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Zach Heath, who plays hooker for the OSU rugby team, played his first game for the United States Under 19 National Team in a win over Canada. Soon he'll travel to Ireland for the World Junior Championships.

Heath hooks up with national rugby team

The OSU freshman who took up rugby four years ago is suiting up for the under 19 National Team

By: Noah Tinker

Posted: 3/16/07

Zach Heath, a freshman in forest management, will get to experience an opportunity few people his age ever get to have. Heath is a member of the United States Under 19 (U-19) National Rugby Team and will travel to Belfast, Ireland to participate in the World Junior Championships featuring 24 teams from around the world April 4-21.

Heath is one of 26 players for the No. 13 Americas who will open in pool B and face off against Canada, Romania, Russia and Zimbabwe, each ranked 14th, 16th, 19th and 53rd, respectively.

Heath's position on the team is known as a hooker. A position he also occupies when he plays for Oregon State.

"I guess it's hard to explain unless you know rugby," Heath said about his position. "I hook the ball back in the scrum and I'm also responsible for throwing the ball in on line outs, when the ball is put back into play after it goes out of bounds."

Heath first got enveloped by the world of rugby as a sophomore in high school thanks to a friend who had already been playing since junior high.

"He told me, 'hey, you should come out for rugby, it's a lot more fun than track.'"

Heath, who also played football in high school, saw "another opportunity to be running and tackling like football, so I thought I'd give it a try."

When comparing the two sports Heath doesn't hold back. "I like rugby a lot more." Heath explained. "It's a lot nicer for the player I think. Mainly because you can make your own decisions as you go along, whereas with football the coach just gives you the play and you go do it."

This is only Heath's fourth year playing the sport.

Yet in that time the sport has taken a hold on him. "It's fast, it's hard-hitting and it's exciting, there's not a lot of stoppage."

However, the rough and tumble nature of the sport has yet to take a tole on Heath."I've never had a concussion, I've never really had anything other than just small little injuries."

Heath's journey to a spot on the U-19 National Team started when he began playing for a local team in Tualatin Valley while attending Jesuit High School.

"I started out with them and then moved onto the Northwest All-Stars, a mix of players from Washington and Oregon," he said.

It was with this team that Heath traveled to Colorado to compete in a national tournament in front of the coaches of the national team.

From those assembled, the coaches selected 150 players and invited them to summer camps. From these they winnowed it down to 40 players who were invited back to winter camps. After that, a final roster of 26 players was picked for the team.

Heath received the call March 5 from the national team coach William "Salty" Thompson that he had made the final roster.

"He called me and I knew what it was about and it was the most excited I've ever been. I've just been ecstatic for three weeks now and I just can't stop smiling," Heath said.

His selection came as no surprise to his coaches and teammates. "They already knew that I had a possibility of making it, but they've all been really, really supportive all year and they all congratulated me when they heard about it, they thought it was awesome," Heath said.

"I wasn't surprised about his selection, he is a great player," said Amjad "AJ" Kinhnaruth, the president of the Rugby Club. "I knew when he came that he was going to be a great player because I knew he was in the running for the All-American Squad, but he still surprised me with his ability."

Heath chuckled as he clarified, "actually it's the 'National Team,' but all the guys on the squad call it the 'All-American team'."

Kinhnaruth, who's been with OSU for his entire collegiate career, also plays the same position as Heath.

"If he wasn't with the National Team we'd be competing for the same spot," Kinhnaruth said. "With his ability I'm sure he would have gotten a great look from the coaches."

Second year coach Duffin McShane is also quick to praise Heath. "He's very dedicated and has a great work ethic. A lot of his success comes from putting in the work outside of practice working on his skills and spending time in the weight room," McShane said.

Reflecting on Heath's selection to the National Team, McShane said, "as a freshman, to make the national squad is incredible, he's got a great attitude about it and his entire approach to the game, he's a coach's dream."

One drawback, however, has been his time spent away from the Beavers squad.

"I've missed a lot things with the team because of the national team, but they've been good about it," Heath said.

According to Kinhnaruth, Heath "has been at every practice, and for us that's a big deal because it reinforces that he's still a part of the team and everyone respects the fact that he can't be here because he's doing something that's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Everyone realizes that Zach is going to contribute his part when he can and the coaches realize that too."

Heath's commitment to the national squad takes him away on an average of once or twice a month. "We go and we play high-caliber teams from around the country, whether it be college or pro teams," Heath said.

This weekend they will travel to New York to take on No. 2 Army at West Point March 17.

On March 28, Team USA will travel to Belfast and start preparing for the tournament by playing the Munster U-19 team in Limerick.

Although not traditionally one of the best teams in the world, Heath is optimistic about Team USA's chances this year.

"I think our coach knows this is the best team he's ever assembled," Heath said. "We practice more than any other team, and I feel confident with our team and I think we can do well in our pool."

As evidence the team beat Canada for the first time ever last year, and Heath attributes that to the ability of the entire team being able to meet and practice together on a regular basis, which is also a first.

"We're on our way up. In the past three years we've made incredible strides," Heath said.

While Heath wasn't a member of the team during that time he finally got to don the red, white and blue for the first time in a rematch with Canada three weeks ago.

"Probably the best feeling I've ever had," Heath said. "It's the only time we've ever worn our real National Team jerseys."

Heath is looking forward to the trip. "I can't wait to go, and I get excited just talking about it," he said.

While the team has no formal practices, the players all learn to play together in the camps they attend and through the trial and error of pick-up games against state side opponents.

"We all learn what the USA wants us to do and how they want us to play the game," Heath said. "So when they select us to travel with them we already know the style of play they like."

Heath is quick to credit his OSU teammates and coaches for their guidance.

"They got me ready for the national team. They've helped me deal with the speed of the college game and with guys that are so much bigger than in high school, they've helped me with my on-field confidence to tackle bigger opponents," he said.

Heath admits he would be the same player if not for his OSU teammates. "There are guys on the OSU team that I look up to that have taught me things that the national team couldn't have taught me, like my captain about leadership," he said.

Looking to the future of his sport Heath said, "I, personally, think it would be great if we could get some younger youth leagues, even younger than high school. Getting people out to our games is the hardest thing, but once people see it, they really like it, it's fast and exciting."

According to McShane, small strides are already being made. Over past six years around 23 high schools have added rugby as a varsity sport. The Super League, a semi-pro league, was started in 1997.

Kinhnaruth believes that Heath's selection to the National Team will help raise awareness of the sport, at least in Corvallis.

"Zach shows that you can represent your country in a sport that may not be as popular as others but it shows that anything is possible," he said.

"I'm extremely proud of him," McShane said.

As for himself, Heath hasn't contemplated where his abilities might take him.

"I'm still kind of in shock that I made the U-19 team," he said. "It's been surreal this year, getting to play with them.