COLLEGE RUGBY: FROM CORNING RUGBY CLUB TO COLLEGE NATIONAL CHAMPION IN 3 YEARS FOR SINGH (2021-12-31)

By Brian Fees
Southern Tier Sports Report
It was just a few years ago that Taman Singh took up the sport of rugby.

Three short years after he started playing rugby, Singh is a national champion as he helped St. Bonaventure University capture the Division I Championship. Taman’s cousin, Corning graduate Adarshpal Singh, was the captain of the JV team this season for the Bonnies.

“It was pretty fun, honestly,” he said. “The team as soon as we went there for preseason, all the players and seniors were ready. We just put in the work, and had fun with it.”

The season was a magical one for the Bonnies.

“We never beat two teams, Kutztown and Penn State, and we beat them twice,” Singh said. “It was emotional for the seniors, we went out and showed them we came to play and we won.

“It was pretty fun, it was special. It was something new because they never did this before, this was the first year doing it. It was good to win and knowing St. Bonaventure is on the map. People don’t underestimate us because we come to play every time.”

For Singh getting into rugby started with his cousin, and he never could have imagined success like this.

“Honestly, it’s insane, it is insane,” Singh said. “I wouldn’t have imagined it. It was a random choice. My cousin was playing so my brother and I started playing and now I’m a national champion. It feels good.”

Now, Taman and his cousin are both members of the Bonnies Rugby Team.

“My role, I started in one of the games in the playoffs and I made every varsity lineup,” Taman said. “My cousin was on JV. Hew as the captain on the JV team and he made the lineup for the Navy game and he helped out in that game and he helped out in a lot of the practices.”

For Taman his journey is something he hopes that other athletes see and realize that rugby is a sport that if you put in the work you can find success, even if you haven’t played your entire life.

“There are a lot of opportunities,” he said. “This is my third year playing and I have learned so much in the three years of playing. My high school coach, coach (Bob) McGee (of the Corning Rugby Club). I never understood anything until I stepped on the field and played and that’s when you understand the game. Once you start having fun, that’s when you start playing good. You just have to have fun out there.

“Basically if you are ready to put the time into this you will understand the game and you will be good enough to do anything and play. You just have to put the time into it. It’s not too late for kids who want to play, they can still sign up for the club in Corning. Coach Robert McGee is a great coach and he’s coached me through everything I’ve done.”

 This year all the work over the past three years paid off in a way that Taman never even thought possible.

“I wouldn’t have imagined me when I was growing up in high school beating Penn State, honestly we did it and it still doesn’t feel real that we beat Penn State,” Taman said. “Growing up in this small town and me playing at St. Bonaventure and beating Penn State, it is insane to me.”

The championship was a new thing for college rugby and it’s something that Taman thinks drove his team this year.

“Honestly, because of the championship we put in more effort into it and no one messed around, we had something to win,” Taman said. “It wasn’t just play to win, it was play to win a championship. Go to Houston, that was our goal and we did that and we won it.”

For Taman it started to sink in that they really won a championship as they heart from all kinds of people about what they accomplished.

“Everyone, as soon as we won it, as soon as we were going to Houston, everyone was supporting us,” Taman said. “As soon as we wan the school started recognizing everyone and everyone around Olean and Allegany came out to games this year and were supporting us.

“It sunk in honestly over the break. I thought about it, we really won, all the hard work finally paid off and we are ready to do it all over again.”

Taman knows that the success this year will just make Bonaventure even better in the future.

“This is going to help us a lot,” he said. “A lot of people are going to reach out to the coach and we are going to start getting really good players from all over the country. I’m excited for new recruits to come in.”

And, Taman knows that if the team gets more talent in the coming years it just means him, and the other guys, have to work even harder for roles on the team.

“None of the spot are guaranteed for next year,” Taman said. “Anyone can start, I’m going to work my butt off to have my spot secured.”

And, Taman is ready for him and his cousin to both try and earn varsity roles next year.

“I’m excited, I’m really excited,” he said. “We are both going to work and try and get the spot. None of the spots are guaranteed. It’s going to be fun all over again with the new recruits. We just have to work hard for it.”

After having two players from this area play roles for a National Championship team, Taman knows that other players from around here may want to consider Bonaventure in the future.

“I have had some people in Corning and Elmira and I’m trying to get them to come to Bonnies,” Taman said. “We did a clinic at Bonaventure and some of the former players (his former teammates from Corning) went there and said they liked it. I’m trying to get some players to come up here and understand rugby and be a part of what I’m going through.”

Both Taman and his cousin started rugby in high school. His cousin started his freshman year of high school, and Taman later in high school.

Taman hopes that others see it’s never too late and they start going out for rugby.

“I think it is helping right now,” Taman said. “At this moment my friends have reached out to me who are still in high school and they wanted to know where the club is at, they want to start playing. If you start playing ruby it really is easy to learn. My high school coach had some kids in Horseheads reaching out, some kids from Elmira reaching out, so the sport is growing.”

Now that the Bonnies have won a national title it will be a bit different as they will be the team with a target on their back next year. But, Taman is ready to get back and try and go for another title.

“Honestly it doesn’t matter, we are still going to work hard for it,” Taman said. “We are going to work our butts off and go out and play and do what we are supposed to do.

“I want to get back there as soon as possible. I’m just going to the gym, I’m starting to lift so I can be ready for the season when it starts back up again and get back to work.”
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PHOTO COURTESY OF TAMAN SINGH, FROM ST. BONAVENTURE RUGBY.