This month the coaches chose Matt Venzin as their player of the month. Read on for more...

Matt Venzin came to New York after graduating university, and immediately joined NYRC. During the Fall 2006 season he started at flyhalf for the B-side in the first game against Old Blue. It rapidly became apparent to all that Matt had more talent though and by the end of that Fall he was a regular in the A-side. This year Matt has been leading by example in the backs and is consistently our best line-breaker and defender there. He has come back off a spring injury where he broke a small bone in his hand, known as a boxer's injury, and has shown no ill effects. He spared some time to answer a few questions:

[Ed] How, why, and when did you start playing rugby? [MV] I started playing rugby when I was 12 years old having moved over to England from the states. Rugby was a sport that we had to play as part of the sports curriculum, and being an American Football player at heart, at my first practice I was penalized and told off for high tackles.

[Ed] What brought you to NYM? [MV] NYM is the first club that pops up on a Google search when you look for "rugby New york, manhattan"

[Ed] What motivates you on and off the field? [MV] I really just enjoy playing rugby but hate it when I am tired and winded by the second half. This motivates me to get in shape as quick as possible and then to stay in shape. The satisfaction of playing at a high level with/against superb talent and watching the other team sucking wind half way through the match is a great reward. 

[Ed] Who is your favorite rugby player and why? [MV] I'd have to say the former All-Blacks wing - Umaga. Got to love his hair. 

[Ed] Most valuable teammates: [MV] Andy Boon, Elwell, Dosi

[Ed] Most difficult opposing team: [MV] I guess White Plains right now - though for me, Cortland University was always tough oppostion in college.

[Ed] Most respected player in the same position: [MV] Keith Grey - always working hard and has significantly improved over the past year as a result.

[Ed] Tell us a funny rugby story: [MV] The first story that comes to mind is my rookie (and only) season with the Western NY 7s team. We won the Empire States Games quite handily and then proceeded back to the hotel for the rookie skits. One of our players was MVP and got a ball from the tournament, but we felt that it should have gone to someone else. During one of the skits we were making fun of him and I punted the ball into the swamp that was next to the hotel. We then decided it was kind of a nice ball so we had a race (rookies of course) to the ball and back. I won and me and the other rookie who went in the swamp are the only 2 people to have swum in that swamp according to hotel staff.