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Match Reports and club news

Saratoga Stampede (literally) over Grey

The young lads took it to the veterans at their home pitch 47-5. All their scores were long breakaways. Early in the match we were in their end for 3 or 4 minutes but we failed to finish and score a try. They definitely took advantage of our mistakes and counterattacked very well. Their number 8 had some good runs off the scrum  and their backs ran hard. Kevin McNamara, Brendan Coffey and Jim Burke played well in the forwards. Joe Bordieri made many text book tackles and Tim branch had a few good runs. Ed Carr had a great match scoring our only try and was named MOTM by Saratoga. It was a good hard match in close quarters but once their backs got some space they were gone. We have another tough match on the 10th against White Plains. Let's come out in numbers and bring home a W this week. The match is at 11:30 at Boulevard field in New Haven. Go to New Haven's website  for directions to the pitch.

21 hardy Grey made the trip to Saratoga....they came away empty in the match, but had a great time in Saratoga Springs. (Note: Tom Flynn is wearing one of the new jerseys.) See the other photos here.

  Grey 40 GONY 17

It was a great day of Rugby with the Grey scoring eight tries in the eighty minute match.Thanks to Dave Martin  and Kevin McNamara.for getting excellent numbers for our opponents.Mostly New York players with Village Lions,Mystics and Massachusetts Old Boys mixed in.A good bunch and guys and some very skilled players.We were ready to play and came out attacking from the start.We scored three tries in the first and second periods respectively and then two tries in the last 40 minutes.Bill Hoadley,Bill Bishop,John Kubic [Beaver],and Jay Rubino penetrated the GONY defense with long hard runs.Great support in the forwards by Matt Leonard, Kevin O'Sullivan ,Dennis Gollarney [Bubba], Sean Sierra ,Kevin McNamara, Ed Carr,and Jim Burke Lineouts were good and we stole a few of theirs. The Blarney Stone worked well with Brian Doheny finishing with a try in the corner. At times  the scrum got pushed so we will need to get tighter and adjust to different personnel in the Interior five. We had too many penalties for offsides and losing our feet .We need to be more disciplined especially at the breakdown .Mike Meyer was MOTM selected by both GONY and the Grey .Great job Mike. .Looking forward to next week as we head to Saratoga for tough match against some young lads .Special thanks to Norbert Deslauriers for an excellent job reffing.

Club president and male model Dean Jorgensen displays his new game jersey. Yes Mr. Flynn, that's right, NEW game jerseys. Due to last weeks cancellation, they will now debut this Saturday vs GONY. Welcome to 21st century rugby!

Grey Defeat New York All Japan

Captain Lou's Match Report

Big Grey machine rolls over All-Japan

Jeff Levinson scored the first try of the season about eight minutes into the match. We came out hungry in the first period and got one more try for 12-0 lead. The second period was highlighted by Kevin O'Sullivan's two tries. We controlled the ball and mauled and rucked very well. Japan had very little ball but we tackled well and stopped a couple breakaways. We can use work on lineouts. Great numbers and an excellent team effort. Ed Carr, Sean Sierra, Kevin O'Sullivan, Matt Leonard, and Kevin Trammel led the forwards. Bill Hoadley, Bill Bishop, Don Brancard and Brian Doheny Played well in the backs. MOTM Jim Burke forwards and Steve Tenenbaum backs. We don't play on 4/12 but we are home on 4/19. Great start to the season boys. Keep up your fitness and we will see you on 4/19.

Bomber's Match Report

( Meriden,CT 4-5-08 ) One week after being held scoreless in Monmouth, the Grey offense exploded, pouring over ten tries against a game All Japan side. Jeff Levinson started the scoring barrage early and Matt Leonard ended it. In between those bookend tries, Bill Bishop, looking to keep the Grey scoring title, dotted down three times. Kevin O'Sullivan and Bill Hoadley scored two tries each, while Tony Johnson added another. The kicking duties were ably split by Don Brancard (2/3 conversions) and Jay Chabot (6-7). It all added up to a 66-0 victory. Almost as impressive as the offense, the Grey defense was up to the task of controlling NYAJ's fast back and equally quick scrum. The Grey pack controlled the ball and rucked and mauled very well. The tackling was excellent as well. Men of the match went to Jim Burke in the pack and Steve Tenenbaum in the backs, but there were many others that were deserving as well. Hoadley and Bishop played their usual solid games. Chabot made some tough kicks out of the mud and into the wind. Brancard distributed the ball well from flyhalf and had several shifty runs. Newcomer Kevin O'Sullivan showed that he will be a force to be reckoned with on both sides of the ball. Brian Doheny had an excellent game as well, with some bruising tackles. Kudos all around and thanks to those that came out in support of the Grey on what turned out to be an unexpectedly nice day. Next match is at home vs. the Village Lions. Enjoy the weekend off, rest up and get ready to go. Cheers!

Coffey Shaves head for great cause. (and causes great alarm)

Brendan writes "The St Baldrick's Foundation was founded in 1999 by 3 guys who were
looking  to give back to society.   They stumbled upon the idea of shaving
their heads.  This has cascaded into a world-wide event with this year
seeing over 18,000 people shaving their noggins, including close to 2,000
women,  in solidarity with kids who are suffering thru Cancer. The funds
raised go back into funding research.  If my bald picture doesn't scare
anyone away, I'd welcome you posting it."

