occidental Men’s Rugby (also known as the Black Shirts) and Occidental Rugby Club. This semester, the two teams have competed against a variety of schools, many of which have student bodies much larger than Occidental’s. For both teams, the fall season is crucial for developing incoming players and preparing them for higher-stakes games in the spring.
One of the presidents of Occidental Rugby Club, Cleo Welch (senior) said the fall semester is generally a more developmental period because new players are learning the game.
“The fall is mainly just building up, introducing rugby to the rookies — but we have a couple of big tournaments that we played in, including one in San Diego,” Welch said.
According to Welch, rugby is not exclusively about athleticism; it is about finding a place on the field that matches each player’s strengths.
Welch said the team prides itself on its inclusivity, welcoming players of all sizes, skills and experience levels.
“The really exciting thing about rugby is that there’s a position for every different person,” Welch said. “If you’re not as fast but really strong, there’s a position for that and if you’re smaller but faster, there’s a position for that. There’s a lot of positions in between.”
According to Sarah Titcombe (senior), a field captain for Occidental Rugby Club, since the sport can be complex and physically demanding, the Occidental Rugby Club has specific strategies to help new players.
“We have a position called rookie wranglers, and those are people who are in charge of making people who are new to the team feel that they have a place but also learn skills, even if they join the team later in the season,” Titcombe said.
According to Welch, starting rugby can be hard, but the longer someone plays, the easier it becomes.
“It’s tricky in the beginning, to catch up with a lot of the rules because of the way that the game operates,” Welch said. “But we try to make it a gradual introduction to the sport, keeping it light and fun and having people get to know each other.”
Despite rugby’s reputation as a physically intense sport, Occidental Men’s Rugby President Dylan Hastings (senior) said the team places safety first, focusing on proper technique and structured training to reduce injury risks. The club makes sure all players understand that rugby’s physical demands come with a commitment to safety and respect on the field, Hastings said.
“Will you wake up sore as hell on Sunday? Yes, you will,” Hastings said. “But every time I go out on the field, even if there are guys bigger than me, I feel very safe.”
Tim Shumaker (junior), the equipment manager for Occidental Men’s Rugby, said that for many players, rugby’s appeal goes beyond the physicality — it is the sense of community and belonging that keeps them engaged.
Shumaker said Occidental Men’s Rugby views itself as more than just a sports team — it is a space where members connect and support each other, which is something that team members value.
According to Hastings, this spirit of camaraderie extends beyond the team’s own roster. A unique aspect of rugby, he said, is the tradition of hosting the opposing team after each match regardless of the game’s intensity or final score.
“I think the community of the sport is what drew me to it the most,” Hastings said. “I say it’s a rugby club and it is, but I always market the club as a social club and we also happen to play rugby.”
According to Hannah Leiberman (sophomore), the hosting tradition creates an opportunity for players from both teams to come together, unwind and share in the experience that rugby offers.
“What stands out about rugby to me is the relationship between teams. There’s a whole lot of respect that I think you don’t see in a lot of other sports,” Lieberman said.
Hastings said there is a similar type of relationship between teams for Occidental Men’s Rugby as well.
“You’ll play 80 minutes of beating each other up and then after the match you have a social,” Hastings said. “If we had a game here, we’d host the other team at one of our houses, and everybody would come over and hang out. That’s part of the community of rugby.”
As Occidental Men’s Rugby prepares for the spring season, Hastings said that while winning matches is great, the primary goal is for students to enjoy themselves and foster bonds within the team.
“I would love to see them win, but at the end of the day, if you don’t win, it’s not the end of the world,” Hastings said. “I just want to see at least 15 — hopefully one day, 23 — people out there having fun on the field. That’s ultimately all that I want.”
Titcombe said she has a clear message for anyone who wants to give rugby a shot at Occidental.
“We totally get rugby is not for everyone, not everyone enjoys it, but it can be for anyone,” Titcombe said.
Contact Toby Wepman at wepman@oxy.edu
