The annual Instraquads tournament—where Michigan Rugby players compete in a series of 7s games against fellow teammates—is being reshuffled for the Winter 2022 semester.
The biggest change is the composition of teams: there will now be three teams instead of six, and each team will have a first side and a second side. Dudes and Jones are consolidating into Dudes, Sues and Ross are forming Sues, and Bennies and Canham are now Bennies.
The Instrasquads competition, held in late January and early February, will pit each team’s first side against one another in one tournament, and each team’s second side against one another in a separate tournament.
The prime reason for this change is to promote a high level of rugby. The more experienced Michigan Rugby players will spend more time playing against each other, honing their 7s skills against elite players and building valuable chemistry for the subsequent 7s season. The less experienced players will have a chance to compete against players of their own skill level while receiving peer-to-peer coaching from first-side players.
Captain Braden Loughnane sees the new format as promoting healthy competition. The revamped format “allows for young and inexperienced guys to work their way up to the top-side,” while giving “everyone the opportunity to play competitive rugby and improve their game.”
This alteration to the format of Instrasquads was also motivated by two increasingly impactful trends: Michigan Rugby has been growing in size (we reached 70 players in Fall of 2021—a record), and Michigan Rugby has been redoubling its focus on competing at the highest level of collegiate rugby.
These two trends frequently complement each other. More new players trying rugby creates a larger pool of guys to choose from for first side play. Additional focus on competition makes Michigan Rugby more attractive for athletes who want to be part of a focused, driven organization.
The two trends also create hurdles that require adjustments. The influx of new players creates large differences in skill between the more experienced players and those new to the sport. During the Fall season, this was dealt with by splitting practice into groups based on skill level. For Instrasquads, a consolidation of teams will allow for a similar partition.
Coach Matt Trenary sees the recent changes as best preparing Michigan Rugby for the 7s season. “The new structure provides appropriate competition for both experienced and brand new players, while also creating a clear pathway for ascending players.” The Intrasquads tournament will serve as preparation for Michigan’s competitive 7s season which will commence during spring break in Arizona and California.
Providing an environment where athletes challenge themselves while still welcoming players of all skill levels is a never-ending pursuit. The alterations to Intrasquads is just one example of how Michigan Rugby continues to balance the dual mission of competition and community.