Grey Defeat Berkshire

In what was, at times, a contentious and downright chippy match the Grey defeated Berkshire 30-21. With the victory, the Grey finish the fall campaign at 8-1 and on a six game winning streak. The Grey ended 2007 with a 19-3-1 mark.

Grey raise Money for Connecticut Jammers

In the World Cup Pool, a total of $210 was raised for the 50 - 50 split with The Jammers . Matty Leonard, son of our own Matt Leonard was the winner of the pool. Matty has graciously decided to also donate his half of the winnings to the Jammers, so they will get the whole $210. Thanks to the Leonard's for their generosity. The unveiling of Knucklehead Brewery's Grey Swill (in Dark Ale and Blueberry) was a great success. Many thanks to Brewmaster Chris Budzik for donating the beer, to the players who stuffed $246 in the boot, and to Mike Meyer and Townsend Meyer & Associates for their very generous donation of $400. That mean's we'll be sending Jammers's coach Bud Harvey a check for $646. So, in total, it looks as if the Jammers are receiving 846.00. Great job boys and roll on Jammers!

Grey Defeat Gentlemen of New York

Captain Lou's Match report

Tim Branch played his third match for the Grey. Brian Doheny came yesterday but the numbers were so great we asked him to fill in on the other side. He says next week he will be at Berkshire. Eric Bronson who had mono and missed a few matches returned this week. Mike Hale, Bubba Gallarney, Norbert Deslauriers and Jay Rubino have recently joined the Club and have been impact players. We have great numbers and fun organization. Darryl and I had a tough time with selections this week. Nobody got more than two periods and we tried to get everyone at least 30 minutes. It was tough but these are good problems to have. I would guess we will have 25 at Berkshire so if we need four twenties I am sure they will accommodate us. We scored a lot of tries and controlled most of the ball. In the first period we made some stupid penalties and had some handling errors and we still put in two tries. Great job by all 36 or so players. George Saul, Kevin Trammel, Matt Leonard, Ed Carr and Tom Kubic led the forwards. Bill Hoadley John Kerr and Mike played well at scrumhalf. It was great to our backs breaking the gain line and scoring points. MOTM to Bubba and Barry Rita.GONY named Beav as MOTM. Next week will be a tough match. We need to cut down on the mistakes and play with discipline. Thanks to all the rookies and veterans for their commitment and let's end the season with a victory.

Bombers Match report

After winning last years home match vs. GONY on a disputed try late in the contest, the Grey left no room for doubt this time. Jeff Levinson started the scoring frenzy and nine tries later; the Grey had a 55-0 win. While Dave Martin has been unable to forget last year's loss, he will probably do his best to erase any memory of this years match. Other try scorer's were Matt Leonard (2), John “Beav” Kubic, Jay Rubino (2), Bill Hoadley, Tony Johnson and Tom Kubic. Tom's try can be seen on the YouTube portion of our website. Rubino also added four conversions and Norbert Deslauriers chipped in one conversion as well. It all added up to the Grey's second straight shutout and boosted our fall record to 7-1.

It must be getting close to Halloween, because this is a scary picture.

Men of the Match for the Grey were Bubba Galarney and Barry Rita. GONY named John Kubic as their choice for Grey MOTM. Bob Sweeney was chosen by the Grey as the GONY MOTM. Tim Branch had an excellent match at wing and Norbert Deslauriers also played well before injuring his shoulder. Hopefully, Norbert will be sufficiently recovered for Friday's Brown Bag Open. The scrum played very well again, with standout performances by Lou Petruzello, Matt Leonard, Jon Leone and Steady Eddie Carr. Jeff “the Ref” Bouvier had a solid match, keeping matters under control, while allowing play to flow as freely as an Old Boy's contest can flow. Also, special thanks to Tom Ronciaoli for touch judging the entire match and putting up with our abuse in a good-natured fashion. Special guests, Joe and Andrew Scandariato made the trek from upstate New York to lend their support. Also in attendance at the bar were Rick Truncali and Paul Tappenden. This weekend saw the much anticipated debut of Grey Swill, a product of Knucklehead Brewery. Thanks go out to Mike Meyer and John Carew for their efforts. The beer was a critical success and helped turn many a rugger into a Knucklehead. (As if we needed any further help) Only one match remaining in the fall season and then all old ruggers can hibernate and rest their bones until the spring. Next weeks Berkshire match will kick-off at 1:00 PM up in Pittsfield, MA. Directions and park and ride locations will be forthcoming.

Grey Tame Lions

Captain Lou's match report

Grey 35 Lions 0-A great win on the road as we scored 5 converted tries. The best thing we did was adapt to the conditions. The pitch was 53 yards wide and there was little space. We came up hard on their backs all day. We tackled well and stole some ball. We got wheeled a couple times in the scrum but we corrected that. The first period we did not take care of the ball but we got better at that later in the match. Jeff Levinson and Brendan Coffey had a try each and Bill Bishop had three and was MOTM.Jay Chabot great job kicking. Next challenge GONY at home who are very hungry to beat us. Let Darryl or I know if you're in.

