Hall of Fame

Dr. Richard "Vinny" Vincent

Class of 2001

Dr. Richard Vincent, better known as Vinny, was one of the original founders of the Metro RFC in 1979. A tremendous competitor who made up what he lacked in size with speed, athletic ability and fierce play. Vinny’s premature departure from the playing field was a great loss to the Minnesota rugby community. Whereas most players leave the game to seldom return, Vinny redirected the energy he put into the game on the field, into the game as a club leader. From 1988 to 2001 Vinny has provided medical support in hundreds of league and tournament matches, often attending to more of the opposition than members of his own club. In 1994 Vinny began to pursue a dream that would culminate on August 22, 1998 with the dedication of Columbia Park Field, a full sized, premier rugby pitch in Northeast Minneapolis. The 4-year effort created a first-of-its-kind partnership between the Metro Old Boys Rugby Club, State of Minnesota, the Minneapolis Park Board and the Columbia Park Neighborhood Association. This $300,000 project delivered premier facilities to the club for the first time. On February 20, 1998 Vinny established the Metro Old Boy Rugby Club as a 501(c) 3 non-profit to manage the ongoing maintenance and fundraising needs of the club. Vinny has also led club efforts to be recognized as a positive, valued contributor to the improvement of the Northeast Minneapolis community and sat on several business boards and committees for the redevelopment of athletic facilities.

Peter "Pedro" Wildenberg

Class of 2001

Peter Wildenberg, known as Pedro to his mates, played the center positions for most of his 15’s career. A strong runner with quick side to side moves, Pedro was a key player for an extremely strong college side at Eau Claire RFC and for many years with Metro RFC. He coached Metropolis RFC 15’s on two separate occasions. However, Pedro’s first claim to fame is his creation, coaching and play for the Metro RFC and Metropolis RFC 7’s programs. The first tournament win for the Metro RFC 7’s squad was the 1988 Sawdust 7’s championship, beating the Quad Cities Irish side who had won the National 7’s title in 1986. Pedro then set sights on a National Club 7’s birth. Metro RFC would knock on the door for a trip to the National Club 7’s championship in 1989 and several years thereafter. The prize was finally won on the Des Moines pitch in Iowa by winning the Midwest 7’s Tournament in 1992 and representing Metro RFC for the last time as a club in the 1992 National Club 7’s Championships in Virginia where Metro RFC finished 6th. Pedro then led Metropolis RFC to three appearances at the National Club 7’s Championships in 1993, 1995 and 2000. The 1993 side again finished 6th. Metropolis RFC improved to 5th in 1995 by going 4-1, losing only to the eventual National Club 7’s champions and beating the runner-up on the way, but due to pool tiebreakers did not advance to championship play where they certainly would have finished higher. The Metropolis side in the 2000 tournament finished 7th and marked Pedro’s retirement as Club 7’s coach. Over 50 tournament trophies mark Pedro’s 7’s career with Metro RFC and Metropolis RFC. He was first selected to represent the Midwest in 1990 for Inter-Territorial (ITT) play and did that again several times.

Positions: Fly-half, Center, Hooker

Years/Clubs Played: ’79-’80 Stevens Point ’81-83 Eau Claire ’84 Metro ’85 Banshees ’86-92 Metro ’93-’06 Cardinals ’07-‘10

Select Sides: Played/Coached Atlantis, & Thunderbirds

Club Honors/Awards: Metro Captain 

Memorable Teams/Seasons: ’92 7’s (first National’s birth; last Metro season) ‘86

Coaching: Stints with Metro & Metropolis; 7’s Dictator ’85-’00, ’03  Nationals in ’92, ’93, ’95, ’00, ’03 best finish ’95 (5th)

Club/Union Administration: Union Disciplinary Chair & Treasurer in (late ‘80s/ 90’s); various club administrator positions (match secretary).

Larry McGovern

Class of 2002

Larry “Doc” McGovern started his Rugby career after leaving a college football program and entering MIT for an engineering degree in 1953. He played three years in the second row for MIT and was scouted by Boston RFC, where he played one year before entering the Navy and becoming an aircraft carrier pilot. He spent five years in the Navy and had only a pickup game here and there, but Doc still had the lust for rugby as he entered Jefferson Medical School in Philadelphia. Finding no rugby club established there, he and several of his classmates founded the first of two rugby clubs in the Philadelphia area, where he played through four years of medical school before transferring to Minneapolis in 1966 at 34 years old. In Minneapolis, he found a fledgling rugby community and a few kindred souls who had played out east. He spoke of names like Jack Lyle, Doug Stevenson, Greg Wong, Chuck Dayton and Kelly Lane in his fondest remembrances. His opponents remember him as a strong 2nd row, a fantastic lineout jumper and a dead sure tackler. He never complained and his technique was a clinic.

