News Blog
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
There’s something about a long road trip that brings out the best (and worst) of us. Let’s start with the challenges.
A long ride. A packed van. A seat with no leg room. A van member who won’t stop snoring or chewing so loud you want to smack him. These are many of the challenges we have all faced on our annual trip to Utah and back. But I’m not done … A late arrival (I-70 traffic). A queen bed too small for two full grown rugby players. A continental breakfast that doesn’t inspire confidence the eggs were freshly cooked (spoiler alert … they weren’t). Add another additional 1000 feet of elevation, and you’ve got a mountain of things to whine and whinge about.
When you list all of these things out in succession as I have, it may all just sound like a list of excuses.
“Here are the reasons we struggle on the road”
“This is why it’s tough to win in Utah"
THESE DOGS CAN SWIM
As we approach the season opener Friday night, it got me thinking about the Water Dogs and our recent form against them. After some thorough research ... (clicking around online and looking at old posts/videos), it appears the series is knotted at 4-4 over the last 4 fall seasons.
NEW SEASON, SAME GOAL
As summer turns to fall, we reset the calendar and the code. 7s to XVs, heat to cold, tournaments to matches. With all the seasonal change, our goal remains the same. To be the best rugby club in the country. This can manifest itself in many forms.
Let’s start on the pitch.
Nothing brings up the vibes like playing winning rugby. But, to win in a competitive landscape, players must hard work and stay consistent. Not just Saturday for 80 minutes, but in small ways throughout the week. On time to training, fully focused. Eating healthy on off days, recovering after matches. These are all part of the rudimentary process of becoming a consistent and effective rugby player each and every week.
We must also gel as a collective whole. With a new coaching staff in place, a vision has been laid out to the men as what matchday cohesiveness will look like. How the players bond to each other will be the true marker of the team-wide trust in each other.
While the team chemistry drives the ship, there’s still the matter of pushing the boat forward. Individuals will be leaned on to generate go-forward ball. Who will rise to the occasion in the pack and run the ball 10-15 times ? Who will throw up their hand on defense and send the oppositions best runners backwards? Who in the backs will control the flow of the match, using their brain and boot to put us in the right areas of the pitch? Who will make plays when a play is what we need?
Tune in Saturday, 1pm at Cook Park as the First XV take on the Denver Highlanders. The match will be followed by the second XV taking on the Colorado School of Mines for a friendly pre season run.
Let’s end off the pitch.
We’ve ordered many things as a club over the years. Shirts, shorts, assorted gear, training equipment … like balls, bags, pads and cones. All of those things get used (down to the last strand of fabric), and when the time comes we order more.
I am delighted to announce that the club has bought a new (and different) piece of equipment that will serve everyone on match day. Thanks to the generosity of Peter Shafroth and the execution of Riley Falcon, the Denver Barbarians club branded tent has been ordered and delivered. This great club beacon will be the first thing to catch your eye as you pull up to the matches. Teeming with Green & White, some say on a clear day you can see the tent 10 miles away.
This noticeability and branding were done intentionally to create a bridge between old and new club members. We want a place where Barbo Boosters can flash their coin for a free hot dog and beverage. Under the Barbo Team Tent, all will be welcome to share food, drink and stories of past . present . future.
SLOW START PROVES COSTLY AT NATIONAL TOURNAMENT
The Barbo 7s learned the hard way that starting slow can be deadly. This proved to be the case Saturday morning as they lost two close matches and saw their championship chances vanish quickly.
The first match against the Detroit Tradesman was a score for score battle. The Barbos put together nice phases of play, which led to two first half tries from Julian DeRaffele. But it was indecisive defensive errors that allow Detroit to match the score with two tries of their own. After the men in Green & White went down to six men from a defensive yellow card, Detroit grabbed the lead with a 3rd score pushing the score to 19-12 with just a minute on the clock.
BARBOS HEAD TO CLUB NATIONAL 7S WITH A COHESIVE SQUAD
The summer of 2026 brought together old and new in the Barbo 7s camp. After bringing on Dave Williams to coach and lead the men, the professional coaching impact was immediately felt by the team. After securing tournament wins in Mingo 7’s, Denver 7’s & Fountain City 7’s … the boys are hungry for the grand daddy of them all. Veteran physio Purvi Desai will be strapping knees, and team manager Howard Kent wielding more spreadsheets than your average accountant, the management team is excited to support this exciting group of players who are blessed and honored to wear the Green & White.
