Virgin Islands Rugby Football Union Announces Participation In Ruggerfest 2016

ST. THOMAS — The Virgin Islands Rugby Football Union announced via press release on Friday its first competition on the U.S. mainland, as the organization’s team, Virgin Islands Exiles, is set to compete at Ruggerfest 2016, which takes place on February 20 and 21, and is being held in Fort Lauderdale, FL. The Fort Lauderdale Rugby Club will host the event.

The Virgin Island Exiles is a partnership between The Virgin Islands Rugby Football Union and members of several stateside clubs, including: Freedom Rugby Football Club (Portsmouth, NH), Lincoln Park Rugby Football Club (Chicago, IL), Erie Rugby Football Club (Erie, PA), Trinity University Rugby Football Club (Hartford, CT), and Mystic River Rugby Football Club (Malden, MA). Seventeen players on the team (of a roster of 30) are from the USVI Rugby Football Union, representing all three Virgin Islands.

The Virgin Islands Rugby Football Union “Exiles” team members.

According to the release, the Virgin Islands Rugby Football Union was founded in 2012 and competes perennially with BVI Clubs, the San Juan Men’s Club, and hosts stateside teams here in the VI. The club is active on all three islands and competes in 7’s and 15’s rugby. The club also hosts contact and non-contact rugby games for all, as well as monthly social events including beach rugby and Frenchtown Fives. All Virgin Islanders, men and women of all ages are invited to be a part of the Union, the release adds. The Union also extended an invitation to join it at one of its weekly practices, which takes place on most Thursdays from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Charlotte Amalie High School to learn and play rugby.

The club’s primary mission is to promote the sport of rugby in the territory, and to support and develop athletes for competition at local, regional, national and international levels, according to the release. And while rugby is its main focus, the Union’s vision is to provide a variety of programs that serve the community as it realizes growth. Through goal setting, teamwork, hardwork, and discipline, the Union said its programs will catalyze and create new opportunities and success for participants both on and off the field.

The release concluded by stating that the Virgin Island Exiles and the upcoming competition is one more step in the growth of the Union’s program and the fulfillment of its mission.

The groups sponsors include Bellows International (Heineken), Caribbean Blue Boat Charters, Goldman Law Offices, and Chiropractic Health Centers of St. Thomas.

For more information, visit the group’s website here, or contact Deon McCurdy at [email protected].