Welcome to the Home Page
of the
UPJ Women's Rugby Football Club

The UPJ Women's Rugby Club has been in existence since 1995. The first women's team was gathered together, and founded as such, under the leadership of UPJ alums Chris Speese, Eric Porter, Ryan "Pin" Jordan and Dan "Squeak" Seminik. The women's team was coached by members of the UPJ Men's team. The women immediately took to the game and showed that this rough and tumble game need not be a men's preserve.

Most interesting was the fact that the women's team, more easily than the men's, learned to play the game of rugby as it should be played.

This is easy to understand.  The men have all been raised on American Football and, as a result, have a hard time adjusting to the fluid, second phase nature of the English game. The women have none of this ingrained backlog of stop-go experience.  They seem to instinctively run in support of the player with the ball, looking for opportunities as they arise when the ball is in loose play.

But the women owe a lot to the men, with whom they train and from whom they learn the fundamental skills of fearless tackling and aggressive running with the ball.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating, as they say.  The fact is that the women's rugby team at UPJ has an enviable winning record since the club was started in 1995.

We also have a nationally ranked player to our credit.  Angela Brambley (1997-98 and 4th from the left in the back row) was selected to play for the United States of America Women's Rugby team and toured Europe with the team in 1999.  But don't get me wrong.  Angela could not have done it on her own.  Take a close look at the picture above.  Every single one of these women played a leading role in the success of the team.  I wish I could remember names--and I invite anyone in the picture above to get back to me at poole@pitt.edu so I can name everyone in the picture--because you all deserve recognition for your outstanding contributions to the team's success.

Win or lose, all the players enjoyed themselves and that's what it's all about.

Bernie Poole
UPJ Men's and Women's Rugby Club Advisor and Coach

© Bernie Poole 1997-2015, All rights reserved / poole@pitt.edu / (724) 244-4939 / Revised Thursday January 01, 2015