BARBO 7S FACE ‘WIN OR GO HOME’ TOURNAMENT IN KANSAS CITY
Your Denver Barbarians 7s squad will face a “win or go home” proposition when they travel to Kansas City to compete in the Fountain City 7s. After taking 1st place in our home qualifier Denver 7’s, the squad fell to the Kansas City Blues in the final of Omaha 7s and now sit among a three team race for Nationals Qualification. The Denver Barbarians, Kansas City Blues & Kansas City Reds, will all battle it out on Saturday July 26th at the Raytown Soccer Complex. Winning the tournament outright would see the Denver Barbarians advance to the Club 7s Nationals in Madison Wisconsin.
DEVIN MARTLING CLASSIC GOLF TOURNAMENT FUNDRAISER RETURNS ON SEPTEMBER 5th
On behalf of the Denver Barbarians Rugby Foundation, we would like to thank you for your generous support of the inaugural 2025 Devin Martling Classic. Your contributions helped make the event a tremendous success and allowed us to honor the life and legacy of our friend and teammate, Devin Martling.
We are excited to announce that the 2nd Annual Devin Martling Classic will be held on September 5, 2026, at Raccoon Creek Golf Course in Littleton, Colorado. Thanks to the incredible support we received last year, the tournament is expanding to 100 players, allowing us to welcome even more members of the rugby community, friends, family, and supporters to celebrate Devin's lasting impact on the Denver Barbarians.
In addition to a great day on the golf course, this year's event will feature a post-tournament banquet at the clubhouse including a lunch buffet, complimentary beer, tournament honors, a silent auction featuring exciting prizes and experiences, and tournament merchandise available for purchase.
As we prepare for this year's tournament, we are seeking the continued support of our sponsors, donors, and community partners. Funds raised through the Devin Martling Classic directly support the mission of the Denver Barbarians Rugby Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. These funds help provide resources for club operations, support player development opportunities, reduce barriers to participation in the sport, and strengthen rugby communities throughout Colorado. These donations are tax deductible according to applicable tax laws.
BARBOS LOOK TO TOP A COMPETITIVE DENVER 7S LINEUP
Denver Barbarians A
Arnaud Agasse
Julian DeRaffele
Ben Haapapuro
David Hightower
Campbell Johnstone
Tadiwanashe Kainga
Logan Lair
Marcel LeFevre
Jack Miller
Takudzwa Musingwini
Luke Neely
Alex Wormer (C)
Ian Wormer
Denver Barbarians B
Kai Arye
Lane Gahagan
Steve Karas (C)
Brad Kissinger
Conor O’Brien
Todd Oswald
Adam Otto
Elian Robles-Revuelto
Vinny Sikorsky
Dillon Stander
Zach Thies
Jacob Valdez
Logan White
BARBOS OLD AND YOUNG TO REPRESENT AT “MINGO 7S”
Mingo 7’s Roster:
Kai Arye
Andre Bass
Mason Butler
Micah Duffield
Lane Gahagan
Steve Karas
Marcel LeFevre
Garrett Murphy
Conor O’Brien
Todd Oswald
Ben Pinkelman (C)
Elian Robles-Revuelto
Vince Sikorsky
Dillon Stander
Zach Thies
Jacob Valdez
Logan White
BARBOS KICK OFF SUMMER 7S WITH COMMUNITY GATHERING
DENVER BARBARIANS 7S ANNOUNCE NEW HEAD COACH DAVID WILLIAMS
The Denver Barbarians are excited to announce the appointment of David Williams as Head Coach of our 7s program. A native of England, Williams brings extensive experience at both the international and professional levels of rugby. A former USA Eagle in both 7s and 15s, he has held coaching roles across professional rugby in the United States, including the Head Coach of the Glendale Raptors and Assistant Head Coach of the inaugural Denver Stampede.
Williams also served as Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for the USA Men’s National 7s and 15s programs, contributing across three Rugby World Cups and multiple World Rugby Sevens Series campaigns. We’re excited to welcome his leadership, experience, and passion for the game to the Denver Barbarians 7s program. He’ll be supported by assistant coaches Steve LaPorta and Kelly Meek, both of whom are familiar faces around the Denver Barbarians 7s community.
