Brown Men’s Rugby sweeps debut in 7s scrimmages at new Sorensen-Mencoff Field in the Penner Field House
Brown Men’s Rugby made a statement in its first rugby competition at Sorensen-Mencoff Field, powering to a perfect 4-0 record in top-side 7s play. Across four matches against Babson College and Iona College, the Bears' primary 7s group piled up 110 points while conceding just 25, turning the historic debut at the new Penner Field House complex into a showcase of pace, depth, and defensive discipline.
The tone was set early in Game 1 against Iona, where Brown’s attack clicked immediately in a 30-5 victory. Tries came from all over the park, with Inigo Langford '29, Theo Romero'27, Erik Estienne '28, Bertie Deen '29, and a brace from Captain Tito Edjua '27 overwhelming Iona’s defensive line. Brown’s work at the breakdown and in the wide channels created consistent front-foot ball, allowing the playmakers to stretch the defense and finish clinically in support.
Game 2 against Babson proved more competitive, but Brown again controlled the key moments in a 20-10 win. Romero crossed twice to lead the scoring, while Tripp King G'26 and Edjua added tries to keep Babson under pressure. Brown’s ability to reset quickly on kickoffs and maintain possession in multiple-phase sequences proved decisive, as the side absorbed Babson’s surges and answered with well-constructed scores that kept the match tilted in Brown’s favor.
The rematch with Iona in Game 3 brought more of the same from Brown’s attack, this time in a 30-10 decision. Langford dotted down again, joined by Fred Hughes G'26, Cameron Kean '29, Edjua, and Rowe Stodolnic '27 as Brown continued to spread the scoring load across the roster. Strong work in contact and sharp decision-making in transition allowed Brown to turn turnovers into quick-strike opportunities, with the support lines and offloads ensuring Iona rarely had time to reset its defensive shape.
Brown closed out top-group play in emphatic fashion with a 30-0 shutout of Babson in Game 4, the most dominant performance of the day. Ben Shirley '27 stole the spotlight with a hat trick of tries, while Charm Tuala '28 and Langford (who added two more scores) punished Babson whenever space appeared. The clean sheet highlighted Brown’s defensive organization, with line speed, tackling, and cover defense all combining to keep Babson off the scoreboard and pin them in their own end for long stretches.
The Brown developmental side capped the day's matches with a dominant 20-0 win over Babson’s B-side, to complete an unbeaten day for Bruno. Debutant Edward Abel Guobadia G'27, Weston Granholm '28, Reid Spence '28, and Hayden Hradek '29 each crossed for tries, underscoring the depth in the Brown setup and the consistency of the team’s structures across both groups. The developmental side matched the first group’s defensive standard, closing space quickly and turning pressure into points.
With both the top 7s squad and the developmental group delivering shutouts to finish the slate, Brown Men’s Rugby turned the opening event at Sorensen-Mencoff Field into a convincing statement of intent. The balanced scoring, physical edge at the breakdown, and commitment to defense all pointed to a squad ready for the demands of spring 7s competition, and the performance set an encouraging tone for the rest of the season ahead.
This weekend, the Bears head to Massachusetts Veterans' Memorial Stadium in Quincy, Massachusetts, home of the 3-time Major League Rugby Champions New England Free Jacks, to compete in the annual Monumental 7s Tournament on Saturday, March 14th. A win at Monumental would mean an automatic bid to the Collegiate Rugby Championship 7s national tournament in April.
BROWN ROSTER
First group
Bertie Deen '29
Tito Edjua '27 (C)
Erik Estienne '28
Fred Hughes G'26
Cameron Kean '29
Tripp King G'26
Inigo Langford '29
Ben Le Roux '29
Quinn Miller '29
Theo Romero '27
Ben Shirley '27
Reid Spence '28
Rowe Stodolnic '27
Charm Tuala '28
Second group
Ed Abel Guobadia G'27
Weston Granholm '27
Hayden Hradek '29
Jakob Osteimer '29
William Yu '28