Larry played his last old boy game at 60 but he will be known for his support of the game and players locally. Of the great stories he has told of how they tried desperately to get the local media and TV shows to promote the sport, one is brilliant. They had Greg Wong announce a “State Championship” as a huge event to the networks. With borrowed jerseys, the Minneapolis A side played their B side. If a guy needed a stitch here or tape-up there in the old days, Larry would wink an eye and say, “See me at my car and if anyone asks who stitched you, this never happened.”  As part of the success of the fledgling U.S. Eagles team formed in 1977, it took several prominent members of the rugby community to step up and support the tour both financially and spiritually. They called themselves the U.S. Owls and Larry was a charter member of the touring Owls and a booster for U.S. Rugby overseas.

To all the young rugby players of a certain age, Larry was a model. Modest, committed, genuine and singularly devoted to all things in Rugby. To those that think that you go silently into the night in rugby as you approach your 70th year, think again. Doc was involved in forming a youth club side program in St. Cloud with John Scherer and others. He provided a model structure to that program in promoting the values and ethics of the game.

MIT RFC and Boston RFC 1953-1957

US Navy 1958-1963

Jefferson Medical School RFC 1963-1966

Minneapolis RFC 1966-1991

Metropolis RFC 1992-Eternity

Thor Bolstad

Class of 2005

Thor Bolstad’s path to the Metropolis Rugby Football Club Hall of Fame will sound familiar to those that have come to love our sport. He hails from an athletic family, thrived on competition, and excelled at any game. The passion that drove his fierce competitive nature early in his life paid off in ways being recognized by his peers.

Thor grew up in Menomonie, Wisconsin, the youngest of five kids. He was introduced to competition early and hasn’t looked back. In high school he earned three varsity letters in football. He played quarterback, defensive back, punter, and place kicker, while earning All-Conference accolades along the way. Menomonie started a varsity hockey program his junior year. Thor lettered twice and made the All-State team both seasons. He also earned three letters in tennis and qualified for the State Tournament each of those years. In his first year on the team he secured the #2 position behind his older brother, Arne, who refused to play doubles with his younger brother, though, fearing injury from flying rackets, tennis balls smacked in frustration, or racket parts flying from Thor’s passionate reactions to his own mistakes – there’s that competitive streak showing.

After high school Thor played a season of Junior Hockey with the Sioux City Musketeers. This prepared him well for the rigors of rugby road trips, as the skating swashbucklers played 70 games in five months traveling a minimum of three hours by bus for every road game.

Thor attended Gustavus Adolphus College from 1983-87, lettering in hockey all four years. His board-rattling checks made him a favorite of the Blue Line Club. But all this was merely a prelude to Thor finding “his people” and the game he was meant to play.

Halfway through college he decided to give rugby a try. Walking to his first practice Thor was asked what other sports and positions he had played. After hearing the short version the captain said, “You’ll be playing fly half.” Thor scored the first time he touched the ball. That same magic followed him throughout his career. When Thor had the ball you knew there’s a chance to see something special, something surreal, and something to tell your kids about.

His many rugby accomplishments don’t fit on a plaque and they won’t get the room they deserve here, either. In three years of Midwest 7’s Select Side play he moved to #2 on the all-time scoring list. The leader needed seven years to amass his point total. For many other highlights, just look to his list. Cheers Thor!

USA Eagle 7's Trials: 1991, 1992, 1993

National Club 7's Finals: 1992, 1993, 1995, 2003

Midwest Select 15's: 1989 – 1992 (Captain 90, 91)

Midwest Select 7’s: 1989 - 1991

Minnesota Select 15's: 1989 - 1992, 1994, 1996

Atlantis International 7's: 1989, 1991, 1996

Metro RFC 1987 – 1991 (MVP ‘89–’91, Captain 91)

Metropolis RFC 1992 – eternity (MVP ’94-96, Captain 95)

Metropolis RFC 7’s Coach 2001 - 2002

Minnetonka U-19 Boys Asst. Coach 1999 - 2005

Hopkins Youth Rugby 2000 – 2020

"Super" Joe Kiley

Class of 2010

Joe Kiley (aka Super Joe) was born in San Francisco in 1960. He moved to Owatonna, Minnesota, in 1966. His early athletic success was with (American) football. He played High School Football at Owatonna, is in their Hall of Fame and is named as a starter in their ceremonial 100-year team. He continued his Football Career at Saint John’s, playing for John Gagliardi from 1978 to 1982 and was honored as Small College All American in 1981.

Joe started playing rugby after college, when he joined some of his Johnnie rugby mates on the Banshees team in 1983 and played on the wing (where most rookie rugby players were positioned at that time). His job made it impossible to travel on game days so he opted for a somewhat more social side, Metro Rugby Club, that same spring of 1983.

