Bradford's Davidowicz leads New England to Major League Rugby semis

David Willis, The Eagle-Tribune, North Andover, Mass.
·4 min read

Jun. 19—Bradford's Cam Davidowicz has his eyes — and impressive mullet — firmly set on bringing another professional sports championship home to New England.

And this title would be a first for the already spoiled region — a professional rugby championship.

Davidowicz has established himself as one of the top players for the New England Free Jacks of Major League Rugby, who will host the MLR Eastern Conference Finals on Sunday.

"We're super excited," said the 2015 Whittier Tech graduate. "This season has been unreal. We've gotten so much support from our fans, who come out and go wild every game. There are 13 countries represented on this team, and we all clicked. I can't wait for the game."

Davidowicz and the Free Jacks — the No. 1 seed in the East after finishing the regular season at 13-3, setting a league record for wins — will face Rugby New York on Sunday at 3 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Quincy for the chance to host the MLR Championship Game next week. The semis will be aired on Fox Sports 1 (FS1).

"Being a Boston fan, you grow up wanting nothing more than to beat New York at everything," said Davidowicz. "This is a huge rivalry, being New England and New York. We went 2-1 against them in the regular season, so we know what it takes to beat them, and we want to learn from the mistakes in our loss."

It's been quite a emergence for the 26-year-old Davidowicz, who was recently named the Free Jacks Fans Player of the Year for the 2022 season.

After spending five weeks as a member of New England's training squad last season, Davidowicz was signed to the Free Jacks' active roster this year, and has emerged as a indispensable piece of the league's best team as a flanker.

"I spent weeks 12-16 with the practice squad and I did everything with the team but play in games," said Davidowicz, who also works on his family's 'Crescent Farm' in Haverhill. "It helped me learn what it takes to be a professional player. It also helped grow my confidence, which was a key. I felt like I could do it.

"I played in my first game in Week 1 this season, and that meant a lot to me. In Week 5, I got my first start against Austin. Coach showed confidence in me, and we came out with the win. I felt like I played well, and I realized I could stand with these guys. I realized I could go out there and face the best."

The 6-foot-2 and 225-pounder — who made a name for himself playing rugby for the Essex County Bulldogs while at Whittier, at Plymouth State and most recently for the elite club team Mystic River Rugby out of Malden — has left a major impression on his teammates this season.

"Cam is an absolutely awesome player," said Free Jack star Kyle 'The Eagle' Ciquera. "I played against him in high school, and we stayed in touch. When he got here, we added a great athlete to our team who can fill in wherever we need him. It's been awesome to see the progress he's made. He brings a local identity to our team, and we can't wait to see the next steps he makes."

Despite his award and emergence, Davidowicz views himself as far from a star.

"I'm a grinder," he said. "I put in my work every week. I'm not going to make the fancy plays. I'm going out, giving hard work and grinding for whatever the team needs. Whatever it is, I'm more than happy to do it."

A win from the championship game, the Free Jacks are more than thrilled to have Davidowicz on their side.

"Cam impressed when he joined the Free Jacks as a training player," said Free Jacks performance director Tom Kindley. "He is a good local man, tough as nails, effective in contact, and surprisingly athletic. He has well and truly earned the opportunity to progress to the next level and we look forward to seeing his game develop further within the MLR."

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