 Rugby and the Jesuit order have always had a close relationship. Jesuits have always believed in developing the entire person academically, spiritually and physically. As this belief was passed onto students studying under the Jesuits, this was also passed on across the Atlantic from the Jesuit origins from Europe onto the west.
USF was originally known as St. Ignatius college and slowly moved west from its originally site on Market street to Hayes & Van Ness. Unfortunately the great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906 destroyed many records and thus loosing any artifacts or records of rugby at USF in those early days. However, it would be unheard of if USF did not participate in competitive rugby along w/ the other Universities in the Bay Area where rugby was and still is “The Game” played. As rugby was being played all throughout the Bay Area among universities (including USF) the emergence of gridiron football eventually placed rugby at the Hilltop on hiatus. California high schools, colleges and universities switched codes to gridiron football after 1914 when President Theodore Roosevelt insisted on reform of the game to lower the brutality with threat of abolishing the game by edict. As a result, the forward pass was brought forth and thus the game of rugby was revised to make way for American football. Hence universities across the country (even USF) turned to American-style football after the 1914 season. This brought to a close what has been called "one of the strangest and yet most spectacular eras in the history of Pacific Coast Football. One famous writer of the day wrote, "Rugby in California ended in a blaze of glory." There were too many accomplished Rugby players in California, however, to let Rugby get away too far. A bid was forwarded soon after to the US Olympic Committee for acceptance into the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium. The skeptical committee replied, "due to the fact that California is the only state playing Rugby in the US, the Committee will give sanction but no financial aid." The money was raised in San Francisco. By the time the US Rugby team arrived in Europe, Czechoslovakia and Rumania had withdrawn from competition, and France, having won the European championship, was reluctant to play such a rag tag group of inexperienced Californians. Fifty thousand people assembled in Antwerp Stadium to savor the certain American defeat. Eighty minutes later, the shocked onlookers were numbed by an 8 ? 0 victory for the United States. The Americans had won the gold medal. The stunned French suggested that the US team tour France, which they did; winning three out of the four matches they played. Between 1920 and 1924, Rugby virtually disappeared once again as American-style football soared in popularity. But the l924 Olympics ("Chariots of Fire") caused France to challenge the US to defend its title. Once again, the US Olympic Committee granted permission but no funds. Nonetheless, seven players of the 1920 team dusted off their boots, raised $20,000, and found some massive football players who had never even seen a Rugby match, and headed for England-where they were trounced four times in practice sessions. The US team entered the competition when the French had already defeated Scotland. The British, hosting the American team, gave them little hope. Spurred on by the somewhat rude treatment they had been accorded in Paris and by the overwhelming challenge of it all, the American ruggers trained hard. They defeated Romania 37 ? 0. On a rainy 5 May l924, 50,000 fans jammed Colombes Stadium to see France take its revenge. The Americans ran out on the field amid a deafening cacophony of jeers. The game was never in doubt as the US again won the Gold Medal by a score of 17 ? 3. One critic suggested that while the Americans "did not have any finesse, their aggressive tackling and superb punting were amazing." Unfortunately, the French fans rioted in the stands after their defeat. This ended Rugby as an Olympic event. The Rugby heroes returned to the Bay Area without much fanfare. Once again Rugby slid into oblivion as architects designed football stadiums seating up to 100,000. Rugby rebounded, however, in 1932 when US Olympic teammates Ed "Mush" Graff, Lefty Rogers, and a few others incorporated the Northern California Rugby Football Union. Yet, the conversion was eminent. The USF campus embraced gridiron football and rugby on campus almost went extinct. In 1927, the campus was eventually moved to its current site. Rugby was played back then along w/ football. Rugby, which was one of the first varsity sports in school history. However, rugby would go on hiatus as gridiron football gained dominance on the campus. This switch produce one of the greatest football programs ever recorded in collegiate football history, which would later be known as the Indomitable 1951 Football Dons. This program would produce 9 players who would eventually play in the NFL, 3 of which would eventually go onto the Pro Football hall of fame. However, after 1951, the program would be shut down due to the financial burden of funding a football program and the university’s concentration towards academics. Rugby would remain in hibernation with sporadic glimpses on the game on the campus throughout the years. Within that time the Law School would make a brief stint and fielding a side and foreign students would end up playing for various local clubs. It was not till 1988 did the thunder & passion of rugby return to the Hilltop. Thanks to the desire & passion of the Bridthisle brothers (2 sons of the Emerald Isle), that rugby was resurrected. Now USF has always been an institution that attracted international students. That being, it only makes sense that many of the players of that era were from out side the US. Students from the Middle East, Japan, Korea, China, Wales and Ireland made majority of the team. As a result, an incredible amount of rugby playing experience as displayed when the Dons played and resulted in victories for the Dons. The addition of coach Dan Songer added to the success and cohesion of the club. Prior to coaching USF, Dan was playing for the now defunct Bay Area Touring Side (BATS). At the height of his career with the BATS, Dan blew out his knee. However, every closed door provides an opening elsewhere. Dan’s coach at the BATS, Frank Boivert, suggested Dan coach while recovering from his injury and surgery. Frank had the idea that building a link with the youth through coaching would provide a feeder for the BATS rugby club. Dan’s experience and guidance added to the cohesion of the team, which produced success of USF rugby those early years. Unfortunately, the action of a few brought the end of the program by 1992. It wouldn’t be till 1997 that rugby would return to the campus. Michael Domingo, an undergrad, had the desire to resurrect the team after years of playing for the Hayward Griffins and the Olympic Club. When he initially got to USF in 1994, bad blood was still left from the club’s previous antics that led to the close of the program. This is why it wasn’t till 1997 that Michael decided to give it one more shot to resurrect the team. Mike Armstrong and Chuck White of Koret were wary at first but saw that the persistence of Michael meant that he was serious about restoring the club. Michael searched high and low around campus for players and spread the word about the team forming. Guys eventually got word and came out. There were not as many international players as the previous team but the talent was there. George Joseph played for the Singapore Army, Marc Rome played for Brighton Rugby in England, Peter Tower was recruited to play soccer for USF, Ryan Rutherford was a walk-on for the USF basketball team. Brian Tsuruta and Brian Olmes were standout wrestlers in high school and Eric “One Eye” Mozillo previously played at Gonzaga University. Additional players were found here and there around campus. This formed the core of the returning USF rugby team. Games were played against SFSU, CSU Monterey Bay, San Jose Seahawks, UC Davis, San Jose State and a touring side from Hong Kong. Wins were not easy to come by those first years but things eventually came together. PAST ROSTERS PAST SCHEDULES |