Aspen Gents rugby opens Year 2 of fall DII play with win over Haggis
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
The Gentlemen of Aspen Rugby Club began its chase for another national championship on Saturday by hosting Utah’s Haggis RFC in the first game of the Rocky Mountain Rugby Union Division II season, winning 32-14 at Wagner Park in Aspen.
The tussle was a rematch of the RMR final from a year ago, where the Gents also won, 28-22, to advance to regional play.
“Great way to start. It’s always good to play a Saturday at Wagner. A really hard-fought game,” longtime Gents’ standout Darren Barth said. “It’s been a long season, but it’s just brought us closer together. I think that helps create cohesion in tough games.”
The Gents have been active since the spring, when they traveled to Missouri for the Northern Super Regional. Aspen eventually lost to Kansas City in the national quarterfinals, briefly ending its quest for a 10th national championship.
After playing through another impressive summer season, which saw the Gents finally win Steamboat’s famed Cowpie Classic for the first time since 2017, the side went on its first international tour in many years. They played a series of games throughout Ireland, England, and Wales in late August, the jet lag still being felt by the players this week leading to the start of the Division II season.
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The Gents only returned to DII play last fall, their first since winning their championships back in the 1990s and 2000s.
“Last year was our first year back in the competition in 15 years, so it was kind of a big learning curve,” Barth said. “Never been on big travels across a couple states and playing multiple games over multiple days. We definitely learned a lot, and we are ready for this year.”
Now 1-0 in RMR play, the Gents will again be at home this coming Saturday, Sept. 13, for a planned 1 p.m. game with the Denver Waterdogs at Wagner Park. The Waterdogs played the Denver Barbarians on Saturday, winning 48-38 to open DII play.
The following week is the 57th annual Ruggerfest tournament, scheduled for Sept. 18-21 in Aspen, where the Gents are chasing a fifth-straight title. Ruggerfest does not count toward the RMR standings.
Aspen then returns to RMR play on Oct. 4 with a home game against the Barbarians. The final three games of the DII season — Oct. 11 vs. the Barbarians, Oct. 18 vs. the Waterdogs, and Oct. 25 vs. Haggis — will all be on the road.
All Gents’ home games, including Ruggerfest, are free for spectators.
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The Gentlemen of Aspen Rugby Club hosts Haggis to begin Division II play on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, at Wagner Park in Aspen. The Gents won, 32-14.
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
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The Gentlemen of Aspen Rugby Club hosts Haggis to begin Division II play on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, at Wagner Park in Aspen. The Gents won, 32-14.
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
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The Gentlemen of Aspen Rugby Club hosts Haggis to begin Division II play on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, at Wagner Park in Aspen. The Gents won, 32-14.
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
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The Gentlemen of Aspen Rugby Club hosts Haggis to begin Division II play on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, at Wagner Park in Aspen. The Gents won, 32-14.
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
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The Gentlemen of Aspen Rugby Club hosts Haggis to begin Division II play on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, at Wagner Park in Aspen. The Gents won, 32-14.
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
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The Gentlemen of Aspen Rugby Club hosts Haggis to begin Division II play on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, at Wagner Park in Aspen. The Gents won, 32-14.
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
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The Gentlemen of Aspen Rugby Club hosts Haggis to begin Division II play on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, at Wagner Park in Aspen. The Gents won, 32-14.
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
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The Gentlemen of Aspen Rugby Club’s Chris Campbell attempts a conversion, which he made, against Haggis to begin Division II play on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, at Wagner Park in Aspen. The Gents won, 32-14.
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
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The Gentlemen of Aspen Rugby Club hosts Haggis to begin Division II play on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, at Wagner Park in Aspen. The Gents won, 32-14.
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
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The Gentlemen of Aspen Rugby Club player and coach Ben Mitchell, center, runs with the ball against Haggis to begin Division II play on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, at Wagner Park in Aspen. The Gents won, 32-14.
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
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Haggis players talk during a timeout against the Gentlemen of Aspen Rugby Club on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, at Wagner Park in Aspen. The Gents won, 32-14.
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
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The Gentlemen of Aspen Rugby Club players celebrate in the background as a Haggis player walks off the field at the end of the game on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, at Wagner Park in Aspen. The Gents won, 32-14.
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
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The Gentlemen of Aspen Rugby Club’s Simon Dogbe walks off the field after beating Haggis to begin Division II play on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, at Wagner Park in Aspen. The Gents won, 32-14.
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
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The Gentlemen of Aspen Rugby Club beat Haggis to begin Division II play on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, at Wagner Park in Aspen. The Gents won, 32-14.
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
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The Gentlemen of Aspen Rugby Club’s Cliff Kindred, back, walks through the handshake line with Haggis on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, at Wagner Park in Aspen. The Gents won, 32-14.
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
Reach Austin at acolbert@aspentimes.com
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