Tennessee Elite’s Ian Wilson looks for potential lodging solutions after the team’s pool play game against Aspen, his T-shirt torn from the day’s games.
Tennessee Elite came to Aspen with some confusion and bumps in the road, but left with a new tongue-in-cheek name and some game-worn souvenirs.
A complication with some team administration left the Elite — the sixth-best 7s squad in the country in 2023 — without uniforms, a coach and even lodging for some of their players. But even for the complications, they were just happy to be in Aspen.
“We found out last night that the guy who’s in charge wasn’t going to be here, so we just made the best of it,” de facto Elite captain David Fillingim said. “I’ve wanted to come to this tournament for 10 years. … We’re in the South, we got this chance, we’re doing it. Then obviously, things happened but it’s definitely one for the books.”
The Elite played their first game against premier Australian elite touring club Randwick — a tall order for two traveling teams — and fell 35-5, wearing just their tank tops or whatever miscellaneous rugby shirt they happened to pack with them.
For their second game, they got a little more official, and definitely found a way to fit in on a fall Saturday afternoon in Aspen. A player ran to a tourist shop and bought a bulk of forest green touristy shirts, sporting all the essential components: “Aspen, Colorado” in big, block text, an outline of mountain peaks behind tree tops and the Colorado flag C.
Great for a hike up in the mountains, less than ideal for a rugby match.
In the new uniforms, the Elite secured their first ever Ruggerfest win, 31-14 over Boulder. But their new swag bore the brunt with plenty of tears.
For their third game against Aspen, they leaned into the chaos, yelling at the Wagner Park commentator, “Call us Expo,” leaving behind their typical uniforms and typical moniker.
The Gents walked away victorious, but Tennessee was just happy to have made the trip.
“The level of play our team typically plays is to this standard,” de facto coach David Elliott said. “It’s frustrating but our thing is we just want to get another opportunity to come back.”
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