NEWS

News Mar-9-2023

“It Was An Amazing Experience” – Beauchamp On The Hounds Experience So Far

Written by Joe Harvey | Photos by Tequila Graphics

In their first-ever home game as a Major League Rugby team, the Chicago Hounds welcomed 4,443 fans to SeatGeek Stadium against the Utah Warriors.

Losing the game 10-14, Sam Harris’ side looked much different from the team that had lost heavily to Old Glory DC two weekends prior.

It has been a quick turnaround for Chicago, whose admittance into MLR was only confirmed in mid-November.

Luke Beauchamp is one of the players helping to bring professional rugby to the Midwest and has been ever-present across the team’s opening two fixtures.

“It was an amazing experience,” Beauchamp told MLR. “To have the support that we had in regard to the fans that showed up on Sunday afternoon was just unbelievable really.

“For a lot of us players, we didn’t really know what to expect. I think we quickly learned that rugby is pretty well supported up here in the Midwest, which showed on Sunday afternoon.

“We obviously lost the game narrowly, but there is still a positive feeling between us as players and coaches.

“I feel like we are still kind of in that developmental stage moving forward into the season. I guess that is where the positive feeling is coming from.

“We’re moving in the right direction, and having the support that we had on Sunday afternoon was incredible.

“Having the people behind us, the fans behind us; hopefully, they enjoy themselves and come out and support us over the next couple of weeks and over our next few home games.”

CHICAGO’S VICE-CAPTAIN

As part of Chicago’s inaugural campaign, Beauchamp was named the team’s vice-captain.

Acting as support to USA Eagle Bryce Campbell, the Australian brings a wealth of experience and almost 50 MLR caps with him.

Having played for both the Houston SaberCats and Austin, the 30-year-old certainly has the experience. However, he was not anticipating being asked by Harris to be a significant part of the team’s leadership in their first campaign.

“To be honest, it was a bit of a shock,” Beauchamp said when asked about his feelings upon learning he was to be Chicago’s vice-captain this season.

“I didn’t know it was coming when Sam [Harris, head coach] announced it. I was immediately humbled and flattered by being selected for that role.

“I have a great relationship with Bryce [Campbell, Chicago’s captain], so to be able to work with him on that level will be one of the highlights of my career.

“For a new team in a new city, to be named in the leadership group is pretty special and something I will remember for the rest of my rugby career.”

After two games, Chicago has shown two entirely different sides to themselves. Against Old Glory, the side flashed in attack, although their defense left much to be desired as they conceded 42 points in defeat.

A week later, it was a tighter affair as Utah’s two converted tries were enough to better Caleb Strum’s try and Luke Carty’s penalty.

First-ever points at Seatgeek Stadium come off the boot of @HoundsChicago flyhallf Luke Carty!

🎥 @therugbynetwork | #CHIvUTAH | #MLR2023 pic.twitter.com/q4Mc1nLA5I

— Major League Rugby (@usmlr) March 5, 2023

Beauchamp says that he and his teammates are still very much on the same page and are hoping that Toronto’s visit to SeatGeek Stadium may see everything click into place for the Hounds.

“We are really close,” Beauchamp said. “We are really close. We are just refining a few things in our game that we need as a group. We are doing that on the training ground.

“We have had a really good start to the week. I think we are pretty close. It is one of those things that I can feel.

“We are a group of good rugby players that when it clicks, it will click for us. It hasn’t really clicked just yet, but I think when it does, we are going to be the group we want to be.

“Hopefully, we put out a performance on Saturday night that is what we want, and we just keep getting better and moving forward from there.”

ARROWS UP NEXT

Like Chicago, Toronto arrives at SeatGeek Stadium also having lost in each of their 2023 MLR games so far.

Fresh from a bye-week, the Arrows have had plenty of time to dwell on their 39-3 loss to the Rugby New York Ironworkers in an Eastern Conference clash.

A win would do wonders for both sides, who have just a point to their name after two games played.

It is not as though there have not been positives, with Chicago having had representatives in the RTIC XV of the Week in weeks one and three, while Toronto’s Lucas Rumball made the side on the opening weekend.

With something to prove, nothing short of a win for either side will do, as they hope to get the first win on the board in 2023. However, Beauchamp is aware of the threat that Toronto poses.

“Toronto is a great rugby team,” Beauchamp said. “We have done our homework on them over the last couple of days and last couple of weeks, knowing that this is going to be a huge game for us.

“We are not underestimating Toronto or anyone in the competition for that, with their record being the same as ours, 0-2.

“It is a massive game for us because we are both coming into it 0-2, looking for our first win. It is going to be a huge encounter on Saturday night.

“No disrespect to Toronto, we are just continuing to concentrate on ourselves, and we want to get to a point we are playing the rugby we want to play. I don’t think we’ve done that just yet.

“It all comes back to having good preparation this week, concentrating on what we want to do, reviewing Toronto, looking at their strengths and weaknesses, getting out there on a Saturday night, hopefully getting a big Chicago crowd again, and getting the job done.