Engineering students chosen for all-star rugby team

Six members of the UTSA Rugby Club, including two mechanical engineering students, spent two weeks in New Zealand this past summer training and playing against some of the best rugby teams in the world. Mechanical engineering juniors Sean Lynch and Alex McCarty learned about the rare opportunity when a coach from New Zealand came to Texas to select an all-star team to compete worldwide.

“They held three major tryouts to find the best players in Texas, six of which ended up being UTSA players, the most chosen from any school,” said William Wallace, UTSA Men’s Rugby Club co-captain and president.

Wallace said the all-star team met in various locations in Texas to practice before traveling to New Zealand.

Lynch, who started playing rugby in 2014, said that having the opportunity to travel to New Zealand was a truly life-changing experience.

“It was an honor to play rugby in the heartland of the sport,” he said. “We got our butts kicked royally, but it didn’t even matter. It was just an amazing experience to play against these world-class players on the other side of the world.”

McCarty said that he enjoyed meeting new people and getting to see how the sport of rugby is treated in a different part of the world.

“Over there, rugby is like our football,” he said. “You turn on the television and at least three channels are playing matches. We would walk around in our jerseys and people would come up to us for our autographs. It was a really interesting experience.”

While rugby is not as well known in the United States, it’s one of the most popular sports in New Zealand. The UTSA players trained with professional athletes and competed against several top New Zealand teams. They also toured the entire north island and experienced the country’s culture.

Lynch and McCarty both said engineering and rugby are similar in the fact that to succeed in either one, you need support from your teammates.

“Engineering and rugby are really both team efforts,” said McCarty. “Both require teamwork and support, and it isn’t possible to be successful at either one if you try to go at it alone.”

First-generation college student Deon Ford, a sport, event and tourism management major, learned about the Rugby Club during Late Night at the Rec in his freshman year. Now entering his senior year at UTSA, he’s grateful to have shared this opportunity with his Roadrunner teammates.

“The greatest part of UTSA Rugby Club is the bond we will always have as brothers,” Ford said. “The passion and heart when you are not just playing for yourself but the team as well.”

Lynch also says the Rugby Club helps him in the classroom.

“My experience on the rugby team helps me stay awake and energetic for my academic days,” Lynch said. “It keeps me from falling into robotic habits every day, just going to class and back.”