For the first time in program history, the Saint Ignatius Rugby program headed to Spain for their International tour. Over nine days, the Wildcats would play two matches and tour historic cities, including Seville, Granada, and Toledo.
Since becoming a varsity sport in 2014, the program has played rugby on five continents (North America, South America, Europe, Africa, and Japan). The Wildcats have played matches in cities such as Tokyo, Buenos Aires, and Paris, and now they've added Spain. But these international tours are much more than the games; they offer student-athletes the opportunity to experience new cultures, learn the history of historical cities, and make connections through a similar passion for the sport.
With the combination of students, coaches, and supporters, 194 members of the Saint Ignatius community traveled to Spain on Thursday, March 20. Head Rugby Coach Dan Arbeznik' 00 and his wife Ellen greeted waves of travelers that landed at Madrid's Adolfo Suárez Airport to coordinate travel to the first destination in Seville.
The Wildcats would settle into Hostels in the heart of Seville. They would be treated to a walking tour throughout the city, learning about their rich history and visiting Cathedral de Sevilla, the largest Gothic Cathedral in the world.
On their first full day in Seville, players and coaches would participate in a bike tour of the city. One of the stops on the route would take the team to Plaza de Espana, which features breathtaking architecture built in 1928. The landmark was used for the filming of Star Wars: Episode II.
Later in the afternoon, the team and supporters would tour and celebrate mass at Cathedral de Sevilla, where students would participate as readers and Eucharistic ministers. The group would finish the night with a dinner at Casa Montalvan.
On the eve of their match day, the Wildcats had a day trip to Jerez and Cadiz, about an hour South of Seville. Jerez features a 17th-century cathedral, Jerez de la Frontera, and a handful of rugby team members celebrated mass in the historic Cathedral. After lunch, the team headed to the port of Spain in Cadiz. There, the Wildcats participated in a walking tour, learning about Cadiz's history and the port's significance in Spain.
The Wildcats returned to Seville to settle in for the night and prepare for their first match in Spain.
On Monday, March 24, the Wildcats spent the morning touring the Bull-Fighting Museum at Plaza de Toros, an arena built in 1749. After their tour, players began preparing for their Seville matches.
There would be three matches at Ciencias Rugby Club, and the Wildcats would be challenged as Varsity Gold's a and b-side would play simultaneously on adjacent fields. Rugby will rotate both sides, keeping fresh bodies on the pitch, but the Wildcats rose to the challenge.
Senior Colin Spellacy would score the first try in Spain as he broke free from Real Ciencias RC defenders. With a successful conversion by Chris Haney, the Wildcats led 7-0 at the eight-minute mark of the half.
In the 21st minute of the first half, the Wildcats would have some miscommunication on their defense, and Real Ciencias knotted the game at seven, and the score would remain even at the break. Senior Tommy Passerallo would be unstoppable to stop in the second half; within the first minute of the second half, Passerallo used his speed up the sideline to avoid defenders and score.
With a 12-7 advantage, Passerallo again broke a pair of tackles and scored his second of the match, making the score 19-7 in favor of the Wildcats.
Ciencias would stay in the game, powering their way for a try in the 40th minute to make it 19-12. For the remaining 20 minutes, the Wildcat defense, led by senior Joe Deinhart, would stifle any chance of a comeback. The Wildcats would win their first match in Spain 19-12.
"It was a great experience to play against those guys," says senior Mark French. "The speed and physicality they played at help prepare us when we return home; we learned a lot tonight."
After the match, A member of Real Ciencias was surprised at how quick and strong the Wildcats came out. But more importantly, noted how good the Wildcats technique is when tackling.
Varsity Gold's b-side would drop a close one, falling against Ciencias 19-14, and Varsity Blue's a-side would come away with a 26-10 victory in a 45-minute match.
On Tuesday, March 25, the Wildcats would travel to their second tour stop in Granada. After checking into their Hostels, the Wildcats would enjoy a guided walking tour around Granada's historic city, which is 2,421 feet above sea level. The team would take in incredible mountainous views of the Alhambra palace and Mirador de San Nicolas.
The city of Granada is renowned for its Flamenco shows, an impressive fusion of dance and vocals. The rugby community got to experience a show at La Chumbera, which overlooked the countryside of Granada.
After a day of rest, the Wildcats were back in action for their second and final match in Spain against Universidad de Granada. Like Monday, the Wildcats would have three matches featuring both sides of Varsity Gold and Varsity Blue's a-side.
The Varsity Blue squad would set the tone for how the matches would go for the Wildcats, a completely dominating effort as they would win the opening match 54-0.
Varsity Gold's b-side would follow suit, defeating Granada 54-5.
Varsity Gold's a-side would kick off and immediately took control of the match. Passerallo would score two tries within the first ten minutes of the match. Moreover, in just five games played this season, Passerallo already has ten tries.
Spellacy and Tommy McManamon would add a pair of scores near the 20th minute of the first half, and with excellent kicking from junior Levi Hoffman, the Cats had a 28-0 advantage.
The remaining tries came from Deinhart (2), Hoffman, French, and Hank McGowan, who led the team to a 66-0 victory over Granada and a 2-0 record in Spain.
"We are coming back home with great confidence after playing against a different style of rugby," explains Deinhart. "This will help us achieve our primary goal of winning a national title."
The Rugby Cats spent one final night in Granada and visited the Alhambra Palace on the morning of March 27 before traveling to Toledo, Spain. Once checked into the Hostels, the senior leadership of the team would cook dinner in the Hostel's kitchen for the team. Led by senior Rocco Capuano, made a home-cooked meal for the guys in the Hostel.
"That was truly amazing, something that struck a cord for me and the other coaches," says assistant rugby coach Brian White '92. "The underclassman enjoyed it so much that going forward, they are going to make it a tradition that the senior class cooks for the team on these trips."
The Wildcats would wrap up their stay in Toledo with a morning walking tour and a final group dinner at Cigarral de Santa Maria. A celebration for another successful international tour for the rugby team.
The Rugby team returned to International travel in the Spring of 2022 when they went to France. Since that 2022 season, only one student-athlete has been a part of all four tours, and that is Connor Bender, who recently committed to the Naval Academy to continue his academic and rugby career.
"I am so thankful to Saint Ignatius Rugby for allowing me to travel abroad. These opportunities have allowed me to accomplish so much, and I'm grateful to be able to chase my dreams," explains Bender. "These international trips have been helpful not only to me but also to my teammates as we have the chance to learn other cultures through rugby."
These tours would not be possible without Dan Arbeznik and his lovely wife Ellen's dedication and commitment. Each year, the Arbeznik's find a way to allow over 180 members of the Saint Ignatius community to experience a new country with different cultures and traditions. This year, 194 members embarked to Spain, and with many late nights of planning, it was another successful and memorable trip for the Saint Ignatius Rugby team.
The Cats return to American soil to take on their Jesuit rivals, the St. Xavier Bombers, on Saturday, April 5 at Brooklyn Memorial Stadium. The Wildcats' attention shifts to three major tournaments: the Midwest Tournament in May in Elkhart, Indiana, the National Championship Tournament in late May in Elkhart, Indiana, and an eighth consecutive Rugby Ohio State Championship.