News Blog
BARBOS END SEPTEMBER HOT AND COLD
Your Denver Barbarians opened up their XV’s fall season with four wins on the trot. After a high scoring opening weekend, the try scoring continued on through Ruggerfest weekend. There, up in Aspen on Wagner Field, the Barbos fell just short the the Gentlemen of Aspen. It was no gentle match, with both teams dealing blows through the final seconds. While men in Green & White scored more tries on the day, the final result was a loss at the death. 36-32 Aspen victory.
SUMMER 7’S HAVE ARRIVED
The Barbos opened up their 2024 summer 7’s with a strong showing in the Gateway 7’s in St. Louis, Saturday June 15th. The men in Green & White played sharp throughout the day, winning 4 straight pool games before a tantalizing final against the St. Louis Bombers. The cup final went into sudden death, and the home side won 26-21 after 5 minutes of extra time. The Barbos played with strong cohesion throughout the day, and the lessons from the first tournament in the summer will be valuable.
The Barbos lineup for Gateway 7’s:
Nick Johnson
Eric Sykes
Campbell Johnstone
Alex Wormer
Mickey Bateman
Rufus McLean
Ian Wormer
Arnaud Agasse
David Hightower
Jack Miller
John Ryberg
Kobe Millar
Logan Lair
BARBO 7S UNDEFEATED THROUGH TWO TOURNAMENTS, SHIFTING FOCUS TO SUNPLASH 7S
The Denver Barbo 7’s program is renowned for producing home grown talent and continually competing at the highest level. Saturday June, 24th at Prospect Park was no exception. The Barbos finished 1,2 and went undefeated in pool play throughout the day. The Barbo A side was led by Mickey Bateman & Malik Bryant who both scored early and often throughout the day. The Barbo B side had multiple standouts including Nick Johnson, Thomas LaMuraglia & USA 7’s Eagle Ben Pinkelman.
BARBOS WIN THE 2023 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP WITH GUTSY PERFORMANCES AGAINST BOSTON AND BOISE
BARBOS PUT OUT THE CHICAGO BLAZE 21-8, ADVANCE TO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
BARBOS DEFEAT EASTSIDE BANSHEES 67-17
BARBOS FALL SHORT TO PARK CITY HAGGIS
The Barbos fell short to Park City for the 2nd time in 3 weeks, collapsing in the 2nd half and blowing a 14 point halftime lead. Credit goes to Park City who continued to battle through multiple yellow cards and rode their momentum to complete the impressive comeback. After scoring 4 first half tries, the men in Green & White simply couldn’t turn the corner in the 2nd half. Park City rode their momentum until the final whistle where they scored in the corner to make the final score 31-28.
BARBOS DOWN THE WATERDOGS 69-14
Your Denver Barbarians defeated the Denver Waterdogs 69-14 on a perfect October afternoon at Infinity Park. The game was physical and included some impressive ball work as the two side duked it out for 80 minutes. Alex Wormer was impressive in attack all day as the open side flanker and lineout operator consistently broke the gain line finishing four tries (most of the under the posts). In the end, the relentless Barbo attack was too much for a Waterdogs side who had a man sent to the bin with a red card.
BARBOS FALL TO PARK CITY IN A TALE OF TWO HALVES
When the team travelling to Park City was named on Thursday night, we saw some new names looking for new opportunities on the rugby pitch. Luckily for them, there is no greater opportunity that travelling west to face our Utah based league rivals Park City Haggis.
BARBOS EDGE OUT A STRONG QUEEN CITY
The men in Green & White finished out their first two game sweep by defeating the Queen City Rams 35-17 (after dispatching Boulder in the previous match). Captain Todd Oswald led the men to a well earned victory in a battle that started tight and kept its intensity throughout the match.
