The Cal State Fullerton Women’s Rugby team looks to improve– after coming so close to making nationals last year– while still having fun.Since its loss to Claremont last season, the team has gone through many changes.  This year features a new coach and a handful of new players.South African native Grant Anderson has taken the reins as coach this season.  Anderson has worked with the U.S. Under-19 team as a skills coach and played professional for Ireland. He currently plays locally in Belmont Shore. He brings his experience to prepare his team for the challenges ahead.

Anderson has a nutritionist, specialist trainers, grappling coaches and Matthew Hawkins, the captain of the U.S. Sevens rugby team, in his coaching staff.

“I think having an extra set of eyes and different influences are helping the girls become a more well-rounded team,” said Anderson.

One of the players returning this season is co-captain Ashley Malone, 20, business major, who is optimistic about the season ahead. “We have a lot of new girls so that’s exciting and they are excited to get out there on the pitch and play something they love,” said Malone.

Many of last year’s team that nearly made it to nationals has graduated or left, allowing the team to start in a clean slate after the disappointment of last season.

Of the 26 players on the team, only around half are returning. The rest are new. They all have various backgrounds in sports, like knowing how to kick from soccer, that help mold them into rugby players.

Joining this year as co-captain is Natasha Perera, 19, a sophomore radio/tv/film major, is an 11-year veteran rugby player. “We have a lot of great athletes, and being able to turn them into rugby players is going to be a beautiful thing,” said Perera.

CSUF has already tasted victory after beating UC Irvine in a practice game by almost 60 points. Most of the women who played that game had never played an actual game of rugby in their lives.

“We have been more advanced than I previously thought we were”, Anderson said. “We have hit and surpassed every benchmark we set.”

The girls have been training for this season since mid-September. They meet twice a week, but are trying to add a third.

The team has spent that time working hard and allowing them to get close and develop bonds before they have played a single match together.

“It has become more than a team now,” Perera said.

Lia Siberian, 21, a four-year political science and philosophy major is one of the new players this season, and she cannot wait for the season to begin. “I am excited to outrun all my opponents,” said Siberian. “I know I have been training for this and I’m ready to bring the game on.”

One of the things they do hope that changes this season is some attention. “I’d love for more people to come out to the games because a lot of people don’t know we exist,” Perera said.

Now it’s on to the big times as they took on the University of Southern California in the season opener and will meet Claremont in a rematch on February 5.

Following those opening games, they play February 12 against Occidental for an away game, February 19 against USC again for an away game, February 26 against Arizona as they return home, March 4 against Cal State Northridge for their last away game of the season, then return home March 11 against Cal Lutheran and end the season with a match March 18 against CSUN.