We love our professional teams, but it’s important to appreciate the clubs, too! The Hartford Wild Rose Rugby FC is the perfect place for any reveler of rugby!
At City Park in Hartford, Connecticut, weekly practices are held for the roses to bloom and blossom for their next tournament. Backs Captain Lynne Stahl of Rocky Hill, Connecticut and Forwards Captain Rachel “Hacksaw” Nashett of Glastonbury, Connecticut, run two practices a week with their team, the Hartford Wild Rose Rugby FC (HWRRFC). There are more than 40 registered players. Lynne Stahl says, “Participation fluctuates due to [other] factors…typically we have around 25 players at a game”.
Their team plays within the New England Rugby Football Union, better known as NERFU. Each game lasts about 80 minutes, and Rachel “Hacksaw” Nashett mentioned, “Our league also often includes a developmental game for newer players or players trying to enhance their skills, after the initial 80 minute game.” Hacksaw tells us, “The top four teams at the end of the season will advance to playoffs within the union. The top two teams from the division will advance to the Atlantic Super Regionals, and could potentially earn a spot to play for a national title.”
The way the games work in the summer are slightly different than the fall season. Summer games are called 7s, which is the Olympic sport variation. The 7s season includes four to five tournaments, in the fall it is a standard 15s match.
When asked about the atmosphere, captain Stahl said, “Everyone is here because they love this strange, intense sport that relatively few people in the U.S. know about. We do our best to achieve a level of competition that’s inclusive for people who’ve never played sports before while challenging our more experienced players.”
After being asked the same question, captain Hacksaw replied with, “The atmosphere of our team and of the sport in general is supportive, inclusive, welcoming, friendly and highly competitive. We have the privilege of playing a sport with a level of competition where we can compete for a national title, while still maintaining and growing our careers, families and personal relationships.”
Lynn Stahl has been playing rugby for about 12 years. She loves the sport because “it’s 80 minutes of tackling, running, passing and kicking – everything is fair game.”
It requires a lot of communication and creativity, according to Stahl. Additionally, Stahl states, “I love meeting people from all walks of life. I’ve played with grandmothers, lawyers, landscapers, engineers, professors,…and we all have this one weird passion in common.” Rugby not only keeps your blood pumping and body fit, it brings you opportunities to meet new people and create a family of unexpecting members.
Rachel “Hacksaw” Nashett has been playing for about 24 years, “Longer than some of my teammates have been alive!” For Hacksaw, rugby is not just a sport but a form of therapy, “…on the rugby field and during practice provides a brief interval in life where one can’t think about anything else that is going on…provides a break from the real world.” Hacksaw talked about the post-game experience as well, “the home team hosts a social event for both teams, where the top performing players on each team are highlighted and celebrated [nominated by the opposing teams] Oftentimes, these social events include singing of rugby songs, comparing bruises, sharing stories and celebrating others’ successes.”
It is extremely apparent that the Hartford Wild Roses keep up the positivity as a team, and find the sport of rugby to be an escape from reality as well as an entrance to a safe space of camaraderie. In terms of the rugby community as a whole, Stahl commented that they have been going through some tough times surrounding gender identity. She told us, “In February, USA Rugby complied with an Executive Order and updated its policy to stipulate that only individuals assigned female at birth can play in the women’s division…we find this policy hateful and unnecessary…we welcome and support trans and nonbinary players regardless.” The Wild Roses simply want a fun, inclusive and diverse atmosphere for those who want to enjoy and learn rugby!
It’s the 50th year of the Wild Roses and it is now the oldest continuous operation for women’s club rugby. Hacksaw says, “We are proud to be able to help build a community, provide an inclusive space for development and growth of the sport of rugby, and carry on the legacy of our founders.” The importance of club sports like the HWRRFC is to create a strong sense of community, skill, and opportunity within the players of this club.
As Hacksaw said, “You can still achieve this [career] without club sports, but you’ll require a greater network than just yourself…[this] club has had the privilege of being a starting point…for players to play at the World Cup.”
The Wild Roses captains want to give some advice to the younger generation of female athletes! Lynne Stahl says to “embrace being physical, embrace getting stronger, embrace pushing yourself to do things you’ve never done before. But, also remember that there’s more to life and to you than sports!”
Rachel “Hacksaw” says to “find the sport and type of team that is right for your personality…Remember you get fit to play sports, not that you play sports to get fit…One day you’ll grow old, or your life will change, and you will need to ensure that you have developed relationships outside of sports so that you are always complete.”
The Hartford Wild Roses Rugby Football Club is an important part of the New England Rugby Football Union as well as the growth of the sport itself. New players can join at any point, open to college athletes and any players 18 years and up! Tuesdays and Thursdays in June will begin the summer 7s season, so feel free to reach out by email hartfordroses@gmail.com or message them on their Instagram @wildroserugby.