Bomber's match report

Randall's Island, NY-Rugby is a game that consists of 15 players, each with a specific job to do. If those 15 players do their jobs well, usually victory will follow. Sometimes however, it can seem that there is only one player on the field who really matters. Saturday was one of those days. In perhaps one of his finest performances in a Grey jersey, Bill Bishop carried the Grey to a 35-0 victory against the Village Lions “Lion Kings” at Randall's Island, New York. Not only did Bill score three times, but he tackled anything within arms length of him, got up and made the next tackle and sometimes a third tackle. Yes, there were 14 others who also played well in this match, but the game turned on Bishops performance. The 35-0 score was not indicative of how toughly contested this match was. The Lions, playing before numerous supporters on their “Friends and Family day” did not go quietly into the night. The first of three twenty minute periods was, at times, owned by the Lion's, but the Grey hung in there and late in the period forced a turnover that led to Bishop's first try. Chabot's conversion was good and the Grey led 7-0 after one period. One notable play in the first period was Jay Chabot's attempted drop kick from about 35 meters into the wind. As the Grey won a scrum down, Chabot moved into position, and knowing that the period was about to end, hoisted a beauty that looked as if it was going to be good. Alas, the wind held the ball up and the fullback fielded it just short of the posts and kicked to touch to end the period. The second period began much as the first, with the Lions taking play to the Grey and with the Grey tackling well and countering. Another Bishop try and Chabot conversion put the Grey up 14-0. At this point play finally seemed to have turned the Grey's way. Late in the period, another nice back-line movement, led to a Jeff Levinson try. Jeff, nursing a still healing separated shoulder, grabbed the pass, faked inside and darted to the corner for the score. Chabot made the almost impossible angle kick and the Grey led 21-0 after two periods. The third period began with the Lion's desperately trying to get back into the game and running very hard to do so. The Grey bent at times, but a key tackle here or a nice long kick to touch there held the Lion's in check. Bishop notched his third try of the day, on a run in which he broke at least three tackles, Chabot converted and the Grey seemed to have finally taken the fight out of the Lions. The Lions, however, had other ideas. Their fullback joined a back-line movement deep in Lion's territory and broke free. He was slowed down by an attempted tackle at the Grey 22 meter line and then, out of nowhere Kevin McNamara and Kevin Trammel, neither of whom quit following the play, finished off the Lions final charge and preserved the shutout. The final Grey points of the day came on a nice little run by Brendan Coffey, that was preceded by some excellent rucking and mauling of the ball by the scrummers. Kerr converted and the Grey had the win. Man of the Match went to Bill Bishop. Thank you to the twenty or so Grey who made the trip to picturesque Randall's Island. Also thanks to the Lions for the food, drink and excellent match. Oh yes, one last item. With their victory, the Grey once again retained the coveted “Sugar Bowl”, the trophy that the Grey and the Lions have so valiantly struggled to retain over the many years of this rivalry. Next week we are hosting the Gentlemen of New York (GONY), who for some reason, cannot forget that we beat them in the mud and blood of Meriden last fall. Game time is noon at Mountain Mist. Please let Lou or Darryl know if you will be there by Thursday evening. One last item, dues are due. Please remit your $125.00 to Exchequer of the Treasury Kevin Trammel, either by check or by PayPal through our website.Everyone have a great week and get ready for a tough GONY side. That is all.

Grey Defeat New York All Japan RFC

Captain Lou's Match report

Good win against a pesky Japan side. We tackled well and prevented them from scoring in the first 30 minutes. However we were a bit frantic in that first 30 minutes and we failed to finish. In the third period we slowed things down and our backs opened up great gaps to create scoring opportunities. We dominated the sets and won most lineouts and stole a few of Japans. We must make sure we keep possession if we take the ball in on a multi phase attack. Sean Sierra, Bob Coakley, Kevin Trammel, Ed Carr and Matt Leonard played great in the forwards. John Kubic MOTM scoring two tries and great support play. Sean Brennan, Bill Bishop and Norbert Delauriers led the backs with nice runs breaking the gain line that led to scores. MOTM also to Steve Tenenbaum . He filled well from fullback which resulted a pretty try and covered well on defense.

Bomber's Match report

In the sixth installment of the Grey/NYAJ rivalry, the Connecticut Grey managed to come away with a 34-5 victory. The contest was much closer than the score indicates, as at times NJAC dominated play, but were unable to push across a score. Much to the Grey's credit, they played defense with a bend but don't break philosophy that served them well. On the unseasonably hot and dry day, the two sides agreed to play four 15-minute periods of rugby. Believe me, that was enough with the temperature approaching 90 degrees. The Grey once again showed up in droves with 35-40 players in attendance, along with our walking wounded Jeff Levinson and Darryl Ceccarelli Having lost the last two matches in the series after three straight wins to start the rivalry, it looked early on that the Grey would be in for a long afternoon. NYAJ controlled the ball for the first seven and a half minutes of the period, only to be denied a score by some good tackling and a couple of long, clearing kicks by Bill Bishop. After one of those kicks, the Grey were able to create a scoring chance and they capitalized. After some nifty passing by Bishop, Norbert Deslauriers, Darryl Garrison and others the ball found its way into the hands of Bob “Jimmy Neutron” Coakley. Bob gathered the ball in at around the 22-meter line and steamrolled his way in for a try, fending off a would-be tackler as he crossed the goal line.

