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Gay rugby club qualifies for
national tournament
Gotham Knights finish second in local
league
By Jess Bunshaft &
Cyd Zeigler jr.
Outsports.com
Photo
gallery:
Gotham RFC tournament photos
New York
City’s gay rugby club,
Gotham Knights RFC, made it all the way to the finals of the
Met New York Rugby Football Union Oct. 27 before losing to
the eventual champions, Montclair. It was the first time a
predominantly gay and bisexual club made it to a Met NYRFU
championship final. They had beaten Old Maroon, 41-5, in the
semifinals, which guaranteed them a spot in the Northeast Rugby
Union championship tournament, which begins next April.
"We will
play South Buffalo in April in the Territorial Playoffs, the
first round of the USA Rugby playoffs,” team president Alex
Fallis said. “This will be the first time a predominantly gay
team in the U.S. has advanced to the Territorial Playoffs.”
In the
league finals,
Montclair
beat Gotham, 41-3. In the first half Montclair scored three
successive tries on a very muddy field. Callum Sigg scored for
Gotham with a penalty
conversion, but Montclair came back and was up 24-3 at the half.
The Knights
began competing in the Met New York Rugby Football Union in the
fall of 2002 and were winless in league play for their first two
years. Gotham entered the 2007 league season having finished
fifth in 2006 standings but confident of their ability to
compete for the championship. The Knights reached the
championship game against Montclair after defeating top-seed
Hudson Valley 22-21 in the first round of the league playoffs
and then beating Old Maroon in the semi-final.
Next up for
the Gotham Knights will be the
East Coast Rugby Invitational, which they are hosting Nov.
10
on Randall’s Island in New York City. Various gay teams from
around the East Coast will be participating.
Nov. 7, 2007 |
