Ohio Aviators (rugby union)
US rugby union club, based in Obetz, OH
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Ohio Aviators are an American rugby union team that played professionally in the short lived PRO Rugby competition. They are based in the Columbus, Ohio metropolitan area, and played their home games at Memorial Park in Obetz, Ohio. They are now playing in the newly formed World Tens Series.
| |||
| Full name | Ohio Aviators | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Union | USA Rugby | ||
| Founded | 2016 | ||
| Location | Obetz, Ohio, U.S. | ||
| Ground | Fortress Obetz (Capacity: 6,500) | ||
| Coach | Paule Barford | ||
| Top scorer | Shaun Davies (84) | ||
| Most tries | Spike Davis (14) | ||
| League(s) | PRO Rugby (2016) World Tens Series (2020-present) | ||
| |||
| Official website | |||
| www | |||
History
PRO Rugby announced on February 9, 2016 the addition of Columbus, Ohio as the league's third team.[1] The selection of Columbus came as somewhat of a surprise, because the original PRO Rugby announcement in November 2015 did not mention that the competition planned to place a team in the midwest in the inaugural season.[2] Ohio's inaugural season home opener was played on May 1, 2016.[3] PRO Rugby revealed the team's nickname — the Ohio Aviators — on June 6, 2016, a reference to the Wright brothers who were from Ohio.[4]
10's return
On September 9, 2020, the Aviators announced on their Instagram page their return to participate in the World Tens Series, occurring from October 24 through November 7, 2020 in Bermuda.[5]
Stadium
The Aviators during the 2016 season played their home games at Memorial Park in Obetz, a suburb of the Columbus metropolitan area. The Aviators planned to move to Fortress Obetz, on the site of the former Columbus Motor Speedway, starting with the 2017 season.[6][7][8][9][10]
2016 roster
On December 20, 2016 all PRO Rugby players received notice their contracts will be terminated in 30 days if progress is not made towards resolving disputes between the league and USA Rugby.[11]
The squad for the 2016 PRO Rugby season:[12]
| Ohio roster | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Props
Hookers
Locks
|
Loose forwards
Scrum-halves Fly-halves
|
Centers
Wingers
Fullbacks
|
| (c) Denotes team captain, Bold denotes internationally capped. |
2016 coaching staff
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Head coach |  Paule Barford |
| Assistant coach |  Paul Holmes |
| Assistant coach |  Eamonn Hogan |
Current players and staff
Current roster
The squad for the 2020 World Tens Series:[13]
| Ohio roster | |
|---|---|
|
Forwards
|
Backs
|
| (c) Denotes team captain, Bold denotes internationally capped. |
Current coaching staff
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Taylor Howden |
| Assistant coach | Kane Thompson |
| Manager | Zach Stryffeler |
| Medical Director | Richard Quincy |
| Director | Tom Rooney |
World Tens Series
2020
Bermuda
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 25, 2020 | Phoenix | Bermuda National Stadium | Won, 26-0 |
| October 25, 2020 |  Rhinos | Bermuda National Stadium | Lost, 0-12 |
| October 25, 2020 | London Royals | Bermuda National Stadium | Lost, 10-11 |
| October 26, 2020 |  Asia Pacific Dragons | Bermuda National Stadium | Won, 11–10 |
| October 26, 2020 | Miami Sun | Bermuda National Stadium | Lost, 10–11 |
| November 2, 2020 | Rhinos | Bermuda National Stadium | Won, 11–10 |
| November 2, 2020 | Phoenix | Bermuda National Stadium | Won, 22–0 |
| November 2, 2020 | Asia Pacific Dragons | Bermuda National Stadium | Lost, 16–20 |
| November 3, 2020 | London Royals | Bermuda National Stadium | Lost, 12–13 |
| November 3, 2020 | Miami Sun | Bermuda National Stadium | Lost, 17–17 |
| November 3, 2020 | SX10 | Bermuda National Stadium | Won, 14–10 |
| November 7, 2020 Quarterfinal | Miami Sun | Bermuda National Stadium | Won, 26–5 |
| November 7, 2020 Semifinal | London Royals | Bermuda National Stadium | Won, 12–7 |
| November 7, 2020 Final | SX10 | Bermuda National Stadium | Lost, 14–21 |
Season summaries
| Competition | Games Played | Games Won | Games Drawn | Games Lost | Ladder Position | C | R | W | Coach | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 PRO Rugby season | 12 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 2 / 5 | Paule Barford | 2016 Ohio Aviators season |
Leading players
| Season | Captain | Most tries | Most points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Jamie Mackintosh | Spike Davis (14) | Shaun Davies (84) |
Coaches
| Coach | Tenure | Matches | Won | Drawn | Lost | Winning Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paule Barford | 2016 | 12 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 75% |
| Taylor Howden | 2020–present | 14 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 50% |
See also
- Ohio Aviators (basketball) — defunct ABA basketball team