There’s just something about Fall rugby in the Northeast that makes it special.
Sure, it’s nice and comfortable to play every game when it’s 65 degrees and sunny. When the world just exists around you and never intrudes upon your state of being. But when you step out onto the pitch in New England in late October and that first gust of wind cuts through every layer of clothing you have, piercing your skin, and the warm air from your lungs – replaced by the harsh, burning-cold breeze – is expelled in a steaming cloud that mingles five feet above the pitch with the life force of both your teammates and competitors, you feel alive in a way that you’ve never felt before.
I pray that even one ounce of that feeling bleeds through the broadcast to you viewers this Friday night as men’s Division III rivals Providence College and The College of the Holy Cross (#16) crash in a pivotal matchup conference playoff seeding.
Both of these teams are legacy programs, having been around for decades and producing some of the legends of the American game. Though not as old as the cities that house them, the same history that oozes from every cobblestone, or every sea-soaked wooden plank in Providence, RI can be found in the DNA of Black Pack rugby. The same can also be said of the Crusaders, who have the brick dust and sweat from the once-bustling factories in Worcester, MA woven into the purple threads of each of their jerseys.
These teams must also live up to the achievements from their recent past, most notably Holy Cross, who were just one win away last Fall from hoisting the DIII National Championship trophy, falling to Wayne State 27-8 in Houston. It was a senior-heavy team that led the Crusaders to silver in 2024, however, and head coach Brendan Wimberly was tasked this season with replacing over half of his starters – including All-American flyhalf Jackson Evarts, who has since joined the USA 7s program, and Matt Schawb, who is currently attending grad school at Brown University and starring for their DI National Championship-winning program.
Despite the turnover, and some early-season injuries, the Crusaders have started 4-1. Their only loss came at the hands of #5 Nichols College, who have taken the conference by storm this season. Players like senior Captain John Cox have stepped up admirably, often playing multiple positions depending on the needs of the team and excelling in each of those roles. Cox had never played rugby before coming to HC but he’s caught on quick. His athleticism has allowed him to play with both the forwards and the backs and his ball skills make him incredibly dangerous from anywhere on the pitch.
The Crusaders have also relied on Sophomore Liam Travis at the number 8, who got his first start in last year’s National Championship game and scored HC’s only try of the match. Travis has the rugby pedigree having graduated from high school powerhouse Xavier and packages a strong rugby IQ inside an incredibly physical style of play on both offense and defense.
Providence, on the other hand, seemed to be built to win this season after a strong 2024 campaign put them back in the national conversation. Coming into 2025, the Black Pack were ranked two spots ahead of Holy Cross in the Preseason Power 10 and boasted two of the best DIII players in the country in center Kevin Kirklin and prop Pat Minihane.
But while the team didn’t graduate a lot of players, they were heavily impacted by the school’s study abroad program, and a season opening loss to Colby left some pundits scratching their heads. The team was then especially unlucky to be the first to fall to Nichols before the rest of the country woke up to how good the Bison were going to be this year, a loss which dropped them to 0-2.
But while alarm bells may have been going off in TCRS headquarters, the Black Pack put their heads down and kept on working. They’ve since rattled off wins over Tufts (24-5), Thomas College (46-27) and a sneaky-strong Middlebury side (48-29). Providence is a well balanced team with a hardworking pack and some dangerous backs when they get in the open field.
Head coach Mark Simpson Daniel has also empowered his players this year to get a little more creative with ball in hand and play what’s in front of them, a dangerous proposition for any team trying to defend Kirklin who can not only do damage himself, but can use his gravity to create a plethora of opportunities for his teammates. Winger Tighe Rogan has often been the beneficiary of this space and has used his skills as a finisher to take full advantage. Rugby purists might also want to keep an eye out for #4 Charles Treseler, who often tops the Black Pack’s stats sheet in both carries and tackles.
With Nichols presumably taking one of the conference’s two postseason bids, Holy Cross and Providence will have to duke it out for what’s left, making this match the perfect opportunity for both teams to find out if they’re actually the ones who deserve it. But, if given the choice, I don’t think either team would change a thing. Because what better way is there to spend a cold, Friday night in New England than testing your mettle against an old foe that you know will never yield … unless you make them.
The match will be streamed live on the National Collegiate Rugby YouTube channel at 7pm EST. Before kickoff, tune into The College Rugby Show at 6pm EST for all the latest college rugby news.
