Turk Wigley secures the ball after he was tackled by a UTC defender. Wigley started his first year on the Tiger Rugby team after being recruited in 2018.
The University of Memphis Rugby Club (1-1) has approached the middle of the season after a close loss against MTSU, a powerful showing against Mississippi State and a canceled game against Ole Miss.
Fullback Turk Wigley said the team has focused on technique and fundamentals during the off time.
“We are not the most physically big team,†Wigley said. “The amount of intensity we have is what makes us competitive.â€
Wigley started his first year of Tiger Rugby last semester after being recruited in Spring 2018. Wigley attended Christian Brothers High School and was involved in soccer, wrestling, track and football during middle and high school.
Wigley said he has become invested with the program. He scored two tries in the first half of the Mississippi State game to push the lead to 15-7. The Tigers won the game 34-12.
“There is no other feeling like scoring a try in rugby,†Wigley said. “I have scored goals in soccer, scored touchdowns in football and got pins in wrestling. None of that compares to what a try feels like.â€
Wigley said rugby is more than just how many points a player scores or how many times a player gets the ball; it is how well a player supports the team. Wigley said the whole team celebrates when one of the players scores.Â
“I am very fortunate that I have been given the opportunity to represent the team,†Wigley said.
The Tigers were scheduled to play Ole Miss at Memorial Field on Feb. 23, but weather conditions forced a cancellation. The teams did not play and may not have another opportunity to play this season.Â
Wigley said the team’s next possible game could be against the Memphis Blues Rugby Club. The Blues represent the city of Memphis and are not affiliated with the UofM. He said the game could take place March 2 or March 9.
Wigley said the team was disappointed they could not play. The Tigers could go four straight weeks without a game. The next guaranteed game Memphis is scheduled to play is a home game against the University of North Alabama on March 16, one month after the Mississippi State game that took place Feb. 16, but Wigley said the team is focused on the upcoming rugby tournament in Nashville, Tennessee.
The Tigers are scheduled to participate in the 37th annual Nash Bash Rugby Festival. Memphis, MTSU, GVSU, Illinois State, Michigan Tech and Loyola-Chicago are registered for the tournament. There is a possibility Memphis could get a rematch against MTSU.Â
“I know the team and I are looking forward to the chance that we could play Middle Tennessee,†Wigley said. “We want payback on them after beating us on our home field.â€
One week after Nash Bash, the Tigers travel to Knoxville, Tennessee, to play the Volunteers. Memphis beat the Vols last season by a decent margin, 23-5. This is one of the last games the Tigers have scheduled during the spring season. Wigley said the game would be more difficult to win the second time because the circumstances are much different and the team wants to be acknowledged as one of the best teams in Tennessee.
“Our team is very excited for that,†Wigley said. “We want to go prove that we are one of the teams in Tennessee that is truly a force to be reckoned with.â€Â