BARBOS DEFEAT BOULDER TO OPEN 2022 FALL SEASON
The men in Green & White crossed the white line early and often in the first half, opening the scoring through the young (but experienced) fullback Luka Pavlakis. A line break in the first minute resulted in Pavlakis’ first try of the day as the Barbos got 5 points on the board in the first minute. Boulder countered back with a score of their own, and the score was knotted at 5-5, 8 minutes into the match. But, it was from that point on when the Green & White attack grabbed a hold of the game. A barrage of tries from the 10-40 minute mark put Dante Brown, Alex Wormer, Conor O’Brien, Stevie Karas (the skipper), Alex Schultz, Luka Pavlakis (again), Jason Tubbs Christensen, and the entire forward pack (penalty try) on the score sheet. Liam Wynne ticked over 6 conversions and score at halftime was 59-5.
DENVER BARBARIANS THRASH BOULDER - FINAL SCORE: 83-26
After suffering a humbling defeat to Boulder RFC to open the 2021 fall XV’s season, the BarboFam circled November 6th in what would be the much sought after rematch. Seasons, fortunes and even fates can change in the blink of an eye. Was the 31-17 defeat on August 28th truly the moment of self reflection that launched this successful run in the late fall? Perhaps … it’s also possible that change can ALSO come slowly. It can permeate within a team like water breaking down stone. Slowly, but surely.
By the time this fateful November 6th rematch arrived, the men in Green & White were ready to show they had cemented the change needed to capture the Rocky Mountain Premiership. Under the magnificent Colorado sun, the Denver Barbarians were successful on the day, dismantling Boulder from start to finish.
A CLEAN OCTOBER SWEEP…
With the dust settled on a hard fought month of October, The Barbos have snatched their fall season back. It’s as simple as that …
After starting slow with an unexpected, lowly 1-2 record, the team has now caught a groove and have reeled in 4 straight wins. With the reintroduction of some key 7’s player who excelled this past summer, the Denver Barbarians have seen their attacking prowess surge during the win streak averaging a whopping 58 points per game over the last 4 hit outs.
Director of Rugby Danny Bell said it best “It took a while for the train to leave the station early on in the season, but now that it has, it’s full steam ahead.”
Let’s take a look back at the month of October and shower credit where it’s due.
REFLECTIONS FROM 2021 SUMMER 7’S
Looking back to all of the emotions and effort that was thrown into the season, I couldn’t be more proud of the group that represented in Seattle. After the jubilation of victory, and the crushing blow of defeat, it’s all the more clear to me that the core of this Barbo 7’s team will be back next year to finish what we started in the summer of 2021.
DENVER BARBARIANS DEFEAT DENVER HIGHLANDERS 47-17
DENVER BARBARIANS DEFEAT DENVER HIGHLANDERS 47-17
DENVER BARBARIANS WIN 2018 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
The Denver Barbarians defeated the Detroit Tradesman in a nail biter, final score 39-38.
BARBOS DEFEAT PARK CITY HAGGIS 71 - 7, ADVANCE TO FRONTIER CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
The Denver Barbarians, undefeated in league play, took on Park City Haggis, Saturday, April 28, 2018 to determine the Rocky Mountain Rugby Champion. Solid defense and an explosive offense saw the Barbos win the match 71 - 7.
BARBOS DEFEAT PARK CITY HAGGIS
The Barbos, continuing their winning ways in the Rocky Mountain Rugby Union, won two this past weekend, April 7, 2018, with the first side winning, 45 - 15, against an always tough Park City Haggis. The second side offense ran away from the Colorado Rush, 102 - 15.
DENVER BARBARIANS WIN THE DAY AGAINST DENVER HARLEQUINS
The Denver Barbarians were in overdrive as the first side and second side teams put up 88 and 122 points, respectively, against the Denver Harlequins in two matches on October 28, 2017 at Cook Park in Denver, Colorado. The first side scored 14 tries and had nine conversions while the second side scored 20 tries and had 11 conversions.
BARBOS WIN IN BOULDER
Barbos who scored included: Landon Petersen – 1, Antwun Baker – 2, Eric Sykes, Sr. – 2, Michael Al-Jiboori – 3, Charles Ajarrista – 2, Mike Pisney – 1, Jason Christensen – 1, Eric - 1, and Ryan Walker - 1. Charles Ajarrista had nine conversions and Devin Martling contributed one.