Bob Coakley scores the days 1st try,(L) Tony Johnson drives for the goal line (R) (photos by Jeff Levinson)

The conversion was missed (big surprise, Donny we miss you) and the Grey had drawn first blood at 5-0. The second period began with the Grey pushing into the NYAJ side of the field and threatening to score on several occasions. The problem was that Japan, whose tackling was excellent all day, would not allow the Grey to push one across. The play went back and forth for much of the period with neither team able to take complete control. So, despite some lengthy runs by Matt Leonard, Sean Sierra and Jay Rubino the second period ended with the score remaining 5-0 for the Grey. The third period was all Grey. Constant pressure by the forwards and some nice ball movement and runs by the backs resulted in three tries, all unconverted. The first two were dotted down by John “Beav” Kubic and the third by Steve” Bomber” Tenenbaum off of a nice pass by Norbert Deslauriers. The Grey led 20-0 after three periods. The forth period saw more of the same as Bill Bishop scored and lo and behold, converted for a 27-0 Grey lead. There was no quit in NYAJ as they countered with an unconverted try to make the score 27-5. John Carew added a late try and Rubino converted to make the final Grey 34-NYAJ 5. Many members of the NYAJ side commented how surprised they were by the Grey's level of fitness and speed. (Admittedly, It helped to have close to 40 players in attendance.) The referee, Mike, also said he thought we would run out of gas eventually and praised the Grey for how well they got around the field. The party, as usual, was a gala affair with some singing until the neighbors got upset with some of our musical choices. (We apologized.) Next match is October 13 vs. the Lion Kings at Randall's Island. Info on game time, directions and park n rides will be forthcoming. Lick your wounds and be ready to go on Saturday. Lets travel well and pay these guys back for the loss at the Ruckin Regatta.

Grey defeat Massachusetts Old Boys

Captain Lou's Match Report

Twenty-nine players contributed to a sweet win on the road against a very good Massachusetts side [MOB]. Thanks to MOB for a fine job hosting. Hopefully we can play them twice a year. Both sides had players in the age range of 35-68. We were ahead 10-0 after the first period. Barry Rita and Sean Sierra scoring tries. MOB came back strong in the second period with our own Jim Burke scoring two tries. Our depth showed in the second period as the match opened up. Brendan Coffey had two tries and the score was 36-17. Bob Coakley was strong in the sets. We did well in the lineouts and stole a few of Mobs. Brendan Coffined Carr, Sean Sierra and Bubba Gallareney played well in the forwards. MOTM to Norbert Deslauriers who did an excellent job reffing two periods and played well in the third. We need to tackle better especially against Japan who we play on 10/6.Next week is a bye week so keep the fitness up as we have 4 matches in October. Thanks to everyone for the solid commitment on the road.

Bombers Match Report

Close to thirty members of the Connecticut Grey traveled up to Medford, MA to face off against The Massachusetts Old Boys on a beautiful field at Pine Banks Park. Three Grey would tally two tries each (Sierra, Coffey and Bishop), while Rita, Garrison and Trammel each notched a score of their own, This nine try barrage led to a convincing, though hard fought, 53-22 victory.The Grey started the scoring early, when Jay (you didn't see me on the pitch) Rubino started a nice back line movement, which resulted in a Barry Rita try and a 5-0 Grey lead. Jay played his usual solid match at fly half. The remainder of the period saw play cycle to and fro over the wide pitch until with only seconds remaining, the Grey were awarded a penalty at the 22 meter line. Disdaining the penalty kick, Rubino called for Sean Sierra and quickly toed the ball through the mark. After a short run which drew several defenders, Rubino dumped the ball off to Sierra, who juked his way in for the try. The 1 st period came to an end with the Grey on top 10-0. The second period started with a flourish of offense by the MOB, led by none other then our own Jim (don't call me Benedict Arnold) Burke. To the consternation of the Grey onlookers, Burkie used his considerable rugby guile ( craft: shrewdness as demonstrated by being skilled in deception) to draw the MOB even by tallying two quick tries. Next time he's touch judging when not in the match. However, not to be outdone, the Grey regained the initiative and went on a scoring binge of their own. Vice-captain Darryl Garrison pushed across the first of four consecutive tries.

The Grey win a lineout and JK opens some gifts at last weekends MOB Match.

Two consecutive scores by Brendan Coffey and one by Bill Bishop quickly followed this. Coffey's second score was a thing of beauty as he kicked the ball down field and outraced several defenders to touch down for a try. This outburst made the score 36-10 and the Grey were feeling pretty good about themselves. The Grey's self-congratulatory mood was quickly dampened when the MOB scored a converted try off of the restart. By the time this deluge of tries had ended, the Grey led 36-17 after two periods.The third period began with the MOB desperately trying to get back into the game. This resulted in a very open style of play on the wide pitch. Bill Bishop took immediate advantage of said style and ran one in for his 2 nd try of the afternoon. The MOB then responded with a pretty try of their own off of a kick and chase in the far corner of the field to make the score 41-22. The Grey added two more tries, Sean Sierra's second of the day and another by Kevin Trammel, for the final 53-22 margin. Saturday was a fine day of rugby, well hosted by the MOB and played on a beautiful pitch. The day was made even more enjoyable by a sideline 50 th birthday bash in honor of John”Bonenose” Kerr. John becomes the latest Grey to cross the mystical 50-year mark, succeeding in raising our clubs average age by a bit. A well-deserved man of the match went to rookie Grey, Norbert Deslauriers, who did a fine job refereeing the first two periods and also played very well in the third period. A good day of sports on Saturday…victories by the Grey, Sox, Yanks and Huskies gave everyone plenty to smile about. Next match is in two weeks vs. New York All Japan. This is a home match and we will need plenty of bodies to keep up with this young and speedy group of ruggers. NYAJ loves to play a wide open style of play and keep the ball moving. Enjoy the week off, heal if you need to and above all stay fit. Cheers Lads!

