High school ruggers to scrimmage against Rancho Palos Verdes

The Fallbrook Rugby Club boys high school team began practice Nov. 13 and will have a Dec. 3 scrimmage at Fallbrook High School against the Rancho Palos Verdes High School club.

“We were excited to set up a friendly against a team we haven’t played in the past,” said Fallbrook coach Mike Majewski.

The two teams have never played during the high school season, although in under-19 club play Majewski’s team has played against a squad which included many Rancho Palos Verdes players. The friendly will be one of two activities for the rugby program that weekend; on Dec. 4 a camp for high school and junior high school boys will be held at Potter Junior High School from noon to 4 p.m.

“I’m very excited about the season,” Majewski said. “We have a real strong junior class this year.”

Majewski also has half a dozen returning seniors. “We have a young team this year,” he said. “We have a lot of brand new players.”

Nearly 60 boys sought berths on the varsity and junior varsity rugby teams. Each squad has 15 players on the pitch during a game, and for each game 22 players are designated to be starters or substitutes.

Fallbrook will also have two new assistant coaches this season. Keri Adams has left the Fallbrook program to help coach the Cal State University Fullerton team. David Crilly, who had been teaching in Dubai as well as coaching and refereeing youth rugby in that country, is one of Majewski’s new assistants. James Cross, who is now a civilian Navy employee and who was on the all-Navy rugby team during his active-duty career, helped Majewski prepare for the national tournament at the end of the 2011 club season and will spend the full 2011-12 high school season with the Fallbrook team.

“Fortunate to have both these guys,” Majewski said.

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