The Amoskeag Rugby Football Club

On May 21, at Livingston Park in Manchester, NH, a rugby match was played in memory of Staff Sargent Kyle Warren.  Ceremonies commenced at 12:30pm.  Colors were presented and the teams were led onto the pitch by a bagpiper.  John Prieto presented a memorial plaque to Kyle's wife, Sandra,  and mother, Lynn Linta.  A Mountain Ranger Flag was also presented to Sandra by members of the 10th Mountain Division of the US Army.  Amoskeag RFC defeated the Barrack Rangers RFC of Fort Drum, NY to win the first annual Kyle Warren Memorial Cup.

Kyle played rugby for Amoskeag for 4 seasons prior to enlisting in the army.  The match commenced with 15 Amoskeag ruggers who had the honor of  playing with Kyle when he was a member of our team.

Kyle was born on April 30, 1982 in Torrance, California.  He moved to New Hampshire in 2003, and enlisted in the Army in October of 2004.  He entered the army as a Special Forces Trainee, and did his basic and advanced training at Fort Benning, Georgia.  He attended the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and the Special Operations Medical Training Center.  He earned his green beret in 2007 and was stationed at Fort Bragg as a Special Forces Medical Sargent.

In July of 2010, Kyle deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom as a member of the Joint Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan.  This was his second deployment. 

Kyle died in Tsagay Afghanistan of injuries sustained when his military vehicle was attacked by insurgents with an improvised explosive device.  He died in service to us all, and to our great nation.  He will forever be remembered by his friends at Amoskeag RFC.

Kyle died at the age of 28, and left behind his wife, Sandra, his mother and stepfather Lynn and Ed Linta, and his father and stepmother Del and Jill Warren. 

Amoskeag RFC hosted this first annual Kyle Warren Memorial.  Donations are being accepted to benefit the "Wounded Warrior Project".  Checks made out to the "Wounded Warrior Project" can be mailed to the following address:

Wounded Warrior Project
c/o Alex Gatzoulis
350 Bridge Street
Manchester, NH  03104

To date, proceeds from this event have exceeded $4,000.

To view the WMUR story covering the event, click here.

To view the Union Leader story covering the event, click here. 

Amoskeag Rugby has named Garry Cornelius as the new head coach for the men's team.  Garry has been a stalwart prop for Amoskeag for several seasons, and has spent time as a forwards coach in 2009 and 2010.

Garry began his rugby career in the Southern Hemisphere where he played for the King Edward VII School in South Africa.  Upon moving to the States, he played for the Wilmington (Delaware) Colts U-19 team, and was subsequently named to the USA U-19 team in 1999 and 2000.

The big prop then brought his skills to the University of Tennessee, and then played for the Bozeman (Montana) Cutthroats (where every away match is a two-day road trip).  He came to Amoskeag in 2006, and has distinguished himself on and off the pitch ever since.

Garry began his coaching career in 2000 with the Wlmington Colts U-19 team.  He was player-coach for the Cutthroats from 2003-2005, and has helped out as a forwards coach for Amoskeag for the past several seasons.

Garry lives in Derry with wife of 3 years, Beth, who is an ICU nurse at Catholic Medical Center, and their 2 terriers, Malachi and Oliver.  He is an avid rugby fan, and also enjoys distance running, having completed several full and half-marathons (an unusual hobby for a prop).  He is an operations manager with Fortec Medical.

He brings 16 years of experience and enthusiasm for rugby to his new position as head coach of the Amoskeag men's team.  It should be an exciting Spring season. Thank you for stepping into the breach, Garry, and good luck as our new head coach!
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