OMBAC Rugby

OMBAC Rugby

Full name	Old Mission Beach Athletic Club Rugby
Union	USA Rugby
Nickname(s)	OMBAC
Founded	1966;59 years ago (1966)
Location	San Diego, California
Ground(s)	Robb Field
President	Jason McVeigh
Coach(es)	Mike Saunders
Captain(s)	Nico Gilli
League(s)	Southern California Rugby Football Union
2023	Runner Up
Team kit
Official website
www.ombacrugby.org

Old Mission Beach Athletic Club Rugby, commonly referred to as OMBAC Rugby, is a rugby union team based in San Diego, California. It is directly affiliated with the Old Mission Beach Athletic Club.

History

The club was established in 1966 under the wing of Old Mission Beach Athletic Club (OMBAC) which was founded in 1954. Many past students of San Diego State Aztecs Rugby Club joined, and the OMBAC rugby club entered first division competition two years later in 1968. The club has won 6 national Rugby Sevens titles and 8 national Rugby Fifteens titles.

Venue

After the deconstruction of San Diego Stadium and the San Diego Chargers football facilities, The Little Q Rugby Field was lost forcing OMBAC to find a new home. OMBAC Rugby club now shares a home venue with rival club Old Aztecs at Robb Field in Ocean Beach.

Current 1st XV squad

Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality. Player Position Union Lolenisi Veimau Hooker Tonga Edlen Hernandez Hooker Philippines Felipe Cornu Labat Prop Argentina Zavior Cook Prop United States Gabe Bonilla Prop United States Emmanuel Barajas Prop United States Jackson Wagner Lock United States Lucas Cocking Lock United States Howard Tuisamoa Lock Samoa Tai Tuisamoa Lock Samoa Ben Pinkelman Flanker United States Derrick Broussard Flanker Philippines Thomas Wennerstrum Flanker United States Thomas Gust Flanker United States

Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality. Player Position Union Nico Gilli Scrum-half Argentina JT Hackett Scrum-half United States Matai Leuta Centre Fiji Daniel Ponti Centre United States James Zanoli Centre United States Thomas Morrison Wing New Zealand Ari Flink Wing United States Daniel Guerrini Wing Ireland Joseph Burson Ryan Wing United States Jordan Sandoval Fly-half United States Alfonso Cornu Labat Fly-half Argentina Hanno Jordan Fullback South Africa

Players in bold are internationally capped.

Notable former players

OMBAC players Mike Saunders, Brian Vizard, Kevin Higgins, Steve Gray, Chris Lippert and more recently, Dan Lyle, and Dave Hodges, have captained the United States national rugby union team in international competition.

OMBAC was represented in the 2007 Rugby World Cup by team members Todd Clever, Tui Osborne and Dan Payne. Former OMBAC player Will Hafu has played internationally for Tonga and also played professionally in England for Moseley RFC.

National Championships

OMBAC Rugby has distinguished itself with the following accomplishments:

• 2010 U.S.A. D3 National Champions
• 2006 Rugby Super League Champions
• 1996 U.S.A. National Champions
• 1994 U.S.A. National Champions
• 1993 U.S.A. National Champions
• 1991 U.S.A. National Champions
• 1989 U.S.A. National Champions
• 1988 U.S.A. National Champions

National 7s

• 2006 U.S.A. 7s National Champions
• 2002 U.S.A. 7s National Champions
• 2001 U.S.A. 7s National Champions
• 2000 U.S.A. 7s National Champions
• 1995 U.S.A. 7s National Champions
• 1985 U.S.A. 7s National Champions

National Placement

• 2014 Pacific Rugby Premiership Third place
• 2003 Super League Runners-Up
• 2002 Super League Semi-Finalists
• 2001 Super League Runners-Up
• 2000 Super League Semi-Finalists
• 2000 Third Place U.S.A. National Club Championships
• 1997 Third Place U.S.A. National Club Championships
• 1995 Runners-Up U.S.A. National Club Championships
• 1996 Runners-Up U.S.A. 7s National Club Championship

First XV Honors

This is a list of honors awarded to the OMBAC rugby union team. ^[1]

• USA Rugby Division I Champions - 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1996
  • Second place - 1995
  • Third place - 1997, 2000
• USA Rugby National Club Sevens Champions - 1985, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2006
  • Second place - 1996, 2005, 2007
  • Third place - 1997
• USA Rugby Division III Champions - 2010
• Rugby Super League Championship
  • First place - 2006
  • Second place - 2001, 2003
  • Fourth place - 2000, 2002

Sponsorship

OMBAC Rugby's sponsors for the 2014 Pacific Rugby Premiership are the following: ^[2]

• Community sponsor - Turner construction company
• Social sponsor - The beachcomber mission beach
• Event sponsor - The Tilted Kilt mission valley
• Kit sponsor - Canterbury

References

1. Official OMBAC Rugby History
2. Official OMBAC Sponsors

External links

• Official website