The club is incredibly grateful for Jason Kelly’s last four summers as head coach where the club continually qualified for the national club tournament and placed in the top 4 (three times in four years). Jason has been a stalwart clubman since his Barbo playing days. He continued to help grow our players on and off the rugby pitch and the club is lucky to have felt his impact each summer.
The first training of the year begins Monday, May 25th at Cook Park 6-8pm.
BARBOS ON THE ROAD; HEADING NORTHWEST WITH THE MAGGOTFEST 50TH IN SIGHT
The vans loaded up Friday morning in the Dinosaur commuter lot and the Men in Green & White arrived promptly. We were lucky enough to record some brief conversations about a range of subjects:
¿ What does it mean to go on such a long tour (900 Miles … One Way) with all of the boys ?
¿ What will it mean for the club to compete for the tournament’s 50th anniversary trophy ?
¿ What themes will the club dress up in on the Saturday Night stroll on the town ?
Listen to all the below conversations with new club member Gabriel Jaramillo, club president and legend Max Murphy, and a surprise interview with Jojo Sarr & W. Logan White.
BARBOS TOP METROPOLIS TO MAKE IT 3 STRAIGHT WINS
Before the opening whistle, the Denver Barbarians honored recently passed legends Gay Guthrie, Tommy Smith and Paul Hoskins. Stories were exchanged, hugs were doled out, and the Barbo community showed strong in attendance and support. We are so lucky as a club to have a community that loves and cares for each other long after the boots are hung up and the playing days are over. It was clear what these three men meant to their peers. They were beloved and will be remembered for decades to come.
During this opening ceremony, today’s Denver Barbarians warmed up in their end of the try zone as they geared up for what would be their biggest test of the spring campaign. Minnesota’s most historic club Metropolis RFC made the van drop down to Denver to seek some out of state competition. From the opening whistle, both teams were frothing for a physical exchange.
The Barbos forward pack showed it’s utility early. Alex “Early Bird” Wormer showed he’s not to be slept on as he took advantage of multiple quick lineouts that lead to an early Barbo try. “White” Logan White said “I’m not that bland!” as he maneuvered his way through open play and almost set a RMR record for first half ruck arrivals. Meanwhile, the other half of the pack kept it tough and grimey. Jacob “Exxon” Valdez was NOT leaking oil as he punched his way through the iceberg Metropolis defense. Mitch Andrews (Northern Colorado’s most trusted chef / lock) burned low and slow like he was a BBQ pit master. Michael “Peggy” Oliver (you’ll have to ask him about his nickname) knows only one direction when he carries: straight and forward.
The standouts in the backline were some of the usual suspects. Barbo stalwart “El Toddo” Oswaldo had his banditos howling and yipping like urban coyotes. Julian “Juju” DeRaffele took a bounty of gold coast to coast, scoring two tries. Luke “The Snuke” Woodward did his best Oak Tree impression in defense, and Barbo debutant Henry “Smack It” Hackett got his large frame up and down the pitch all afternoon. The only stain on this great Saturday was losing Austin Moyer to the IR with a broken hand.
When the dust settled in the end, the Men in Green & White won 43-35, making it three straight wins for the Spring. They will face their toughest test this weekend with an away trip to Aspen playing the reigning Rocky Mountain Champs on their home turf. The match will be at Willits Field in Basalt, Saturday at 2pm.
A special thank you to everyone who came out Saturday to support the team and honor our fallen brothers.
As always, Bleed Green
BARBOS EXCITED TO RENEW OLD RIVALRY AGAINST BOULDER
Your Denver Barbarians take on Boulder RFC Saturday, April 4th at noon. The match will be held at Infinity Park Turf, with the weather looking sunny, chilly, breezy and all the lovely things we associate with springtime. With Boulder competing in Division 3 RMR, last fall marked the first time the two historic clubs did not play each other for the first time in a decade. Over the years, the two clubs have played epic clashes dating back to the 1960’s. The Barbos are fizzing to host what will surely be a match which they must rely on defense and tenacity in order to be victorious.
Earlier in March, the men in Green and White defeated Queen City RFC 34-28 to open up the spring campaign. Will “Wild Bill” McCormick was named man of the match, as he led the defensive charge … throwing his body around like a Raggedy Anne Doll tossed in the dryer cycle. The forward pack saw success in the lineout, with the return of stalwart Alex Wormer. His prowess in the air is notable as he looks to continue to make his mark in the set piece.
