Williamson County a youth rugby hub? Perhaps say these state champions

Family friendly suburb and corporate hub.

Historic farming community.

And... rugby hotbed?

Williamson County doesn't conjure images of the rough-and-tumble sport of rugby, but three youth teams are trying to change that.

One tackle at a time.

Raptor Rugby Club, a Brentwood-based club that draws players from around Williamson County, in May won state titles for its high school boys team, high school girls team and middle school boys team. The title games were held in Murfreesboro.

Players, coaches, families and other supporters are excited about the wins — and the growth of the sport in the area.

"Our program is definitely growing, and I think it's growing in the state," said Mike Orefice, a coaching director for Raptor Rugby Club.

Rugby is a sport popular in Europe and British Commonwealth countries such as Australia and New Zealand. It's similar to a free-flowing game of American football. Players attempt to advance a large, oval shaped ball toward an opponent's goal line and score points by downing the ball in the opponent's goal area or kicking it between goal posts.

Unlike American football, players do not wear pads and are not allowed to pass the ball forward.

Tennessee is home to several competitive teams, including the Raptors, Father Ryan, Harpeth Harlequins and Germantown Rugby Club. Orefice said many players compete on Raptor teams while competing on school teams in other sports, often football. He said the relatively low cost to play —the only necessary equipment is a pair of cleats and a mouth guard — is also appealing for families.

"It's the ultimate team sport," said Dan Griff, coach of the high school boys team. "Everybody gets a chance to play offense. Everybody gets a chance to play defense. Everybody gets a chance to run with the ball."

The players

Stephanie Esmonde, a graduating senior from Nolensville High, started playing rugby six years ago after watching an older sister play the sport. Esmonde has grown accustomed to explaining her athletic pastime to friends. After all, rugby is less popular than other sports she's played like tennis or soccer.

"One hundred percent, you have to sell people on rugby," Esmonde said, laughing. "I tell them it's a combination of soccer and football."

Without the pads.

Despite the aggressive and physical nature of the sport, Esmonde said the community among players is extremely tight.

Foes on the pitch become friends after games.

Esmonde is now a state champion, heading to Lander University in South Carolina on a rugby scholarship. She's excited to continue her rugby career, and remain close to the sport's community, her favorite aspect.

"I really never thought that my generation of women's rugby players would be able to play collegiately and get scholarship opportunities," Esmonde said.

Barron Lankford, a rising freshman at Brentwood High, competed on the middle school team in 2022. He first played rugby when his family lived in South Africa when he was around seven years old, but he didn't pick the sport back up until this past year, thanks to a friend's recommendation.

Now, he's hooked on the rush of energy that comes with scoring a try — similar to scoring a touchdown in American football.

He will compete on the high school team next school year when he starts at Brentwood High.

"It's just like total excitement," Lankford said. "I feel like, in the moment, you're so energized and excited, and once you cross the finish like, you feel like you've done it."

Cole Villena covers Williamson County at The Tennessean, part of the USA Today Network — Tennessee. Reach Cole at cvillena@tennessean.com or 615-925-0493. Follow Cole on Twitter at @ColeVillena and on Instagram at @CVinTennessee.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Rugby in Williamson County: Raptor Rugby Club sweeps state championships