The Staples Wreckers boys’ rugby team came up short against a strong Greenwich High School team on March 25, with the final score being 30-13 in favor of the Cardinals. The Wreckers’ record fell to 1-2, while the Cardinals’ increased to 1-1.

While the first half of the game was a back and forth affair, Staples couldn’t overcome a strong second half from the Cardinals, who scored 18 straight points to take a commanding lead that they would not give up. 

“We’re still figuring out our formation, who’s going to play where, ” Captain Sam Pirkl ’23 said. “We had a couple injuries midway through the game that didn’t allow us to play in our true structure, so that was disappointing.”

The Wreckers started out on top, with a penalty kick in the first half that put them up 3-0. The Cardinals responded with a try, making the score 3-6. The Wreckers came back with another penalty kick, tying the game at 6-6. However, Greenwich retaliated with another try, increasing Greenwich’s score to 6-12 at the end of the half. 

The second half started with an immediate try by the Cardinals, increasing their score to 6-17. Greenwich followed up with a penalty kick, making the score 6-20. The Wreckers’ defense could not stop the Cardinals, as they went on to score two more tries increasing their score to 6-30 with just a few minutes left in the game. Staples closed out the game with one final try to make the final score 13-30 in favor of the Cardinals.

“It’s definitely a rough start to the season, especially for our standards,” Kody Goldman ’25 said.

Last season, the boys’ rugby team finished strong as state champions with a 35-7 win over the Greenwich Cardinals and a fifth place finish in the nation. Despite the two early losses this season, the rugby team is keeping their heads high and looking ahead to their next game against Aspetuck Rugby Football Club.

“It’s really all about how we respond to this loss and keep moving forward,” Goldman said. “We know our potential and it’s all about putting in the work and playing up to that potential.”