Unterfoehringer ambitions: "At least third place"

Created: 09/08/2022, 10:05 am

By: Patrik Stäbler

The Unterfoehringer rugby players (in the yellow and blue dress) want to push hard in the 2nd Bundesliga, where their season starts with a delay this weekend.

© Dieter Michaelek

In the 2nd Bundesliga, the rugby club in Unterföhring is carefully looking upwards.

Before the start of the season there are three new members in the team.

Unterföhring

- The opening match of Rugby Club Unterföhring in the 2nd Bundesliga South against RC Rottweil last weekend was postponed due to corona cases in the opponent - a circumstance that they would have regretted at the RCU a few years ago, says President Stephan Unfried.

Because: "In the past I would have said that Rottweil is not bad to start with because our chances of winning are not that high there."

After all, the Baden-Württembergers are considered the top club in the 2nd Bundesliga, while the RCU, which was founded ten years ago, has mostly been involved in the relegation battle since its promotion in 2017.

But in the meantime, Unterföhring has not only established itself in the second highest division, but is also carefully looking upwards.

“Our goal this season is to finish third at the very least,” says Stephan Unfried ahead of the opening duel on Saturday at 3 p.m. at TSV Nürnberg.

In addition, they want to defeat arch-rivals SV Studentenstadt in both duels, which the RCU has never achieved in its club history.

The increased demands also stem from the fact that the club got through the difficult Corona period comparatively well.

"We had no departures in the summer, and the number of members has increased again," reports the President.

The pandemic hit a number of other rugby clubs much more severely, which is one of the reasons why there are only six teams in the 2nd Bundesliga South this year and no relegated teams.

But the RCU does not want to deal with the topic of relegation anyway.

Also on Saturday in Nuremberg, where the table was penultimate from the previous season, a win is clearly the goal, according to Unfried.

Felix Rau comes from Bundesliga promoted Munich RFC

In terms of personnel, the Unterföhringer have strengthened again during the season break.

Three players from Bundesliga promoted Munich RFC joined the club - including Felix Rau, a long-time regular of the local rivals.

"The three newcomers will definitely help us," Stephan Unfried is convinced.

The only downside is playmaker Robert Johnston's injury.

The former Scotland U20 international has torn his cruciate ligament and, with a bit of luck, will be back in the second half of the season, the club boss hopes.

Despite this serious absence, coach Logan Mokalei's team should be in the top half of the table, believes Unfried.

However, he sees SU Neckarsulm as the favorite for the championship, which has been strengthened with six players from abroad.

In Unterföhring, on the other hand, they want to rely on players from their own youth in the medium term, who are now absolutely top in Bavaria.

The first youngsters who started in the U6 after the club was founded in 2012 are now on the threshold of seniors, says Unfried.

Because of her, the club has again reported a second team this year, which competes in the lowest division, the Verbandsliga Süd.

"We will probably not play all the games there," estimates the RCU boss.

"But our young players in particular should gain match practice there and be introduced to the men's division."