Kentucky Hosts Tennessee In Highly Anticipated SCRC Showdown
By Priscilla Jepchumba
In week five of Friday Night Rugby, the top-ranked Kentucky team will face off against the fifth-ranked Tennessee team in Lexington, KY.
Both teams are considered strong contenders in the Southeast Collegiate Rugby Conference (SCRC), with Kentucky entering the game undefeated and Tennessee hoping to challenge their dominance. The match is scheduled to start at 7 p.m., following the opening of the gates at 5 p.m.
Kentucky has had a solid start to the season, securing victories against Division I Illinois and Marian before commencing conference play with a win against the Crimson Tide. The Wildcats are determined to uphold their undefeated record, with star players such as flyhalf Jack Phillips and flanker Holden Hahn leading the charge.
On the other hand, Tennessee faced a challenging early schedule, competing against four Division I opponents and Texas A&M before entering SCRC play. Despite some tough matches, the Vols are now gearing up to take on Kentucky following a recent victory against Texas A&M.
As the defending champions, Kentucky is feeling the pressure to maintain its status as the team to beat. Head coach Sam Enari acknowledged the shift in mentality, emphasizing the team's focus and determination to excel this season.
Both teams have had to deal with player injuries, with Kentucky welcoming back No. 8 Everett Marret and Tennessee adjusting their lineup to compensate for the absence of No. 8 Matthew Beacom.
Tennessee coach Scott Tungay expressed the team's ambition to elevate their program and compete at a higher level, emphasizing the importance of facing challenging opponents to improve their overall performance.
“This year I would say we’re a lot more stable in terms of squad depth. And we’re striving to be more consistent,” Tungay said.
“I still think Kentucky is the team to chase. Big area for us is trying to clean up errors and penalties. We’re still searching for that level of consistency we want to be able to dictate our own game.”
Overall, both teams are gearing up for an intense and competitive match, with Kentucky striving to maintain its dominance and Tennessee aiming to elevate its game and challenge the reigning champions.