As the club grew and acquired the services of a coach (fellow Hall of Famer, Simon Whitehead) the team blossomed into a formidable side. Joe played a key role as both center and flanker. He was known for his ferocious tackling, hard running, and his refusal to be taken down easily.

Once Metropolis formed in 1992, Joe continued to play at a high level until he was 40. He and fellow Hall of Famer, Doc Vinny, solidified the partnership with the Minneapolis Park Board to build the rugby field in Columbia Park. He served two terms as President of Metropolis, he also was Treasurer and board member at the Minnesota Amateur Rugby Foundation (MARF) and The Metropolis Foundation, as one of its founding members.

Joe’s commitment to Minnesota Rugby has been unwavering, and has included coaching the boys and girls teams at Edina High School, mentoring these players and providing tour experience here and abroad.

Before moving to Colorado, Joe could be found at every Metropolis event and at game days he would still be ready to take the field whenever he was needed. He still is a regular as a player at the Aspen Rugger Fest, and often makes the trek home to cheer on our boys.

Joe is renowned for his story telling ability and infectious laugh. He continues to be a great ambassador for Metropolis Rugby wherever his travels take him.

Greg "Smitty" Smith

Class of 2014

A native Minnesotan, Smitty (as known to his rugby cohorts) started playing rugby at St. Cloud State University in 1980. Named captain several times, he led his team to many exciting and hard-fought victories … along with a few unsavory defeats. Highlighted in his St. Cloud career was the team’s first victory over archrival St. John’s University in 1982.

Going to his senior play with Minneapolis RFC, Smitty was named captain and forward MVP several years, with the help and guidance of a strong club. He played on Minnesota’s state side for several years with appearances on the Midwest side in 1986 and 1989. Smitty carried his rugby play into the merger with Metro RFC to form Metropolis. The term “motor” wasn’t used back when, but Smitty had a high motor. Always on, rarely tired & when he was tired he still moved faster than you. He was always relentlessly positive, and known as a great teammate. Smitty played competitively until 1998, when a bulging disk and back surgery took him out of active play. Like an old soldier that couldn’t fade away, he has thereafter played Old Boy’s rugby, more recently limited to grand occasions.

In 2001, a cohort (Ed O’Rourke) convinced him to help coach the Plymouth Panthers High School RFC where he coached until the club’s desistance in 2014. However, knowing God has a plan for everyone, in the high school off season, he took up an assistant coaching position with St. Thomas University Men’s Rugby Club in fall of 2012 and moved into the head coaching position in 2018.

In addition to his rugby play, Smitty with his gregarious personality was drawn to the lighter side of rugby and was soon known as the song master among his rugby kin. He carried this mastery into his senior rugby career and an occasion can be found chanting with rugby companions and troubled friends. As Smitty would say, God bless and may “The Moose” be with you.

1980-1983 – St. Cloud State Rugby Club

1984-1992 – Minneapolis RFC

1984-1992 – Minnesota State Side

1986 – Midwest U23

1989 – Midwest Senior Side

1992-1998 – Metropolis RFC (player)

1992-present –Metropolis RFC (member)

2001-2014 – Assistant Coach Plymouth Panthers

2012-2017 – Assistant Coach St. Thomas Men’s RFC

2018-present – Head Coach St. Thomas Men’s RFC

International tours:

1993 – Australia Metropolis RFC

2014 – England Metropolis RFC

Duane "Duke" Arens

Class of 2016

Duane "Duke" Arens started his rugby career in 1979, playing for the Albert Lea Aardvarks. Just out of high school, he went to watch a friend play. In typical rugby fashion, his buddy ran up to him, told him they were short players, and dragged him onto the field in his tennis shoes. Duane never looked back.

From there, Duke went on to play for Mankato State University graduating in the spring 1984. After researching various teams in Minneapolis, he found a home with the Metro Rugby team. He was part of the merger of Metro and Minneapolis that formed a new club – Metropolis RFC.

Coach John Threlfall summed up Duane’s impact on the young club:

Duke was one of the original players in the beginning. When Metropolis RFC was born, there was a real sense of something special going on. We had a team that played as one, and was very unselfish. One of the guys that made the team special was Duke. Always the fastest prop on the pitch, he was a fierce competitor and had the focus of a great athlete. He played hard and was a leader on the team. Those characteristics made him an easy choice for the Midwest Thunderbirds and All-Minnesota Select sides. That was the intensity Duke brought to every game.

