Kwai Nyu

Rugby team
country = The Kwai Nyu Rugby Club


union = Missouri Rugby Football Union
nickname = Kwai Nyu Rugby Club/The Rebel Ruggers
coach = flagicon|United States Fr. Augustine Wetta, O.S.B.
from = 1995
captain = Robert Ciapciak
top scorer = Kevin Donelly
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rightarm1 =1E90FF
shorts1 = 000080
socks1 = 000080

Kwai Nyu is a style of rugby played in the American Midwest, marked by an emphasis on traditional style of play and mud/clay fields.

The "Kwai Nyu" style of play was first detected in Saint Louis, Missouri in the early 1950s. It's aggressive style and traditional etiquette immediately distinguished it from other 'styles' of rugby played throughout North America and Europe.

The Kwai Nyu Ruggers--then known simply as "The Rebels"--started out under the direction of Fr. Timothy Horner, O.S.B. Having come over to America to found a preparatory school, the British monk-teachers were utterly unfamiliar with United States sports, and so started a rugby union team. For seventeen years, the Rebel Ruggers went undefeated. Today, under the inspired coaching of Fr. Augustine Wetta, Andy Wenger, and Paul Wood, the team continues to build on its noble heritage.

The name, "Kwai Nyu" is simply, the name "Rebel" in Ibo, the dialect of a small, noble, warlike tribe from northern Nigeria. The Ibo are one of the few Catholic tribes in Nigeria, making them extremely devout Christians, and also extremely tough. As one of the early coaches was from this small tribe, they sing the chant in his honor.Kwai Nyu is the only high school athletic team in Missouri history to go undefeated for nineteen consecutive seasons.

TEAM RECORDS

† THE OLDEST HIGH SCHOOL RUGBY TEAM IN MISSOURI HISTORY

† THE ONLY HIGH SCHOOL TEAM IN MISSOURI TO GO 19 YEARS AS STATE CHAMPIONS (1959-1978)

(Source: In Good Soil: The Founding of Saint Louis Priory and School 1954-1973 [517 pages, Saint Louis Abbey Press] .)

The "Tin Can" Rugby Tournament

According to local history, the Tin Can Tournament is the oldest and most renowned high school rugby tournament in Saint Louis, Missouri. "Founded in 1502, in what was then known simply as "Cahokia," two Native American sons of the Cahokia Indian tribes fought bitterly over a bloated pig heart, then used as a "ball" of sorts for indigenous games. The argument spiraled out of control, culminating in the brutal dismemberment and death of one of these brave warriors. Every year thereafter, the event was commemorated by a gathering and athletic games, eventually resulting in the area being named Creve Cour (or Broken Heart) by the French settlers who carried on the tradition. Pig hearts being unavailable, French children settled for reenacting these events with a tin can. For hundreds of years, the athletic event went uncommemorated until, in 2003, it was resurrected by the Kwai Nyu Rugby Club, and quickly evolved into a Pan-State event, attracting teams from as far away as Jefferson City and Kirkwood."

Whether or not this historical anecdote contains any historical veracity, it does in fact convey the spirit of the tournament, which is informal, but always energetic and exciting.

The Coat of Arms

The coat of arms is based on the Coat of Arms of Saint Louis Abbey, the monastery which owns and runs the Priory School. It traces its roots back to the coat of arms of Westminster Abbey, and is registered with the college of heralds in Great Britain. It is also known as the "Priory Shield". Certain elements of the original coat of arms have been modified: a rugby ball for the white rose, a set of rugby posts in place of the fleur de lies. But the original colors, and the blue "river," representing the Mississippi River, have remained the same.

http://fraugustine.priory.org/Rugby.htm

The Kwai Nyu Chant

In 1995, a dark and mysterious stranger came out to guest coach the Priory Rebel Rugby Team. He was as black as the night, as large as a mountain, and as fast as lightening. His name was Edu, and he had newly immigrated to the United States from Nigeria, where he had played rugby from the earliest age. His leadership was an inspiration, and his guidance came at a time when the team was looking for someone with great leadership qualities. Before he departed for the seminary, he taught Kwai Nyu this song, an untranslatable Ebo war chant known simply as "The Elephant Song." He revealed the meanings of the words to the team on the condition that they not be repeated to anyone who was not a member. Thus, the true meaning remains shrouded in the mists of secrecy.

ENNE MBA ENNE! TZABUA! ENNE MBA ENNE! TZABUA! ENNE MBA ENNE! NWAKEI! ENNE MBA ENNE! NWAKEI! ENNE MBA ENNE! TI! YA! TI! YA! TI! YA!! KWAI NYU! YA!!!