Old age overcomes youth in U of H match

Captain Lou's Match report

We had a good turnout for the University of Hartford match. We played four 20-minute periods against the youngsters outscoring them 34 -14 after 3 periods. In the last period we managed about 4 or 5 more tries against a rookie side. We controlled a lot of ball and stole a lot of their ball with our experience. In the first period we were in their end most of the time but failed to finish. We were warmed up in the second period and things opened up nicely. Bob Coakley, Jim McCormack, Bubba, Sean Sierra and Bob Chester were impact players in that second period in the forwards. Mike Hale and Pete Pereira got the ball moving from the halfback positions and the tries came as we were able to finish. Mike Hale and Bubba scored two tries each and Jon Leone scored and then he was done playing for the day. MOTM to Bob Coakley and Mike Hale . It was a nice win but we go on the road next week. The ability to win on the road really measures how good a team we are. I encourage everyone to make the effort to travel next week. Keep up the fitness and be ready to go next week.

Bombers match report

It was a match up of old vs. young, fast vs. not so fast, and experience vs. inexperience. Despite some bruising play, experience won out. The Grey took on the University of Hartford's A-side for the first 40 minutes of what was to be 80 minutes of rugby. Despite owning territorial advantage for the 1 st 20 minutes, the Grey found themselves down 7-0 to a very tough and fast U of H side. A very nice 60 meter breakaway led to the Hawks first score. The Grey were able to regroup in the 2 nd 20 and put up 17 unanswered points, highlighted by Pete Pereira's drop goal from about 20 meters out. So the 1 st 40 minutes ended with the Grey up 17-7 and with U of H having nothing to be ashamed of. The Grey rucked and mauled well and Hartford was tenacious on the defensive side. The 3 rd 20-minute period saw Hartford bring on their B-side and many changes in the Grey line-up as well. Again, the Hawks played well, as they managed to punch in a converted try to make the score 17-14. A fine run by a young Hawks back resulted in this score. Again though, old age and treachery was able to overcome youth and inexperience and at the final whistle of the 3 rd period the Grey led 34-14. The final period saw U of H bring on their C-side. At this point years of experience on the field went something like this: Grey-3.5 centuries, U of H- 37 minutes. The result was predictable and the Grey poured over 4 or 5 tries. The youngsters deserve credit though; they hit hard and played a clean match. The final score will go down as 34-14, the score after 3 20- minute periods of play. A good day for the Grey was a bit dampened by what looks like a season ending injury to speedy wing Jeff Levinson. Jeff was injured on a hard but clean hit early in the match. The injury appears to be a separated shoulder (hopefully no broken bones), but hey we aren't doctors. Jeff's speed on the outside will be missed. Get well soon, Jeff. Admittedly, falling on this field was like landing on I-84. Despite the overnight rain, the field was as hard as a rock and had more holes in it then the New York Giants secondary. So with the fall season well under way, the Grey move to 3-1 with a rematch versus the MOB up in Boston looming next week. Details of time and place will be released as soon as they are received. Lets have a good showing boys, because they owe us one after last year and are sure to have a strong side up there next weekend.

No truer teammates

When Meriden's Tom Roncaioli needed a kidney transplant, his fellow players on the Connecticut Grey Rugby Football Club underwent tests as prospective donors. Mike Kosilla proved a match.

By Sean Krofssik
Record-Journal staff

MERIDEN — Tom Roncaioli's house on Valley View Drive is filled with rugby balls and memorabilia.
Team photographs cover the walls. The photos are from his many years on the rugby pitch. They re­flect the places he has gone and the accomplishments he has earned. They also show the friends that he has made and, above all, the one who saved his life. Roncaioli, 48, played football for a short time at Maloney High School but he didn't get much enjoyment out of the sport. With his body build, he was typecast as an offensive line­man. He wanted to touch the ball.
Roncaioli discovered rugby when his older brother Craig was on a team at UConn. Tom Roncaioli went on to play for the Hartford Wander­ers and, starting in 1985, the Con­necticut Grey, a premier team for players 35 and older.
From the beginning, he fell in love with the game, his teammates and the sportsmanship. He appreciated how everyone on the team got to touch the ball. “The camaraderie was phenome­nal,” Roncaioli said. “You never had to be a superstar. The beauty of rug­by is all 15 guys can touch the ball and can run with it and score it. You still have your superstars and fast guys who are highlighted more, but the fact remains at any given time you could get your moment in the sun.”
In a dark time in his life, many of Roncaioli's rugby friends reached out to keep him in the sun. In the end, the teammate who would touch him deepest of all was the one closest to him on the field all along. * On the Grey, Roncaioli was a sec­ond row player with Mike Kosilla. During the week they lived in their separate worlds — Roncaioli as a de­liveryman for Coca-Cola and Kosilla working as the Zoning Enforcement Officer of Bloomfield. But on Saturday after Saturday in the fall and spring, when the Grey played games against teams from across the Northeast, they lined up next to each other on every play.
Then, in rugby tradition, after the games, both teams would congregate at a pub. For the Grey, after home games, that meant the Old Dublin in Wallingford. “The first thing you do at the end of a rugby match is shake everyone's hand on the other team,” Grey presi­dent and player Dean Jorgensen said. “And then you shake the hands of everyone on your own team's hand. Then you find the guy with the same number as you on the other team and buy them a beer. It's a game of mutu­al respect.” Another benefit from being on the Grey is the travel. The team has gone to Ireland, England, Canada and Bar­bados. Everything was going great for Roncaioli and the Grey until one day in February 2005, when he just didn't feel right when he landed on the trip to Ireland. Roncaioli was born with Polycystic Kidney Disease, a genetic disease that shows up in adulthood. It's been a con­dition that has affected many of his family members. When the disease takes effect, it causes kidney failure. According to the National Kidney Foundation PKD affects more than 600,000 Americans and an estimated 12.5 million people worldwide.

