Brown Men's Rugby
Brown Men's Rugby Secures National Tournament Bid at Frostbite 7's

Brown Men's Rugby successfully secured a bid to the CRC 7's national tournament after an outstanding performance at the Frostbite 7's tournament held at Hempfield High School in Landisville, PA, on March 1st and 2nd, 2025. Competing against teams from Christendom College, Harvard University, University of Buffalo, St. Bonaventure University, and American International College, Brown displayed dominance and skill, making their mark in this crucial tournament early in the spring 7's season.
The Bears top-side swept all their matches with remarkable final scores, aggregating a total of 144 points scored while allowing only 29. The Bears kicked off their Frostbite 7's campaign with a 27-0 victory over Christendom, then the team continued their winning streak against Harvard and Buffalo, with scores of 34-0 and 33-10, respectively. In the semifinals, Brown trounced St. Bonaventure 31-5, before clinching the championship with a close 19-14 win against American International College. In the final, the Bears took a 12-0 lead into halftime, but after AIC scored twice in 90-seconds in the second half, they found themselves down 2 with minutes remaining. An offsides penalty against AIC near midfield gave Tito Edjua the opportunity to put the Bears back on top. Taking a quick tap himself, Tito stepped right, then cut back left, beating 2 defenders and getting through the defence untouched and scoring the go-ahead try from about 55 meters away. Leo Clayburgh converted the kick to make the score 19-14 for Brown with about a minute to play. On the ensuing kick-off the AIC kick receiver swatted the ball into touch, giving possession back to Brown. The Bears were able to wind down the clock through several phases and clinch the tournament victory.
Over the 5-game tournament, Tito Edjua led the team in scoring with 8 tries and 6 conversions for 52 total points. Other standout scorers included Marco Lapierre with 6 tries, and Theo Romero who contributed 4 tries and 2 conversions, while Leo Clayburgh converted 5 kicks. Showcasing attacking ability across the roster 6 other players all scored once; Henrique Gabriel, Rowe Stodolonic, Jimmy Phelan, Blaine Byszio, Kenyon Graham, and David Scott.
Brown first side: Leo Clayburgh, Erik Estienne, Henrique Gabriel, Jimmy Phelan, David Scott, Rowe Stodolnic, Kaspar Pitblado, Thomas Bouchard, Tito Edjua, Kenyon Graham, Marco Lapierre, Theo Romero, Charm Tuala, Blaine Byszio
Brown also entered a B-side into the open division of the tournament. The Brown B's placed 3rd in their division with a 2-1 record on 72 points scored and 14 points conceded. Despite a minor disappointment to start the tournament, losing to Scranton 12-14, they rebounded strongly, defeating Bucknell 26-0 and SUNY Geneseo 36-0. Matthew O'Connor lit up the scorebook with 6 tries over the 3 matches, including 3 in the first half of the final match. Ben Shirley, who served as B-side captain on the day, contributed 1 try and 4 conversions. Additional scorers included; Joe Ashford with 1 try and 1 conversion, while Ethan Liew, Miles Monroe, Garett Mann, and Daijin Dorsey-Reyes all scored a try for the B's.
Brown second side: Garett Mann, Om Sagar, Ethan Liew, Nico Eaton, Brayden Wallace, Kit Sanders, Nathan Kwei, Weston Granholm, Joe Ashford, Matthew O'Connor, Daijin Dorsey-Reyes, Ben Shirley, Carter Lee, Miles Monroe, and Mateo Navarro
Head Coach David Laflamme reflected on the competition, stating:
"This is a somewhat challenging trip for the players; a long bus ride, cold conditions, so it's good to come out on top. Both teams played really well overall against solid competition. We're glad to have locked in our place in the national tournament early in the season."
With this victory, Brown Men's Rugby not only claims the Frostbite 7's Premier Division Championship but also ensures its position in the eagerly awaited national tournament, the Collegiate Rugby Championship 7's Tournament, held April 25th-27th in Boyds, Maryland. Up next, the team looks forward to hosting and competing in a friendly 6-team tournament on March 9, 2025, at Berylson Family Fields, featuring teams like Babson College, Endicott College, Nichols College, University of Maine, and University of New Hampshire.