Nash Bash 2010

On March 26, the Illinois Women's Rugby team left Champaign-Urbana and drove 6 hours south to Nashville, TN, to participate in one of the largest rugby tournaments in the Midwest area. More than 80 teams participated in 5 brackets: Men's Club, Men's Collegiate, Women's Club, Women's Collegiate Competitive, and Women's Collegiate Social. We participated in the Women's Collegiate Competitive bracket.

Our first game was bright and early at 8am Saturday morning. We faced off against University of Kentucky. They were short of players, but fortunately there were some free agents wandering around the tournament grounds who lent their numbers to UK. The games for the tournament consisted of two 25 minute halves. After 50 minutes of rugby on the frost-covered field, we left the defeated..

The second game didn't take place until 4:30 in the afternoon. The team spent its free time wandering the tournament and watching other teams play rugby. Many watched some of our alumni play for Chicago Women's Rugby Club. We also played Kan Jam, our new favorite outdoor pasttime. Some took naps, some had scrum practice, and many got a good amount of sun. After a long wait, 4:30 finally rolled around.

The second game of the day was against Dennison, a college based in Ohio. The frost had given way to a warm, sunny day and a nice dry ground; perfect for a game of rugby. We dominated the first half and only allowed them to score a couple trys during the second half. This game was a wonderful success, with the majority of the game played in their half and a party soundtrack blaring in the background.

Saturday came to a close with much socializing. The teams gathered around the tournament tent, singing songs and exchanging stories of the day. When the sun finally set, we left tired and sore, retiring back to the food and showers that awaited us at the La Quinta Inn.

The weather Saturday was too good to be true, so, of course, it rained for Sunday. You can't have Nash Bash without rain. When we got to the fields, there were pools of standing water and a giant rainbow over the grounds. Our third game was Sunday morning at 8:30am against Nebraska. It was a very wet game, well played by both sides and ending in a tie. We concluded the tournament with some good old-fashioned puddle jumping (and sliding).

All in all, Nash Bash was a success again this year.

More pictures of us and other women's teams can be found here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rvermillion/sets/72157623593332203/show/with/4469544105/

Thank you to Asia, Jojo, and Toby for filming for me!
Thanks to all those who came to support us!

Next Saturday: Off to SIU for All Fool's!

Three cheers for Nash Bash!
hip hip HOORAY! hip hip HOORAY! hip hip HOORAY!
Three cheers for the sir!
hip hip HOORAY! hip hip HOORAY! hip hip HOORAY!
THREE CHEERS FOR U OF I!!
HIP HIP HOORAY!! HIP HIP HOORAY!! HIP HIP HOORAY!!