Mike Kosilla of Ellington (left) and Tom Roncaioli of Meriden (right). Kosilla donated his kidney when Roncaioli needed a transplant. (Left Rob Beecher /Record-Journal, Right coutesy of Ruggers.com.)

“When I landed in Dublin, I got re­ally sick and nauseous and I've flown all over,” Roncaioli said. “I never did the math why I was violently sick. I got off the plane light headed and I felt like I was going to throw up.” It was at that point that PKD was af­fecting Roncaioli. “I have always been diagnosed with PKD, since I was 15,” Roncaioli said. “I lost my mom to it and a lot of relatives to it. I have a cousin who had a trans­plant. I never thought what the symp­toms of kidney failure were. My mom and my aunt were already gone, so I had no one to ask.” When Roncaioli returned to Meri­den he called his doctor to schedule a physical. He underwent a battery of tests. The results were not good. “I remember the day,” he said. “It was a very snowy day and I called the (doctor's) office because I had an ap­pointment. I wanted to see if they were still open because of the snow­storm. A woman picked up the phone and said the office was closed, but the doctor wants to talk to you.” The doctor had questions about Roncaioli's normal creatinine level, which was usually between 2.5 and 2.7. “You better call your nephrologist because it's at 9.7,” Roncaioli remem­bered the doctor responding. “(His kidneys) had gone into failure.” * The next day Roncaioli was in New Britain General Hospital for peri­toneal dialysis, a process in which a tube is inserted into his sternum. A sterile solution is then fed into the tube and waste that healthy kidneys would usually remove drains out of the tube. While on dialysis, he was still able to work as a juice truck driver for Coca-Cola. However, dialysis spelled the end of his athletic career. “When I went on dialysis I knew I had to quit rugby,” Roncaioli said. The Grey's annual banquet, held March 5 that year, was normally a joy­ous occasion for the players. It usually marked the end of another great sea­son. Roncaioli could not bring himself to attend. He told team president Jor­gensen that he didn't want to ruin the fun for everyone else. The club was unaware of his condition at that point. Jorgensen wanted to know how he could help. “I said I don't want to be on dialysis for any length of time and I don't want to go on a (kidney donor) list because that writes your ticket for being on dialysis for a long time,” Ron­caioli recalled. “I said I need to get some candidates for kidney trans­plants. (Jorgensen) said, ‘Don't worry, Tom. I will take care of it and mention it to some people (at the banquet) and I will tell them what you're thinking.'” Then Jorgensen took it a step far­ther. He emailed everyone he knew in­volved with rugby. The nationwide search for a kidney donor produced a list of 45 people, including 20 who were involved with the Grey. “That's not just players,” Roncaioli said. “But wives, friends of the club, guys that I played against and guys I played with. I had one guy named Tim who was a Navy Seal in New Orleans and I played four games against him and he e-mailed me and said he would be tested for a candidate. I couldn't re­member who he was. He said, ‘I'm there if you need me.' ” Jorgensen was not surprised by the huge response. “There is no better sport for frater­nities than rugby is,” Jorgensen said. “He was on dialysis for a long time. We couldn't let that continue, so a bunch of us went and got our kidneys scanned. It became a competition to help this crisis in need. People were anxious to get through the screening.” At a trying time in his life, many of Roncaioli's rugby friends were reach­ing out to him, especially Ellington's Kosilla. * Kosilla, who like Roncaioli is also in his late 40s, is well-built, soft-spoken man who is known for he's kindness. He was one of the first rugby players at Southern Connecticut State Univer­sity. After college, he continued in the sport through the New Haven Men's Club before joining the Grey in 1995. “(Roncaioli) was in the backfield when I started and through the years he came up with us big guys in the pack,” Kosilla said. “We played side by side.” Almost as soon as it was announced that Roncaioli needed a new kidney, Kosilla said he had a funny feeling he would become the donor. “It's kind of freakish, but I was sit­ting there and I said, ‘It's going to be me. I know I'm going to test and it's going to be me,'” Kosilla recalled. “When you look at the individuals who tested, I knew I was probably in the best position to do it. I had a boat­load of sick days. Whatever goes wrong at my job can wait until I get back or the city planner can handle things. My livelihood didn't depend on me pounding the pavement.” So he immediately signed up to be tested. Kosilla said the most difficult part of testing was seeing all of the kidney patients on dialysis waiting for a donor at the hospital. “It's tough down there,” Kosilla said. “You see them on the waiting list and they are getting tested the same time you're tested. That's a tough way to live. It can't be a lot of fun on dialysis.” Soon, Kosilla's earlier premonition proved correct. “Hartford Hospital called after the second round of testing,” Kosilla said. “I was told that I was the best match.” Kosilla decided to become the ulti­mate teammate and donate his kidney. “Hospitals and operations don't bother me,” said Kosilla, who was treated for a broken