Cadet First Class Mike Hobson, a senior at the US Air Force Academy, recently represented the United States in international rugby during the November tour to Ireland and Italy. The USA “Eagles” team, is made up of the very best American rugby players and is selected from American athletes who play professional rugby overseas and the best amateur club players from within the United States. Only three collegiate players, to include Hobson, made the 22-man roster.

While the scoreboard did not favor the Eagles, Ireland over USA 55-6 and Italy over USA 43-25, the experience of international competition was exceptional.

“Just being on the pitch at Lansdowne Road (Ireland’s premier international stadium in Dublin) was awesome,” said Hobson, “the capacity crowd of 70,000 sounded more like 170,000! From Dublin the team relocated to Biella, Italy for another week of training prior to competition with the Italians. The tour concluded the 2004 international season.

Hobson is the son of American citizen, Laurie Eisert and South African citizen, Mike Hobson, who met through an exchange program at the University of Minnesota. The younger Mike was born in South Africa and began his rugby career in first grade. After high school, Hobson moved to the United States and enlisted in the US Air Force as a vehicle maintenance troop in 1999. At Hulbert Field, FL, his first duty station, Hobson played for the Okaloosa Islanders Rugby Football Club and for the Air Force Men’s Rugby team in the 2000 Armed Forces Championship, where they came second.

Hobson entered the US Air Force Academy in 2001 and helped the “Zoomies” earn a Sweet 16 berth in the USA Rugby National Collegiate Championships of 2002. The next year, sophomore Hobson was a consistent starter and an essential part of the team that defeated Harvard to earn national championship honors in 2003. The versatile Hobson was selected as a Collegiate All-American at his natural position of hooker in 2003 and toured with the All-American squad to New Zealand.

In 2004, Hobson moved back to hooker for the Zoomies and helped secure a 3rd place finish in the national championships as well as a second All-American selection and tour to Canada. Hobson was also selected for the US Combined Services Rugby Team and traveled on their bi-annual tour which visited Holland, France, Germany, and the Czech Republic in the summer of 2004.

Hobson now leads the AFA Men’s Rugby team in preparations for the 2005 national championships. The squad finished the fall season ranked #1 in collegiate standings. While competing with the Eagles was an incredible experience, Hobson’s roots are firmly planted with the Zoomies. “I’m glad to be back home with this team,” he said. “Our cohesion and camaraderie are unequaled—even at the international level.” The Zoomies resume play on Saturday, 19 Feb 05 with a home match versus the Denver Barbarians. See www.airforcerugby.com for more information.

Dan
Capt Dan Marine
Instructor, Department of Political Science
OIC, Men's Rugby www.airforcerugby.com
United States Air Force Academy
719-333-2388