By Justin Rutledge | 03.08.18
Break out the elephant guns boys and girls. The Cleveland Crusaders are going big game hunting this spring.
Cleveland’s Finest Rugby Club is out of the Division II and III playoff pictures. So, rather than taking the spring off to reassess and reevaluate, the Crusaders are doubling down and putting the sword to some of the biggest names in the region – but first things first, both sides will be heading down to Savannah, Georgia in the hopes of making the long drive back with some hardware.
After the team returns from its southern campaign, the schedule kicks off in earnest. Both sides start the spring with home matches. The Bluesaders play NDC in South Euclid, which is close enough to be considered home, while the First XV will take another shot at the Tradesmen. Both sides hit the road for the next series of challenges in the godless hills of Pennsylvania against the Harlequins. The following weekend Columbus comes to town, as Scioto Valley and the Castaways converge on the shores of Lake Erie for a day of rugby fun. On the back-end of the spring, both sides will take on the Chicago Lions and Cincinnati Wolfhounds, respectively, on consecutive weekends.
To say the Crusade just got a lot tougher would be an understatement. There are no warm-up matches, no slouches or layups. Come March 10 the tests begin, and they don’t stop until May 12.
Stay tuned for further updates from the season as it progresses. #JoinTheCrusade