SPRING 2026 SCHEDULE FEATURES FORMIDABLE FOES
The men in Green & White dusted off their boots Monday night and began training outdoors as a group for the first time since October. The winter months are generally welcomed by most players as a time to heal, recovery and sharpen their focus on everyday life. But the thought of XV’s rugby union always seems to creep in at the end of February.
The team has their work cut out for them as they face each Rocky Mountain foe once (Park City, Aspen & Waterdogs), with a much anticipated match against out of town powerhouse Metropolis Rugby. The Minneapolis Minnesota based club will be road tripping down to Denver to add some competitive matches to their spring schedule. The Denver Barbarians are not only excited to host such a historic club, but they most certainly have the match circled as one they would like to win.
Lastly, the fellas round out their spring season with a tour to Missoula Montana to compete in the legendary “Maggotfest” rugby tournament. This historic tournament pairs the pristine mountain views with some fun-loving competitive rugby. If you are interest in joining us on our tour, please reach out and email our match secretary Brett DeBoy (Brettdeboy532@gmail.com). Current players, ex players, old boys, all welcome! It will surely be a tour to remember.
WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A ‘BARBO BOOSTER’
Throughout my tenure with the Denver Barbarians, I’ve always appreciated the experience of succeeding as a team. A full-contact sport (for 80 minutes with minimal breaks) forces the group to tighten up and act as one.
As a young player, I was blessed with the opportunity to do my one and only job: play rugby for the Denver Barbarians. I was in my early 20s, working throughout the week to play a beautiful game on the weekends. When we were victorious, the joys of a Saturday night out with the boys were hard to top.
What I did know was how much fun I was having.
What I didn’t know was how lucky I had it.
I was too young and naïve to understand how much support my team was receiving off the pitch -- too clueless to comprehend how much work, planning and organizing the Executive Board was doing each year -- too blissfully ignorant to understand how our club funded our fun.
All of the “behind the scenes” work was exactly that. It didn’t come with a badge of honor or a thank you card. It’s the type of work done by those who are selflessly invested in the next generation of our legacy. It’s the work that allows the players to do their one and only job: play rugby for the Denver Barbarians.
INTRODUCING THE “BARBO BOOSTERS”
Your Denver Barbarians are entering a new era of fundraising.
In the past, we have often relied on a small pool of Old Boys and other donors who have graciously opened their hearts and wallets to the club. Some of these donors simply love to support a club that gave them so much. Others believe that philanthropy is best spent on things they care about.
Club leaders and fundraising chairs would often find themselves calling the same people, asking again for the much needed philanthropy that keeps our club thriving. But this cycle will be solved with our newest initiative to help you support the team: The Barbo Boosters.
This group of online donors have chosen to give a fixed amount, monthly, quarterly or annually. It’s essentially, a promise of ongoing support.
While helping to run the club for the last 5 years, I’ve often heard the same question from our fans … “How can I support the club?”. Here’s your answer. Become a Barbo Booster.
Find an amount that works for you and your ability to give. Then, sign up and and board the ship. Because we’re sailing into open seas … and there’s no telling how many crewmen we need!
BARBOS LOOK AHEAD TO 2026 AFTER CHALLENGING FALL SEASON
It takes a village to succeed, and we must ask the tough questions of ourselves as a club …
“Am I playing my part to help our club succeed?”
“When is the last time I brought a new recruit to training?”
“How can I contribute to our future success?”
There are many more important things than winning and losing men’s club rugby matches. But those who have been lucky enough to experience a winning team know … victory makes the sacrifice all that sweeter.
BARBOS HEAD TO CLUB 7’S NATIONALS IN MADISON WISCONSIN
The Denver Barbarians will compete in the club 7s national tournament in Madison Wisconsin. They have finished in the top 4 in 2021, 2022, 2023 & 2024. This year, they hope to raise the hardware as they take on the best rugby clubs in the nation.
They face a competitive pool including Mystic River, Eagle Rock and Chicago Lions. The tournament will kick off on Saturday August 9th and the finals will Sunday August 10th.
FRONTIER 7S CHAMPS LOOK FORWARD TO AUGUST
The Denver Barbarians won the Fountain City 7’s 19-12 against the Kansas City Blues. After a day in the hot sun and stifling humidity, the men in Green & White hoisted hardware for the second time this summer. They will take forward learnings and adjustments as the team preps for an exciting August to round out the summer.