Well, the rugby sevens experiment was a bust to say the least. The rugby sevens revolution was not a failure, but trying to play it on short notice produced an 0-2 record for a heavily favored rugby team.

The Panthers have never started the season with two losses, and a third in a row would be unprecedented. Does this mean there is a cause for concern?

Eastern head coach Frank Graziano does not like to make excuses, but he has plenty of reason to. Attempting to make the switch to rugby sevens would not be as daunting if there was ample time to practice. Keeping that in mind, deciding to make the switch less than five days before the first game is not highly recommended. The inexperience showed itself throughout the first two contests and resulted in unfamiliar territory for Eastern rugby.

Another reason for the lack of success can be attributed to injuries. Starting senior flanker Stefanie Mahan missed each of the first two games after suffering a facial laceration; sophomore center Madison Kissner missed the second game; and senior prop Alissa Patient did as well. This would not be a problem is most cases, but Mahan is a huge key to the Panther defense. Poor tackling plagued Eastern in the first two games, and one could infer that Mahan’s absence had something to do with that.

The only way the team can turn the season around in an instant would be if they decided to halt the rugby sevens and return to the normal format.

Luckily for them, when the rugby squad resumes play on Oct. 4, the match will be played in the traditional rugby fifteens format (for the most part). This will allow the Panthers to resume a more comfortable playing style that should pay dividends for the team.

Eastern is 0-2 when using the rugby sevens format, and 119-20 without it. Although the sample size for rugby sevens is small, the success in rugby fifteens speaks volumes.

Despite all of this, Eastern still has a bright future ahead of them, namely their up-and-coming star Nia Williams. The sophomore center is producing good numbers for the Panthers in only her second season. Williams sports the team-high in tries (three) and points (15) to lead the Panther offense.

Expect Eastern to return to their dominant form starting on Oct. 4 against Lindenwood at Lakeside Field. They have the potential to run the table the rest of the way, with no signs of slowing down.

Nicholas Ruffolo can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].