Current Opponents of Kwai Nyu

*DeSmet Jesuit High School
*Chaminade/Kirkwood High School Red Devils
*Francis Howell Central High School
*Jefferson City Nightmare (Combined Team) http://www.jcrfc.org/
*St. Louis University High (SLUH)/Christian Brothers College (CBC) Druids
*Eureka High School

Current Members of Kwai Nyu

"Players are listed with their full name, their current position, their alternate club (if available), and any awards they have obtained."

*Bradley "BT" Taylor, Prop, Andrew Wenger Award (Most Outstanding Member of Scrum), Missouri U-19 Rugby
*J. Taylor Streiff, Weak Side Wing/Fullback, Sunday Morning Rugby Club (Rugby Sevens)
*Mark Haar, Scrum Half/Flanker, 2006-2007 Rookie of the Year (Coach's Award)
*Anthony Savio, Weak/Strong Side Wing, 2006-2007 Rookie of the Year (Player's Award)
*Joseph Jordan, Strong Side Wing/Fly Half/Scrum Half, 2005-2006 Rookie of the Year (Player's Award)
*Charles von Brecht Mulvihill, Fullback/Wing
*Alexander Kluesner, Outside Center, Missouri U-19 Rugby, 2006-2007 Paul Wood Award (Most Outstanding Member of Backfield), most injurded player in recent history
*Patrick Dutton, Fly Half, Missouri U-19 Rugby
*Edward Pennington, Hooker/Flanker, Missouri U-19 Rugby
*James Mangano, Prop
*Lee Aguera, Flanker
*Isaac Wooley, Second Row/Prop, 2006-2007 Most Valuable Player (Player's Award)
*Gabriel Lee, Second Row
*Zachary Knippel, Flanker
*Paul Monahan, Flanker/Eight Man/Hooker
*Ryan Lenz, Weak Side Wing
*Charlie Peterson, Wing
*Adam Czernikiewicz, Fullback
*Matthew J. Schulz, Team President/Manager
*Michael Mosbacher, Devoted Fan #1
*Philip Fonseca, Devoted Fan #2

Coaches:
*Fr. Augustine Wetta, O.S.B. Head Coach
*Andrew Wenger, Forwards Coach/Assistant Coach
*Paul Wood, Backs Coach/Assistant Coach (Current head rugby coach of Washington University, and head official of the Missouri Rugby Football Union)
*Martin D. Combs, former Forwards Coach (Current head football coach of Saint Louis Priory School.)

Notable Alumni

*Ben Noll (2001), Prop, Currently playing offensive line for the Detroit Lions
*Sean Flachs, Scrum Half, Currently playing for the United States Military Academy
*Andrew Steck (2006), Inside Center, Currently playing for Boston College
*Bartosz Czernikiewicz (2006), 8-man, Currently playing for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
*Jay Aguera (2006), Wing, McGill University
*Will Moran (2000), Second Row, U.S. Naval Academy
*Phil Kemp (2004), Starting Scrum Half Columbia University
*Pat Human (2001), Trinity College, Toronto "Dogs of War" -- Won the College Club Rugby Ontario Championships--
*Robert J. Ciapciak (2007), Fullback/Wing, Member of USA U-19 Rugby and St. Louis Bombers RFC -- Youngest player (16) to score in a Rugby Super League (US) match; Paul Wood Award (Most Outstanding Member of Backfield), 2004 Rookie of the Year, 2005-2007 MVP, USA/Missouri U-19 Rugby, St. Louis Bombers RFC, currently only freshmen starter for Villanova University
*Josh Buell (2006), Currently playing for Denison University
*John Pfortmiller (2007), Second Row, Currently playing for Rockhurst University

External links

* [http://www1.priory.org/ Saint Louis Priory School official site]
* [http://fraugustine.priory.org/Rugby.htm Official Team Site]
* [http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=KwaiNyu Videos of the Team in Action]
* [http://www.morugby.org/ Missouri Rugby Football Union]
* [http://www.sundaymorningrugby.com/ Sunday Morning Rugby Football Club]
* [http://fraugustine.priory.org/Other%20Rugby%20stuff%20from%20old%20web%20site./DWMX2004_Project/momsguide.htm Rugby Spectators' Guide]
* [http://fraugustine.priory.org/Other%20Rugby%20stuff%20from%20old%20web%20site./DWMX2004_Project/rugbyglossary.htm Rugby Glossary]