Kings rugby up for a ‘Fight’ this weekend

Brooklyn hosts defending champ Philadelphia at Midwood Field

June 19, 2014 By John Torenli, Sports Editor Brooklyn Daily Eagle

The Brooklyn Kings have a huge match against Philadelphia this weekend

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With a hard-fought draw, an inspiring win and a sobering loss in the initial three games of their inaugural campaign in our fair borough, the USA Rugby League’s Brooklyn Kings are still searching for a statement victory to define their season.

They’ll get the opportunity to score one this Saturday afternoon at Midwood Field when they welcome the defending USARL champion Philadelphia Fight, who cruised past the Kings, 40-12, last weekend.

“Philly showed us last week that they intend on being champs again,” admitted Kings co-founder Justin Coffman. “But this week, we can redeem ourselves and show them that they’ll have to go through us to get the title.”

Redemption might not be so easy to come by, considering how handily the Fight swept past the Kings after Brooklyn ran out to a small, early lead in last Saturday’s match.

Philadelphia has outscored its first two opponents by a combined 88-34, and only trails the unbeaten D.C. Slayers in the North Atlantic Division because it has played one fewer contest entering Week Four.

The Kings (1-1-1) stand just behind the Boston Thirteens in the North East Division after battling to a 30-30 draw in their May 31 opener against Rhode Island and holding on for a narrow 26-24 triumph in their home debut June 7 before last weekend’s loss to Philadelphia.

Matthew Bailey, also a team co-founder, as well as a player for the start-up club, knows the importance of the Kings establishing themselves as a contender for the title this weekend in front of what should be another rowdy and raucous partisan crowd in Brooklyn.

“Seeing this team come to life on and off the field has been incredibly fulfilling,” he noted. “To see young, home-grown New Yorker’s grow a passion for the game has made me a happy man. And this is only the beginning.

“We’re proving a force on and off the field, and I have no doubt we can be the most successful Rugby brand in North America within a couple of seasons,” he added. “This week’s game is a huge test of our ability to bounce back. We lost against Philly last week, but have the opportunity to turn that result around immediately on our home turf. We really need the Brooklyn community to get out and support us in this huge fixture.”

Tickets for Saturday’s marquee match-up with the Fight are $5 for walk-ups and kids 15 and under will get in free.

For more information on the Kings and the USA Rugby League, log on to http://www.usarl.com.