Bob Jones
How I got started in rugby: In fourth grade playing football in my friends backyard, his dad threw a rugby pass to us, and then explained the game. I didn’t start playing organized until high school.
Years Played/Member of New Orleans RFC or Crescent City RFC: 7 (1978-1984)
Service to Club and/or Rugby: Crescent City RFC captain 1980-1983 coach 1980-1983
Omaha RFC captain: 1985-1986 , 1989 coach 1985-1986, 1989
Kansas City RFC captain: 1987-1988 coach 1988
St Louis Bombers RFC president: 1990-1993, 1997-2003
Total years played/previous Club(s): 33 (17 active,26 old boys) ; Arapahoe High School(75) Crescent City RFC (78-84) Omaha RFC (84-86; 89) Kansas City RFC (87-88) St Louis Bombers RFC (89-93); Old Boys St Louis Bombers, Missouri Black and Blue, Myths and Legends, New Orleans Vieux Garcons
Primary position(s): Lock , Flanker ( started as a flanker in high school, retired as a flanker with the Bombers
Club achievements/awards/positions held: Crescent City; captain, coach, MVP 80-84; Omaha captain, coach, KCRFC captain, coach MVP 87-88, Bombers president, alumni coordinator, and golf chairman.
Other rugby achievements/awards/positions held: Deep south selects 79-84; Great Plains select 85,86,89, Heart of America Select 87, 88; New Orleans Rugby HOF 2015
Memorable matches: Championship Match vs Falcons aka the Mud Bowl
Favorite teammates: Crescent City, Mike Kerrigan; Omaha, Greg Sliva; KCRFC Andy Djokovich, Bombers, Robbie Robinson/Jim Boggeman (they were both older than me)
Best coach: George Henderson, Crescent City
Toughest opponent, team/individual: Baton Rouge RFC, Bob (Big Red) Causey
Favorite opponent/team/individual: University of Oklahoma (they always looked like they were having fun before and after the match).
Performance on the Pitch for either club: Crescent City RFC 1978-1984 second row, #8; Louisiana Select Side 1979-1983 second row
Achievements in Life (Rugby and/or Otherwise):
Started playing at Arapahoe High School Littleton CO. 1975.
After a severe knee injury playing football at the University of Wyoming, I was told I would never play sports again. But after moving to New Orleans I found the CCRFC and proved all the doctors wrong. I played competitive rugby for another 16 years.
While playing for CCRFC I met my wife, Max, the best thing that ever happened to me.
I have played old boys rugby since 1994 for the St Louis Bombers, Missouri Black and Blue, Vieux Garcons, and the Ottawa Myths and Legends.
Select Sides: Louisiana 1978-1984, Great Plains 1985-86, 1989, Heart of America 1987-88
Awards: CCFRC MVP 1980,81,82; KCRFC MVP 1987,88, Greatest Contribution to the Club 1987,88
My favorite achievement, and probably the least known or believable, I started and ended my competitive rugby career playing flanker.
And now for some shameless self promotion quotes from team mates and opponents:
Fran Thompson: Bob Jones dated one of the smokingist girls in NOLA, worked at Fat Harry's. He could outrun most
backs, but he preferred to run through them. What's not to like about
that?
Craig Boudreaus: How did we survive???Two words .... Bob. Jones. There was not a person better to hide behind when the shit started flying! Always thankful he was on my side.
Phil Lachin: Bob is the man. Whenever I start talking to people about the good ole CC rugby days, I tell them about this big bad dude (actually one of the nicest guys - off the field, but you didn't want to mess with him on the field) that always had us smaller guys' back. I can remember more than one occassion when some big asshole from opposing pack would take a cheap shot on one of us - it was just a matter of time, that Bob would make them pay. He was a great teammate.
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