Two former players from Morgan Hill travel to Wales.
Two of Morgan Hill’s rugby players took their passion for the sport internationally during the fall.
Chris Rockwell, a tighthead on the rugby field, and Anthony Guidry, a fellow Live Oak alum, traveled overseas to Whales to play a sport they love.
For two months Rockwell and Guidry roughed it up with the more experienced Welsh rugby players on the Pwllheli Club Rygbi where the mascot was an elephant.
It was Rockwell’s first time traveling overseas.
“Going to Whales was a treat,” Rockwell said.
Both players admitted the Welsh are a lot more skilled at the game of rugby, but are quick to point out it also happens to be Whale’s national sport.
Live Oak assistant rugby coach Matt Guidry, father of Anthony, helped start the Live Oak club sport four years ago with head coach Bart Nielson. Matt played rugby for San Jose State University in 1978-79 and with the Mission Rugby Club into the 1990’s.
Live Oak rugby has had a phenomenal showing in its short history finishing last season with a 17-2-1 record.
As seniors, both Rockwell and Guidry helped bring the team to a 2006 Pacific Coast RFU Invitational Championship win and a 2006 Skyhawk Conference Championship win. During their senior year on the Live Oak Rugby team, members hosted a traveling under-20 select side Welsh Rugby Club called the Crawshaw. Friends and contacts were made for the eventual exchange with Rockwell and Guidry.
“They started off by missing their connection in Chicago,” Matt Guidry said. “Then their luggage didn’t show up for two weeks.”
But Matt added, “It’s a great life experience.”
Live Oak rugby hopes to keep the exchange going by hosting two players from Whales next year for a full semester.
Since returning home, Rockwell and Guidry, along with six other alumni, continue to help instruct during pre-season practices for the Live Oak rugby team.
Rockwell also played on the under-19 Club USA rugby team in Canada losing two games but admits home is where he finds he can actually get a decent steak; a very important consideration for the physical demands of rugby.
“You need the endurance of a soccer player and the mentality of a football player,” Rockwell said. “Rugby is played with the top six inches of your body,” Rockwell explains.
Guidry added, “I’ve had a couple of concussions.”
With no pads and no helmets the game is about the efforts of the team. Both Rockwell and Guidry played for the Live Oak Football team during high school.
“Rugby makes you a better tackler (in football),” Rockwell said. “You’re not as scared.”