jaw while in high school and later in his life had his gall bladder removed. “I wasn't worried about the operation at all. I knew I was in good hands because they do so many of these down there.” Besides, as an active motorcyclist, Kosilla had already agreed to be an or­gan donor on his license. “I figured if I hit the side of that van, they could use my eyes and my heart,” Kosilla said. “Better to leave it here than take it with me.” Kosilla was well aware of the fact that donating his kidney would mean the end of his rugby career. “He said to me he was thinking of retiring (anyway),” Roncaioli remem­bered. “He was thinking of calling it quits. He has three kids. He had a lot of family responsibilities to deal with. He said to me, ‘What better way to give teammate a kidney and I don't have to play anymore.' I don't have to hear, ‘Why aren't you playing? Why are you giving it up?'” The decision might have been an easy one for Kosilla, but other had reservations. Kosilla has been married to his wife, Anne Marie for 18 years. They have three children: Brian (17), Evan (15) and Olivia (11). “There was a little bit of a strain on the family,” Kosilla admitted. “My wife wasn't exactly thrilled with the notion. The issues come up that you don't think of, like what if one of the kids needed (a kidney). Or what if one of my brothers or sisters needed one and here I am giving it to a friend and, before rugby, a total stranger.” Kosilla eventually got the full sup­port of his family, which proved to be important because things didn't go smoothly for Kosilla. * Kidney donors typically give their left kidney because the surgeon can remove it laparoscopicly. However, Kosilla's right kidney had a small cyst on it. It was decided that Roncaioli would get the right kidney since the cyst would not harm him. Unfortunately, donating the right kidney also requires more recovery time. When kidneys are removed la­paroscopicly, the patient typically re­covers in the hospital in three or four days without complication. When there is an open surgery of a kidney transplant, like Kosilla did, it takes six days of recovery on average in the hospital and much longer to return to work. On the day of the surgery, Nov. 15, 2005, Kosilla felt peaceful. The car ride with his wife to the hospital was as calm as ever as he belted out differ­ent songs they would hear on the ra­dio. After getting into the hospital, he remembers the prep work and then being rolled into the operation room and waking up at the end of proce­dure. When Kosilla awoke he had an eight–inch incision and a collapsed lung. He met Roncaioli that night after the transplant. Kosilla was still numb from the epidural, but he was walking the next day. “When they took it out, I hadn't had as much as an aspirin and it's been a year-and a half since the operation,” Kosilla said. “I didn't have pain pills when I got home. The operation itself went very well. I developed (diges­tive) complications after the operation that didn't go so great.” Once the digestive issues were tak­en care of, Kosilla returned to work af­ter two months. “It took a lot longer than I expected,” he said. “It's amazing how much you sleep after an operation like that. I went into the operation in fairly good shape and the urge is just to lay there and watch TV.” It was a much quicker recover for Roncaioli, who still doesn't know how to thank Kosilla. “There's nothing in the world that I can do or say other than show my hu­mility and say, ‘God, Michael, if it was­n't for you, it would be over,'” Ron­caioli said. “He's a part of my family and I'm a part of his family. “It's a mutual friendship,” Roncaioli continued. “He has nothing to be thankful for, but I've got so much to be thankful for — that he was there. Every second of the day he could have backed out.” According to Ron Sallerson, Direc­tor of Development and Marketing of the National Kidney Foundation, there are three types of kidney donation — by a cadaver, a living family member or a Good Samaritan like Kosilla. “In New England in 2005, there were 425 cadaver transplants, 175 liv­ing family member transplants and only 150 Good Samaritan procedures,” Sallerson reported. “So what Mike did was very impressive.” Sallerson said there are currently about 1,000 people in Connecticut on dialysis, with 706 candidates for trans­plants. “Tom had PKD, but the need for kidneys is going up,” Sallerson said. “Obesity, diabetes and childhood obe­sity have become huge problems. All of those things lead to kidney failure.” The transplant ended the rugby ca­reers of both Roncaioli and Kosilla, who remain close to the Grey. “It kills me. It's the hardest part,” Kosilla said. “A lot of guys when they retire from the team you don't see them at the games anymore. They kind of just fade away. In my case, I re­ally didn't retire. I made the decision to donate my kidney. I was set to play until I was 50. I was four years away, but I would have liked to have gone until I was 50.” Other than not being able to play rugby any more, Kosilla's life is virtu­ally the same. He still works out, rides his motorcycle and coaches his chil­dren's sports team. He has to drink 100 ounces of water a day since the trans­plant. “No regrets. Not a one,” Kosilla said. “Honestly, to Tom's credit, he had many other people and with the anti-rejection drugs, they are actually able to take a donor that doesn't match that well. If it wasn't me, it would have been someone else.”

