URI Rugby Playing in 'Beast of the East' Tournament

Glen Farm will swarm with rugby fans this weekend as players from up and down the Atlantic coast battle for the Beast of the East 2013 Collegiate Rugby Tournament Title.

In its 15^th year in Portsmouth, it is expected to draw a large crowd. With more than 70 teams competing, it is known to be the largest college rugby tournament in the country and most likely the world, according to director Chris Palombo.

Shuttles to and from the event will be made available at the Portsmouth Middle School.

Among the school teams to compete this weekend are Roger Williams University, Salve Regina University, University of Rhode Island, UMass Amherst, Boston University, Providence College, Yale and Princeton. Both men's teams and women's teams will compete.

Rhode Island has had a long history with the game of rugby, starting with the Providence Rugby Club, which originated in 1969. Since this time, the club has worked in conjunction with many local teams and brought about Beast of the East Tournament to connect more and more schools with the movement.  

Palombo, who had been involved in the program for years, started playing rugby himself in the 90s' when he attended Roger Williams University and looks forward to the crowd.

“Rugby is that fasted growing team sport in America right now and universities are really starting to embrace it,” said Palombo. “The Northeast is densely populated with rugby teams and, with Rhode Island having the Providence Rugby Club, which has been around for 42 years, it makes sense to have a tournament of this caliber here.”

For a complete schedule of the games, see the PDF at right. For more information about the tournament, click here.