 For the first time in 9 years, Houston Athletic Rugby Club will field a Men's D1 side. The HARC men now join the SHARCS in the 2025-2026 Red River Premiership, the highest level of club rugby competition in Texas.
"The boys have been working very hard." says head coach Justin Basson "We are looking at bigger challenges this year, and we're excited for what's ahead." HARC now fields Men's D1 and Men's D3 sides, an upgrade from last year's D2 and D4 status. "There is rugby to play for everyone. We have opportunities for the serious athlete and space for the casual player." If you are interested in learning how to play rugby, please come out to next recruiting events: Rugby 101 (Men and Women) Saturday August 30th at Memorial Park 700 E Memorial Loop Dr Warm-up at 10 AM Rugby 101 (Men's Only Camp) Saturday September 6th at Memorial Park 700 E Memorial Loop Dr Warm-up at 6 PM Players should bring water, wear athletic clothing, as well as cleats or running shoes. More event details on our facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1306554004379616/ New players can also view the the New Player FAQ page.
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 Photo courtesy of @ersilver.photo on Instagram The Texas Rugby Union hosted their 8th annual Mary Graham All-Stars Rugby Tournament, a regional rugby tournament featuring the best of American women's club rugby players on December 7-8th, 2024 in Grand Prairie, Texas. By pooling the best players, coaches, and referees from across Texas, this tournament serves to develop talent and produce high-quality rugby beyond regular club season play. The "Texas Toast" named 10 sHARCs in their 2024 squad, as listed below: Michaela Adams Abby Albrecht Ari Gieseck Michelle Marsh Amanda Martinez Sydney Mukavetz Emmaculate Owiro Leslie Schroeder Nadira Smith Mary Waller The Texas Toast also named HARC's Chelsea Peper as forwards coach. Day 1 Recap - Cup Semifinal: TRU Toast vs. USA Rugby South Photo courtesy of @ersilver.photo on Instagram After a grueling first half without scores from either side, Texas breaks ice in the second half with back to back scores, including a 60-meter breakaway from Houston's Nadira Smith. Texas Toast went on to secure the win, awarding them another trip to the Championship final against back-to-back champions, Midwest Selects. Final score: Texas Toast 19 - 5 USA Rugby South. Day 2 Recap: Championship Cup Final: TRU vs. Midwest Photo courtesy of @ersilver.photo on Instagram A long night of showers coated the pitches, resulting in the cancellation of other lower-tier and consolidation matches to help preserve the fields for the Championship final.
The Texas Toast returned to a soggy pitch on Sunday, but nevertheless fought hard against reigning champions, Midwest. You can see HARC's Sydney Mukavetz make a strong carry through Midwest players and several inches of mud in the photo above. Despite their efforts, the Texas Toast failed to upset the back-to-back champions, awarding the cup to 3-peaters Midwest Green. The Texas toast has made it to the Championship final matches in the past two years, but hasn't lifted the cup since 2019. Will the Texas Toast find success in 2025? Final score: Texas Toast 5 - 27 Midwest Green  Click to watch the full show! Several HARC players were invited to CW39's studio to discuss the rise of women's rugby in the Houston area! HARC was featured on October 21, 2024 on Maggie Flecknoe's morning show, Houston Happens. Maggie Flecknoe is a longtime rugby fan, and has attended several games in the Houston area. As a mother of a 2-year-old girl, she was interested in featuring the women's program. She has been with CW39 for over 10 years, covering Houston news and stories. Click the image above to watch the whole show, or watch the five minute segment below on CW39's YouTube channel: The Houston Athletic Rugby Club is the premier club rugby organization and community in Texas. Whether looking to play, spectate, coach, of referee, HARC will help you start your rugby journey! Please see our events page to learn more about our upcoming our training sessions, matches, and other events!
GO HARC! 
If you live in the United States, the main sources for your rugby training gear will be from online, rugby-dedicated stores. We will feature many different rugby stores and products below in this blog post. The following is a list of essential rugby playing gear, with links to recommended US-based rugby shops and community-favorite products. 1. Find the right rugby shorts Rugby shorts are an essential part of your training and game day performance. Gilbert and Canterbury are some of the most popular and trusted rugby brands in the world, and both are known for making high-quality rugby shorts.
Rugby shorts are specifically designed to withstand tugs from opponents and teammates. Regular athletic shorts are not recommended for rugby games or trainings. Your rugby shorts should be extremely durable and last multiple seasons. Check with your club to make sure you are purchasing the right team color or suggested style. We recommend investing in a quality match pair, as well as a second pair for trainings and emergencies. Keep in mind that some rugby shorts can have large side pockets, smaller inside pockets (to hold mouthguards or jewelry), or no pockets at all. Different players will have different needs and preferences. To get a good idea of your buying options, see the linked products and stores below. |
