Ohio Aviators (rugby)

This article is about the PRO Rugby team. For the defuct ABA Basketball team, see Ohio Aviators (basketball).
Ohio Aviators
Full name Ohio Aviators
Union USA Rugby
Founded 2016
Location Obetz, Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
Ground(s) Memorial Park (Capacity: N/A)
Coach(es) Paule Barford
Top scorer Shaun Davies (84)
Most tries Spike Davis (14)
League(s) PRO Rugby
1st kit
2nd kit

The Ohio Aviators are a professional American rugby union team that play in the newly formed PRO Rugby competition. They are based in the Columbus, Ohio metropolitan area, and play their home games at the Memorial Park in Obetz, Ohio.

History

PRO Rugby announced on February 9, 2016 the addition of Columbus, Ohio as the league's third team.[1] The selection of Columbus came as somewhat of a surprise, because the original PRO Rugby announcement in November 2015 did not mention that the competition planned to place a team in the midwest in the inaugural season.[2] Ohio's inaugural season home opener was played on May 1, 2016.[3] PRO Rugby revealed the team's nickname — the Ohio Aviators — on June 6, 2016, a reference to the Wright brothers who were from Ohio.[4]

Stadium

The Aviators during the 2016 season played their home games at Memorial Park in Obetz, a suburb of the Columbus metropolitan area. The Aviators plan to move to the refurbished Columbus Motor Speedway starting with the 2017 season.[5]

Current players and staff

Current roster

For player movements before and during the 2016 season, see 2016 PRO Rugby season § Ohio.

The squad for the 2016 PRO Rugby season:[6]

Ohio roster

Props

Hookers

  • Republic of Ireland Dylan Fawsitt
  • United States Chris Schade

Locks

  • Canada Kyle Baillie
  • United States Pierce Dargan
  • United States Ryan McTiernan

Loose Forwards

  • Italy Filippo Ferrarini
  • United States Matt HughstonINJ
  • New Zealand Chad Joseph
  • Chile Sebastian Kalm
  • United States Peter Malcolm
  • United States Dominic Pezzutti
  • South Africa Riekert Hattingh

Scrum-halves

Fly-halves

Centers

Wingers

Fullbacks

(c) Denotes team captain, Bold denotes internationally capped.

Current coaching staff

Position Name
Head coach England Paule Barford
Assistant coach South Africa Paul Holmes
Assistant coach Ireland Eamonn Hogan

Season summaries

C=Champions, R=Runners-up, W=Wooden Spoons
Competition Games
Played 		Games
Won 		Games
Drawn 		Games
Lost 		Ladder
Position 		C R W Coach Details
2016 PRO Rugby season
 11 8 0 3 1 / 5
Paule Barford
2016 Ohio Aviators season

Leading players

Season Captain Most tries Most points
2016 Jamie Mackintosh Spike Davis (14) Shaun Davies (84)

Coaches

Coach Tenure Matches Won Drawn Lost Winning Percentage
Paule Barford 2016–present 11 8 0 3 72.7%

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Ohio Gains PRO Rugby Team", This Is American Rugby, February 9, 2016.
  2. ↑ "PRO Rugby Launches First Professional League in North America", USA Rugby, November 9, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Rugby | New team offers speed, power, blood", Columbus Dispatch, Bill Rabinowitz, April 15, 2016.
  4. ↑ "PRO Rugby Unveils Team Names", This Is American Rugby, June 6, 2016.
  5. ↑ "Ohio Aviators trying to grow regional fan base", The Columbus Dispatch, Adam Jardy, July 3, 2016.
  6. ↑ "PRO Rugby Preview – Ohio". Americas Rugby News. Americas Rugby News. April 12, 2016. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
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