United States’ Alan Macginty, left, and Zachary Fenoglio, bottom, tackle Australia’s Ben McCalman, center, during the first half of an international rugby test match at Soldier Field in Chicago, Sept.5, 2015. (Kamil Krzaczynski, Associated Press file)
Regis Jesuit chemistry teacher and 2007 grad Zach Fenoglio is playing in his first-ever Rugby World Cup for the USA Eagles. Born and raised in Denver, Fenoglio is Colorado’s hometown hero competing in one of the largest international sporting events.
Fenoglio got his start in rugby from, well, where do you think? Playing football. He was a center for the Raiders, and played catcher/third base in the spring.
“I was looking for something to keep me in shape during the football off-season, and my friends talked me into it (rugby),” Fenoglio said. “One guy said I wasn’t tough enough to play, and it lit a fire under me.”
After the challenge, the 6-foot-2, 240-pound Fenoglio went out for Regis’ rugby team, and played his sophomore through senior years. After graduation, Fenoglio continued playing rugby in college at Loyola Marymount University in California where the idea of competing in the Rugby World Cup became a realistic goal. He is a two-time collegiate All-American at LMU — the first (and only) rugby collegiate All-American to play for the school.
When Fenoglio first applied for the chemistry teaching job at Regis in 2013, he made it very clear to the staff that rugby was his main focus for the next three years.
“They let me have the time off and I can still come back to a job,” Fenoglio said. “The support has been great. The staff was just as excited as I was that I had been selected for the team (USA).”
For Fenoglio, coming back to teach at his alma mater was always the plan.
“It’s been two years now and not much has changed — still the same old tricks,” Fenoglio said. “I was close with a lot of young teachers when I was a student and to be in the same position is unique and humbling.”
Fenoglio head coaches the Regis rugby team and is the tight ends coach for the varsity football team. One of the top football prospects in Colorado’s 2016 recruiting class is senior tight end Jack Stoll, who .
One of the fastest-rising recreational sports in the U.S., Colorado is an absolute hotbed for rugby, and the sport will only continue to gain more and more popularity. The USA Rugby headquarters is based out of Boulder, and Glendale is a national rugby presence as the country’s first city with rugby as the official sport. s — Fenoglio’s club where — is the first city-supported rugby team in the country.
“Colorado rugby has benefited from high exposure, and there used to be a lot of international games here,” Fenoglio said. “Glendale and USA Rugby are the foundation for that.”
Fenoglio said many youth programs have been popping up all over Colorado, and according to Universal Sports, there are 21 local rugby clubs/leagues in Colorado alone.
Even though lists him as playing a secondary position (prop) he is exclusively a hooker. A hooker has two primary responsibilities: getting the ball when the play (a big huddle of players battling for possession of the ball), and throwing the ball in when the play .
“In the scrum — when we all collide together — I kick the ball back out. When we start the play through lineout, which is like an in-bounds play in basketball or soccer, I’m the guy that throws the ball back in to the player lifted in the air by two guys.”
To execute his position, Fenoglio must be very mobile around the field. His carrying must be effective in defense and he must support on attack.
Fenoglio played in his first-ever World Cup game in the U.S.’ 25-16 loss to Samoa. He plays in an interesting pool (B), because Japan recently upset South Africa, which was dubbed the .
“South Africa is a rugby playing nation — it’s the most popular sport in the county,” Fenoglio said. “Japan shocked the world with that one, and gave hope to other nations to compete at the tournament and challenge the big boys. The Springboks are physical, skilled and have a strong rugby IQ. But it’s a pool we feel we can compete with.”
The U.S. plays Scotland next. You can watch Fenoglio and the U.S. team on a digital service basis. Find a on the Rugby World Cup website.
Join the Rugby World Cup discussion on , and adventure.
Here is an infographic that illustrates the skill set demanded of rugby players using football skills as a basis of comparison:
Rugby skills courtesy of Universal Sports
