08/24/2026
Week 1 is in the books.
The Wombats opened the 2026 Iowa Rugby Union D3 season with a 36-20 win on the road over the Dubuque Riverboat Gamblers.
Dubuque put us under pressure from the opening whistle, but the Wombats answered with a great defensive stand through the first five minutes. Then, on our first touch of the ball, De’Andre Moore found the try zone and put us on the board.
From there, the first-match rust started to show. We were whistled for 10 penalties in the opening 30 minutes and 20 over the course of the match. Timing issues, handling errors and missed connections left plenty of opportunities out on the field.
The moment that changed the tone came just before halftime.
Backed up on our own 5-meter line, the Wombats pack came together for a massive defensive scrum. Eight men dug in, drove Dubuque backward and turned a dangerous attacking opportunity into a Wombats free kick heading into the half.
From there, we started to find our form. Man of the Match Joshua DeTar led from the scrumhalf position flying around everywhere to get the spark and continuity we needed.
The second half was more controlled, more physical and more representative of the rugby we know we can play. We created opportunities, finished enough of them and defended our way to a 36-20 opening-round victory.
A great physical match against Dubuque and a good way to start the season, but there is a lot to clean up. Twenty penalties and missed opportunities will give us plenty to work on this week.
1-0.
Next up: Round 2 of the Iowa Rugby Union D3 schedule as we come home to host the Bremer County Bucks.
Back to work.
