SUGAR LAND, Tx. – “I’m really enjoying the game. This is my first rugby game and I’m so excited that we have a pro team in Houston now.”
Deborah Hurley wasn’t the only one who got into the Houston Sabercats’ first ever game. More than five thousand fans filled the stands of Constellation Field.
Fans may not fully understand the game but they certainly understood the final score. A dominant 50-7 win over Seattle.
Sabercats head coach Justin Fitzpatrick says, “Some people may not know the finer details, they recognize the athleticism that was on display and really enjoyed it.”
Nathan Schroeder, a fan checking out the game added, “I’ve followed soccer and football has gotten boring so this is great. It’s non-stop action. There’s really no stoppage in play except for when the ball goes but the ball is always moving, the players are always moving. there are big hits.”
The players noticed the enthusiasm coming from the stands and it helped spark them to the franchise’s first ever win.
Sabercats player Connor Murphy says, “They got behind the boys when there were ebbs and flows in the game and the boys were down and we kind of needed that morale boost. You could certainly hear them. It was just fantastic to see so many people out enjoying rugby.”
Sabercats player Sam Windsor added, “They got up for us at every part of the game and we get in a slump, they’d get loud and get us back in the game so however many thousand that were here, we heard very one of them and it definitely made a difference.”
Sinclair Pritchard was a fan who turned out and said, “I think it’s pretty cool actually. I’m enjoying myself. I would definitely come again. For sure, this is exciting, I would go again.”
Fans will get their chance to see the Sabercats in action again this Saturday when they face the Vancouver Ravens.