Grey Make successful Fall Debut in 3rd annual Ruckin Regatta

Denville, NJ Sept 8, 2007-Seventeen players went to Morris for the 3rd Annual Rucking Regatta. The first period we played Morris. We came out fast scoring two tries and dominated the period.Beav scored and Mike Myer got his first try for the Grey.MOTM to Mike Myer.Final score 19-12.The second period we played GONY.It we was a close match but we came on top 14-7.Beav scored again and was MOTM.The last period we played the Village Lions. Fatigue was a factor so we had a few GONY fill out the side. We lost 14-7.Dean Jorgenson scored his first try as a Grey and was MOTM.It was a 20 meter scamper after he supported another Grey who had just broke through the Lions defenders. The period ended with us on the attack about 20 meters out. It was a good day of Rugby for a good cause.

    A lot of good things happened. Mike Myer did a great job at hooker and scored his first try. The scrums were solid and we ran a few backrow plays. Sean Sierra did and great job at eightman and was excellent in support played Carr Dominated in lineouts winning ours and stealing a few.We ran a Blarney Stone that led to a try. It was a play we just worked at practice the week before. Norbert Delauriers played his first match in 10 years and did an awesome job at number 9.Don Brancard and Beav continued with the great play just as they did on Block Island slicing and dicing through the defense.Along with Darrell Garrison they came up fast and shut most attacks down. I think Darrell had about 5 bird dogs because of the pressure. Kevin Trammel did a super job an Fullback fielding kicks and bringing the ball forward in counter attack. We still need to work on fitness. After about 25 minutes the opponents were beating us to the breakdown. Next week we face a young side so do some training on your own. We will get at least 4 periods so lets come to Hartford with numbers and teach the young kids the game we all love. Cheers to the 13 players who attended training and traveled to Jersey. this is a good base but we need numbers. There are only six more matches before the snow flies. Get fit and come out and have some fun.

Connecticut Rugby takes a big step forward.

New Haven Old Black Face The Hartford Wanderers in what is hoped will be an annul Fundraiser for Multiple Sclerosis and Cystic Fibrosis

Sage Park, Berlin Connecticut August 23, 2007 On a pitch fittingly known as Scalise Field, a fine Rugby match took shape, We all know that the Hartford Boys wanted a clear victory and that the New Haven Boys wanted a decisive one as well. What we ended up with were two well drilled sides…well…. drilling each other. If memory serves both sides and supporters acquitted themselves quite well this fine August eve. The evening was made even better by the attendance of the former Berlin Strollers, Old Blacks and Wanderers who once again met at the pitch on which they had all once fought.,many moons ago. This was a special night of rugby…for are we not all ambassadors of our fine sport in anything we do? This evening was done with an aplomb that would have made party planers proud. From the initial warm-ups to the Star-Spangled Banner, the night was moving in a proper direction.

Hartford prepares to kick off in Thursday nights battle with New Haven. (Photo courtesy of Bill Bishop)

The Fans were of many allegiances , yet they became one, only showing allegiance to a run well made, a kick well placed and a tackle well done. In the end, allegiance counted for little in the hope of a match well played. They got what they wanted ,the vets and the novices. With stunning ball movement, countered by severe tackles, and even better loose play, the advantage taken here or there, a game Hartford side staked themselves to an early lead. However, not to be outdone,the brutish New Haveners came back to lead 14-10 at the half. Halftime was a time for healing and drinking (by the supporters and players alike)) No idea what the sides did to stoke themselves up for the final and surely brutal showdown. And brutal and beautiful it was. Two evenly matched sides looking for an advantage over the other. The advantage was found by New Haven, who had to rip it from the grasp of their foes and use it for final decisive victory. Well this was not Trafalgar and an easy victory was not to be had. Hartford fought back brilliantly and downed a final try to make the final score 27-22. A well-fought mach by two evenly matched sides. Both sides gave their all, but more importantly showed the crowd that this brand of Rugby could be played well, hard and fair, with neither side having to apologize about anything. These men and the men and women who came to cheer them are truly ambassadors of the great sport of Rugby. Bravo to the clubs and their leaders and bravo to two excellent causes. I hope we were all able to do them proud. Lets make this the first of many such matches to be played on these grounds. Whaddya say?

Grey Top Old Cocks 15-10 (and there was much rejoicing! )

Captain Lou's Match report

Even if you missed this year's match on the Block you know the script. Well year seven, usual script, different ending. Duncan, a referee on exchange from Holland did his best to keep the crusty Old Boys on task for the second year in a row. We managed to score two tries during two of the major punch-ups. Lots of chitchat and whining. This year we made the big play in the last 5 minutes to secure the victory. Mike Meyer, Dave Kirk, Paul Teppenden, Eric Bronson, and Matt Leonard made their first visit to the Block. Twenty players contributed in our first win there. John Kubic [Beav] scored two tries and made some nice runs. Matt Leonard set the tone early and often with some hard attacking runs. He also got back on kicks and helped in the counter attack. Rhody named him MOTM. Don Brancard set up one score and got the match winner with 5 minutes left and was named MOTM by the Grey.The key to the victory was our ability to adapt and play out of position. Bill Hoadley did well at flanker and Flyhalf. Beav had a great match at center. Tom Kubic played fullback and had the tackle of the year. Ronan ran about 40 meters alluding at least 4 defenders before Tom made a textbook tackle about 20 meters out.Special thanks to Ed Robinson and Neil Dill for Touch judging. Thanks to all players and their families for coming to the Block. It was sweet victory. Let me know if you are interested in playing in the Bocephus 10's on 8/18 in Hartford.

A scrum down deep in the Rhody zone. For more photos, go to the Photo Gallery. ( all photos coutesy of Kevin Trammel )

The Match, as viewed by an Old Cock

While this wasn't our finest effort, it was still fairly typical of a Grey/Old Cocks match, i.e. we take the early lead, they storm back and then we (normally) hold off a late-match charge. The difference in this match was loose ball and we were clearly not ourselves on Saturday. No matter. My favorite moment of the match came from Doc...... When threatened by a much larger (and already bleeding) foe, Doc retorted with a loose reference to unsafe/ non-consensual prison sex. When faced with this unexpected challenge, the giant thug was stunned to silence and made some lame-o retort like "oh yeah?" I laughed all the way home. (The preceding was taken off of the Old Cocks website. It was penned by Dan DiSantis)

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Meet us after the match at

The Old Dublin

171-173 Quinnipiac Street, Wallingford
(203) 949-8022

http://theolddublin.com/flash.html

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