The first week of Michigan Rugby’s 2022 Intrasquads Tournament is in the books. The Dudes, Bennies, and Sues competed in two days of competition, with each team’s first and second side playing round robins each day.
Top Side Standings
| Team | Pts | W | L | T | PD |
| Bennies | 10 | 3 | 1 | 0 | +29 |
| Sues | 7 | 1 | 2 | 1 | -1 |
| Dudes | 7 | 1 | 2 | 1 | -28 |
Power Rankings
#3 Sues
Sues got off to a strong start in Round 1, but struggles in Round 2 have dimmed their long-term outlook. After the first day of Intrasquads, Sues led the rankings by virtue of a point-differential tiebreaker. During Round 2, Sues lost to Dudes and tied with Bennies. Injuries have dampened Sues’ depth. Jamie Willcox, the South African freshman, picked up a non-rugby injury that threatens to keep him out of the entirety of the Intrasquads tournament, while Armen Vartanian and Alex Olsen are also nursing injuries. Sues will lean on captains Braden Loughnane and George Janke when their undermanned squad takes the field in Round 3.
#2 Dudes
Dudes did not quite live up to their lofty expectations in Rounds 1 and 2. Their first day of Intrasquads play started strong with a win over Sues, yet ended in the most unfortunate manner, with senior leader and source of moral, spiritual, and rugby guidance Conor Egan suffering a season-ending leg injury. Dudes do carry a deep roster, and some of their second side players, namely new guys Will Zhao and Devan Ekbote, as well as big man Barry Dechtman, may have to step up to represent Dudes in first side action. Dudes will lean on the breadth of their talent to continue fighting–in Conor’s spirit–for the remainder of Intrasquads.
#1 Bennies
Bennies exceeded their own wildest dreams in the first week of Intrasquads action. Their outlook was boosted ex-ante with the acquisition of French exchange student Simon Tessiere and former Sue Brett Silber. Their only loss came at the hands of Sues in Round 1; from that game on, it was all business for Captain Nathan Feldman and the underestimated (by yours truly) Bennies. Beyond their first side success, the second side has made a strong showing. Sophomore Justin Ladd has impressed so far, and could transition to the first side in the near future.
Play of the Week
Here’s Dudes freshman Otto Janke rumbling in for a full-field try. The clip showcases that while Bennies are my top ranked team, they are still very beatable. Janke was the starting scrumhalf on the second side in fall XVs, but he’s made strides in the offseason and seems primed for a bigger role moving forward.
Rounds 3 and 4 of Intrasquads will take place on Monday, February 7th and Wednesday, February 9th, respectively. Tune into mrugby.com/livestream, or follow the action on any of our socials. Check back in with us the following weekend for more top-rate analysis and a fresh round of power rankings.
