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Springfield Rugby Locks In For Playoffs

  • Writer: Daniel Jester
    Daniel Jester
  • 1 day ago
  • 3 min read

The 2026 rugby season is in full swing! The Springfield RFC Mudpuppies have started out with 3 convincing home friendly wins as we head into the playoffs. Let's go!


First, we hosted the D2 Wichita Barbarians on February 28th. This match was on short notice and the Barbos were pretty light traveling with 12 or so. We helped fill their side with some of our players which provides crucial match minutes and deepens our roster. We were able to start the season strong with a 26 - 5 win in week 1 over the Barbos.


In week 2 we hosted college side Pittsburg State University for another friendly match. Again, we were able to fill out their side and get our newer players great match time. When the match ended it was 41 to 0 in favor of SRFC.


For week number 3 of the season, we hosted the Celts from Springfield, Illinois. This was another friendly and the Mudpuppies came out swingin! We were able to use our kicking game and great back play to win 67 to 10. A great effort by the entire roster!


Photos By James Latham from Ozarks Sports Photography


Head Coach Andre Badenhorst had this to say about his side:

"We’re really pleased with how the new style is taking shape after these first three matches. We’ve shifted toward a more expansive, phase-based game. We're focusing on quick ball movement, better support lines, and exploiting space. The boys are buying in and you can see the confidence growing. We’re not perfect yet, execution in contact areas and decision-making under pressure still need sharpening but the foundation is being laid. It's exciting to watch the evolution.”


"What I’m most proud of is the culture and resilience we’ve built. This is a group that shows up every Tuesday and Thursday, works incredibly hard, supports each other on and off the pitch, and genuinely enjoys the grind. We’ve got a mix of veterans providing leadership and younger players bringing energy and fearlessness. It's a great balance. Through wins, losses and everything in between, they’ve stayed committed believe it or not they even committed to no beer on days before matches! So they are staying true to the process and to each other. That’s rarer than skill sometimes, and it’s what gives me the most confidence heading into the playoffs. Through God giving each of us wisdom, we are growing as a team and as men at home!”


After 3 consecutive home wins the Mudpuppies hit the road for the next couple weeks. First stop is this Saturday in Nashville at the highly reputable 15s tournament, Nash Bash. We will combine with the Springfield Celts from Illinois to play at least 3 matches this Saturday and Sunday combined.


On March 28th we'll travel to Columbia, Missouri to play a league crossover match against the St. Louis Hornets. This match is new for our league and is more for rookie player eligibility rather than league standings implications. We'll kickoff at 2:00 PM (time may change) at Gans Creek Recreation Area.


Set a reminder and mark your proverbial calendars. April 11th will be an absolute MASSIVE day of rugby at the Springfield Rugby Pitch. We'll need every supporter we can muster from the area. Please join us!!!


11:00 AM - 12:30 PM

First, the Queen City Chaos kickoff at 11:00 AM against the Fayetteville Phoenix. This is the Chaos' first home match of the season. They have a ton of new talent and have been training hard. We're excited to back them and see how well they are playing with this new look!


1:00 - 2:30 PM

Second, your Mudpuppies host our most important match of the year! The Men's D3 Mid-America Rugby Union Semifinal against Sunday Morning RFC out of St. Louis. SMRFC is a hard-nosed club that will bring their A-game.


3:00 - 4:30 PM

Third, the new Southern Missouri Goonies RFC boys high school side will host the Northwest Missouri Bulls! The Goonies are keen to hit the pitch in front of a big home crowd, but the Bulls will bring all the firepower they have. They are a disciplined side, so we'll need to step up to the occasion and defend our home patch!


If Springfield beats Sunday Morning RFC then we have a chance of hosting the league final the following Saturday on April 18th. Join us on April 11th for a HUGE day of rugby. Help us advance to the league final by wearing our colors, getting loud, and representing our city with pride!

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