ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. — With the first overall pick in the 2023 Major League Rugby Draft, the Miami Sharks selected Ricky Rose, from St. Bonaventure University.
A four-year player in the Bonnies program, Rose was a member of the 2021 national championship winning side. Despite all he accomplished in his collegiate career, Rose still found himself shocked as he saw his dream come true before his eyes.
“It was something of a shock to me to actually go number one,” Rose said. “But all things considered, I feel myself very fortunate in the coaching I’ve received since I began rugby … I owe a lot to a lot of people. But it really does feel fantastic to actually see it come to fruition and to go number one.”
Now, officially drafted, Rose touted the brand of professional rugby and how excited he is to be able to play a part in everything he loves about the sport at the top level. Drafted by the Sharks, a new expansion team, Rose can grow within the sport at the same time his new organization grows in the league.
“The professional brand of rugby is just so exciting for me,” he said. “To take the sport I love and the same tropes of the sport and take them to the highest scale in a professional environment with other professional athletes with professional coaches. I think it’s just the most opportune place to blossom as a player and an individual. The other thing I count myself very fortunate for is going to a program like Miami who are brand new to the scene. I think myself, the other players and the coaching, we’re all going to have the same opportunity to dig our roots in and grow.”
Rose’s path to the big leagues began in high school. An attendee of St. Ignatius in Cleveland, he was a multi-sport athlete, none at first being rugby. A member of the crew, baseball, lacrosse and wrestling teams, he chose the path of rugby instead of football for his next venture. As his passion for the sport grew, he was tipped off about the St. Bonaventure program by some former high school teammates that went on to play for the Bonnies: Juan Pen, who was also drafted into Major League Rugby this year, and Alex Chura. Rose said this is when he realized he could play at the next level.
“Hearing them come (to St. Bonaventure) and having a pretty wildly successful freshman year made me realize this was an opportunity to play rugby at the highest level, in a beautiful location with a good school and pretty fantastic coaching through Tui Osborne and Danny Neighbour,” he said. “So I think it was just one of the best opportunities a young boy can get, especially in the sport.”
Osborne, SBU’s men’s rugby head coach, recalled being left speechless on draft night as Rose went first overall. Not only did the draft provide the magical night that saw these players get the opportunity to do what they love, it also made a statement for the power and prowess of the Bonnies program.
“It’s such a great experience, and just having them being involved in the draft is huge for the program,” Osborne said. “But personally, for them, it’s a huge achievement. This is putting the program on the map again, even on a bigger scale and for them to be drafted, in some high picks as well. You know, they’re excited. When I called Ricky on the day he got drafted, he was so excited he was speechless.”
Rose and Pen, who the Chicago Hounds drafted with their second round (16th overall), were not the only Bonnies on the night to see their name selected in the draft. Alongside them was Joe Hawthorne, the San Diego Legion’s third round, 38th overall pick.
A brotherhood was built between the players, Rose said. Team culture played into the development of them getting to be in the positions they are in today.
“I think we were just the closest a group of brothers could get,” he said. “We really had a good gelled team and a great team culture. I think that one of the reasons we’ve had three fundamental players drafted is the very true saying of iron sharpens iron and daily practice with these high level competitors. So I think it’s no coincidence us three found success.”
As for where the St. Bonaventure program goes now, Osborne knows that it is realistic to have conversations regarding the opportunities his players could have in MLR if their team continues to perform and produce high quality players.
“Now this is a goal: to have conversations within this realm of MLR,” Osborne said. “St. Bonaventure, used to be a no name school in the rugby world, now it has the first overall draft pick and three draft picks [in total this year]. So people know about us now and they’ll be keeping an eye on us.”
With the program setting sights on continued success, Osborne also noted that players being drafted into MLR helps with the recruitment of high-caliber talent.
“Prospects will look at our program,” he said. “They’ll say ‘Oh, I want to be that guy. I want to be in that position … I want to play in the Major League Rugby competition.’ So we are starting to attract more and more high caliber high school athletes. Ones who want to come and be part of our program and that’s the goal.”
Rose, Pen and Howthorne’s journey into the major leagues is one that has had a lasting impact on the fate of the entire Bona rugby team. Now ranked in the top ten in the country, more players with aspirations to ascend to the professional level will begin to flock to the school and according to Osborne, there will be more “conversations of national championships, draft matches, Major League Rugby overall picks (because) that’s where we want to be.”
