News Blog
BARBOS NAME STRONG TEAM FOR CLUB 7’S NATIONAL TOURNAMENT
It was easily the most competitive summer of 7’s we’ve had since the American rugby landscape began its slow crawl back in the summer of 2021. The core of this player group have been together since 2021, and each year they push themselves to get better each day. The results have shown through the intensity in which this team trains. It’s really something to see. After a long and tiring summer, teams usually fall off in August, but what separates this summer’s group is player depth and team commitment. Only 13 names were able to be selected for our traveling roster, but the larger group knows the group selected represents all 30 players that trained throughout the summer.
And without further ado, the team for the 2024 Club National 7’s tournament:
Alex Wormer (c)
John Ryberg
Nick Johnson
Eric Sykes
Jack Miller
Campbell “Soup” Johnstone
Mickey Bateman
Arnaud Agasse
Luke Neely
Ian Wormer
Iosefo Selevasio
Kobe Millar
David Hightower
BARBOS FINISH 4TH IN THE COUNTRY, CLOSING OUT THE 2022 SUMMER
The Barbos were victorious in their first two pool play games against Detroit Tradesman and Westside Ronin. The tied their final game with National Athletic Village (NAV) 14-14 after coming back in the second half. The theme of the day was physicality in the breakdown.
MEET NICK JOHNSON
Every team needs a crafty veteran. Nic “Johnno” Johnson is exactly that. He’s played so much rugby, there isn’t much he hasn’t already seen. His professional rugby career features shifts with the Austin Gilgronis in the MLR and the Loggerheads of PR 7’s. His burly thick chest can be found barreling into the gain line as defenders do their best to soften the impact of his mighty blows.
MEET DEVARIUS “BEANIE” MILLER
When Devarius, better know as “Beanie” first showed up on the scene in 2018 competing for the Denver Selects. As a NMHU Vato, he continued the legacy of playing for the Green & White when he joined the summer 7’s squad in 2019. When I first saw him play that summer, I was definitely impressed. Here’s someone who punches well above his weight, and has a game changing step. He returned home during the pandemic and began shining with the Palm Beach Panthers. He was instrumental in their D3 National Championship this past may. But now, he’s ready to show the world he can play at the next level.
MEET LIAM WYNNE
Liam Wynne (at all costs) has cemented himself in the Colorado rugby community ever since his days down in Colorado Springs. He then took his game up North to Fort Collins where he led the Colorado State Rugby team (Ram for life) for 4 years. Word on the street is Liam actually tackled and poached the great Ben Pinkelman at a chilly evening training back in the FoCo days.
MEET MALIK BRYANT
Having top speed doesn’t always translate to the best rugby player, but CHANGE in SPEED can break open a game, and Malik has burst. His explosion is undeniable, but his burst into rugby is even more impressive. After getting his first taste for the game back in his home state of Florida with FIU, he returned to the sport through the Colorado XO program. After showing out in the 2021 summer season for the Barbos (highlights below), he hasn’t looked back. He continues to bring a professional level of hard work and dedication to crafting his skills and improving his rugby.
MEET LUCA TANI
Meet Luca Tani. 4 Syllables, 8 Letters. A creature of flight in the air (he’s tall and can jump), and a galloping land creature when comes back down to earth. His versatility helped earn him a Rugby Rent Scholarship last spring, and he’s been a club man ever since. You can’t miss the beard, the tatts and of course, the chicken legs.
MEET CAMPBELL JOHNSTONE
Maryland born and bred (crab cakes and rugby), Campbell “Soup” Johnstone lives and breathes the sport. Size, power and grace goes into each step when he takes the pitch. His passing is subpar to none, putting the ball on a rope even as he straightens and challenges the defensive line. He’s a 14 minute man in the 7’s game, and his gas tank is never empty.
MEET NOAH PFLAUM
Noah is simply the type of guy you want on your team. Calm, collected and straight up cool as a cucumber. When he attacks the line, you can feel his brain neurons firing as he pokes and probes … Looking for the smallest signs of weakness or misalignment before he rounds a gap or puts someone through one. Can’t wait to watch him carve up defenses at Nationals in St. Louis.
MEET MICKEY BATEMAN
If you don’t know Mickey Bateman, then you clearly haven’t been to a Barbo 7’s outing in the past two years. He’s the loudest voice on the field, bar none. And that’s extremely important in rugby, especially 7’s. There’s no place on the pitch for hushed voices and low tempo. Mickey loves to spice things up on the pitch.
BARBOS HEAD TO SEATTLE FOR CLUB 7’S NATIONALS
Barbos head to 2021 Club 7s Nationals in Seattle