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Rugby is coming back to the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. The USA team is the retaining gold medalist from 1924 when rugby was last in the games.
If you crave a good scrum much sooner, sign up for the coed teams of the Mother Lode Rugby Football Club. Registrations for potential and interested players from U8s through 12th grade are now being accepted at its Website motherloderugby.org.
What is Rugby? It’s worldwide, fast, fun and involves passing, kicking, running and tackling.
Rugby came to El Dorado County in 1995 when Jack Harnden started the Oak Ridge Rugby Club with 18 players between grades 9-12. In 2005 after 10 years, the decision was made to include players from other area high schools, changing the name from Oak Ridge to the Mother Lode Rugby Football Club.
In 2008, Mother Lode became the NorCal Champions, representing California in the regional playoffs in Salt Lake City. They lost to the team who went on to place second in the Nationals. Today there are over 180 players at Mother Lode.
In the true tradition of rugby, international touring sides have been hosted many times over the years. Players and their families have opened their homes to teams visiting from all over Canada, as well as New Zealand.
Many fine rugby players have been part of this tradition. Quite a few have gone on to play rugby in college (with full scholarships) or with men’s clubs, and at a national level. There’s been North Cal Champions and runners-up, players in the regional All Stars who are national champions and players who are now playing for the USA national teams.
All Mother Lode Rugby Coaches are USA Rugby Certified with experience that covers high school, college, USA national levels and international experience from Australia and England. Mother Lode Rugby is safe, fair and aims to ensure all players play, learn, succeed, and have fun.
Mother Lode’s home field is Ponderosa High.
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