Ryan Hodson Gets Super Rugby Action With Rebels

Ryan Hodson Gets Super Rugby Action With Rebels

May 4, 2012

-

Connect with Cal Varsity Rugby: Twitter | Varsity XV Newsletter
June 2-3 CRC 7s Advance Tickets

MELBOURNE, Australia - Ryan Hodson, a starter on California's 2011 national collegiate championship team, achieved his first appearance in Super Rugby on Friday, May 4, when he came on as a replacement for the Rebels against the visiting Bulls in AAMI Stadium.

Hodson became the first Golden Bear ever to compete in Super Rugby, an elite Southern Hemisphere competition featuring 15 professional teams from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

Hodson spent 2010-11 at Cal's Haas Business School along with his twin brother, Colin, both of whom donned the blue and gold for an exchange year before returning to the University of Western Australia.

Super Rugby consists of 15 teams from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.


Ryan received All-Collegiate honors from Rugby Magazine following his season as a lock and flanker for the Bears and has since also toured with Australia Universities.

"The discipline and training standards at Cal helped me realize what may be required to train in a fully professional environment," said Ryan. "These standards were driven by the organization and clarity of the coaching staff and assistants. Cal has given me a basis to go off in terms of preparation and performance under pressure."

Said Cal head coach Jack Clark, "We were all so impressed with Ryan during his exchange year with us. He is first and foremost a team man and as such he puts his hand up for the most difficult bits of work. He is among the hardest men to have played at Cal. I think we all knew he was going to eventually play professional rugby."

Hodson's Super Rugby appearance adds to the program's accolades since the Bears' 2011 title. Following that national collegiate championship, Cal had nine All-America selections, eight former players chosen for Rugby World Cup spots among players and coaches, two alumni earn Varsity Blues with Oxford University and two players play with the U.S. National Sevens Team on contracts sponsored by the United States Olympic Committee.