Stories
Stories
Land of the Rising Scrum
Old Boys team photo with the Keio Rugby Club (photos courtesy HBS Rugby club)
John O’Donnell (MBA 1977) was in his first year at Harvard Business School when he heard a New Zealander trying to recruit new students for the rugby club.
The hook? A cheap spring-break trip to the Caribbean. “When I told him I’d never played any organized sports in my life, he asked me if I liked to drink beer,” O’Donnell said. It was the only qualification for a spot on the roster.
Forty-four years later, O’Donnell is still playing rugby (and drinking beer), as part of the Harvard Old Boys Rugby Club.
Mike Rush MBA 1972 and Regan Turner MBA 2003
The Old Boys, which are today predominately alums from the 1970s, were formed in 1978 by Mike Rush (MBA 1972) and other alumni ruggers to play in an Easter Tournament in the Bahamas. Since then, the Old Boys have competed in 30 countries, including Italy, Spain, England, Argentina, Uruguay, Portugal, Bahamas, New Zealand, Canada, France, Wales, Ireland, Cayman Islands, and Monaco—where they had lunch with Prince Albert.
In late September, a group of 81—including 25 Old Boys ruggers and 56 family members—traveled to Japan for the Rugby World Cup, their first trip to Asia.
John O'Donnell MBA 1977 and Harvard College alumnus Eugene Skowronski
“The group has evolved from a core of guys and a few wives to a massive army of couples, their adult kids, and now the grandkids and a few tag-along couples who just watch,” said Debbie Avery, wife of Tom Avery (MBA 1977). “Our kids play in the games and the grandchildren are in training.”
The adventure found the group touring Tokyo, Mt. Fuji, Hakone, Nikko, taking a bullet train to Kyoto, and visiting Uji and Nara. They experienced a Grand Sumo tournament and the geisha tradition, shopped for pearls in a dealer’s home, and attended two of the Rugby World Cup matches. As all good ruggers do, they also visited the Shimogamo Shrine, the location of the Sawatasha sub-shrine, dedicated to the sport of rugby.
And, of course, there was rugby to be played.
On their third day in Japan, the HBS Old Boys played against the team from Keio University, the first school in Japan to play the sport. The match ended in a 20-20 tie. They later played against Doshisha University, falling 25-20.
Photo by
Don’t ask O’Donnell to recount any of the big plays of either match. “I’m the hooker, in the middle of the front line, so I’m the one who locks his head in between the other guys,” he said. “By the time I disentangle myself from the scrum, the plays are usually over.”
A few years ago, the HBS Old Boys adopted “golden oldies” rules where older players wear gold-colored shorts to signal they are not to be tackled. Tom Avery is thankful for those rules. “Ten years ago, on our tour to Argentina, I broke my collar bone and snapped a rib in two,” he said. “Not one of my favorite memories, but occasionally it comes with the game.”
But win or lose, tackle or touch, doesn’t really matter. They may run a little slower and bang into each other a little less forcefully than they did in their business school days, but these Old Boys take the game and the camaraderie just as seriously as ever.
“When you are young and you first start it is more about wanting to win,” said Rush. “We can’t play 80 minutes anymore. At our age, it is more about the after party.”
They tipped back a few pints and sang some songs with their Japanese counterparts, partying all night despite minor language barriers. “Rugby is its own language; it connects people,” said Rush. “I’ve always said that on-field rugby behavior is policed somewhat by the fact that you have to interact with your opponents at the party afterward, which seems to keep people from extreme acts during the game,” said Tom Avery, adding the experiences gained by being an Old Boy have been invaluable. “The team and friendships that came along with the HBS Old Boys truly changed my life, and added a depth that transcends the usual HBS two years—which says a lot.”
Looking into the future, the current Old Boys are working to recruit younger alumni ruggers to continue the tradition. “We are getting old and at 65-80 aren’t going to move around that well for much longer,” said Rush. “We need the younger people to get involved in this.”
But for the immediate future this crew is not ready to hang up their cleats just yet. “The next World Cup is in France,” said Debbie Avery. “We plan to be there.”
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