Duke was a 1st side player in the very first Metropolis match, and held that starting position for the next 6 years! During that time, he was selected for every Minnesota State side team and every Midwest Thunderbirds team. He also selected for various all-tournament teams, proudly representing Metropolis RFC with hard work and ferocious play. Duke was part of the first England Tour that began our brotherhood with the Old Laurentians, and has returned to Rugby three times since. He also played on the Australia Tour. Off the field, he has been a leader – including founding member and first Chairman of the Metropolis Foundation – never hesitating to give back to the team that gave him so much. To this day, he remains active with the Old Boys.

On the professional side Duke is a Commercial Real Estate Developer and was a lobbyist for 25 years working for Governor Arne Carlson, the United States and Minneapolis Chambers of Commerce, and Connexus Energy. He also has been appointed by the Governor to various state commissions, and served on many boards and commissions, including serving as chairman of the Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission.

Duane is married (Karen) and has two boys (Anthony and Matthew). His family has spent many hours at the pitch cheering him on, and it has come full circle, with both boys playing rugby, building their own memories, and learning strength and character from both the sport and its players, just like their dad.

Barb Fugate

Class of 2022

Barb Fugate is one of the founding leaders of women’s rugby in the United States, and she has achieved at the highest levels in three facets of our game – as a player, as an administrator, and as a coach.

In her playing career, Barb started as an outside back for Belmont Shore RFC in Long Beach, CA, and then moved to San Diego and worked her way into playing scrumhalf. She earned a spot as a utility player on the first women’s select side tour of New Zealand in 1989, playing at wing for the Pacific Coast RFU Grizzlies against the initial “New Zealand XV,” which was the first time New Zealand fielded a side against a USA women’s select side. She moved to Minnesota in 1990 and joined the then-University of Minnesota team, the predecessor to the Valkyries, where she was coached in scrumhalf play by Chris Leach, assistant coach to the US National team. She was selected to the Midwest Select Side and the USA National Team in 1990, and joined the 1990 USA tour to New Zealand for the World Rugby Festival, where she earned her first three caps. Barb was selected again to the USA National team in 1991, and was a member of the USA Eagles squad who won the inaugural World Cup of Women’s Rugby in Cardiff, Wales.

Barb also served as an administrator through many of those years, beginning as the National Events Coordinator for the USA Women’s Committee in 1989. She was responsible for scheduling national events, including national championships, national team selection camps, and national team fixtures. When Canada cancelled the annual US v Canada fixture in 1990, Barb along with Jane Tierney initiated the USA National Team’s tour to New Zealand. If not for that tour, the US side would have had no international fixtures in 1990, leading up to the 1991 World Cup. Instead, they faced New Zealand for the first time in New Zealand, and New Zealand prevailed, handing the US women the first-ever loss for the national program. The Eagles would repay the favor when they met New Zealand again, in the semifinal match of the ’91 World Cup.

Barb’s administrative responsibilities continued after the World Cup, as she was elected to one of the first International Athlete Director positions on the USA Rugby Board of Directors. In that capacity, Barb chaired the USARFU Strategic Planning committee in 1996, leading to the first-ever commitment for USA Rugby to strive to become an Olympic medal sport. She served on the planning committee to present USA Rugby’s proposal to the US Olympic Committee in Colorado Springs, which was ultimately successful. Barb also served multiple terms on the USA Board’s Finance Committee, and was elected as Treasurer of USA Rugby for one term.

Closer to home, in Minnesota she also served with the Minnesota Amateur Rugby Foundation (MARF). She was on the MARF Board of Directors from 1998-2008, and served as President of MARF for two terms, ‘01-'02 and ‘06-'07. 

As her playing career wrapped up in the late ‘90’s, Barb also became involved in coaching and coach development. She served alongside Martha Daines as an Instructor in the USA Rugby Coaching Certification program from 1996- 2006.

Barb was named the Head Coach of the USA Under 23 National team in 2000, and coached that program with Martha Daines from 2000-2008. She also coached the US Developmental Team from 2008-2010. Barb and Martha took the Under 23 side on two tours to New Zealand, another tour to England, and countless visits to Canadian venues.

Barb was inducted into the USA Rugby Hall of Fame in 2019, and received the Kathy Flores Lifetime Achievement Award from the USA Women's Rugby Foundation in 2023.

Rob Clarno

Class of 2022

Rob Clarno was born in Alexandria, MN, and subsequently moved to St. Louis Park, MN where he was an accomplished wrestler in high school. He studied business at the University of Minnesota, where he wrestled and was introduced to rugby. He then joined the Navy and served for 4 years. In 1972, he joined Minneapolis RFC and was a member of the nationally-ranked teams of that era, through 1992 and leading into the merger between Minneapolis and Metro RFC that formed Metropolis RFC.

Rob was a key member of the 15s side that won the Aspen Championship in 1980, which in those days served as the Fall National Championship hosting the USA’s best clubs. He represented Minnesota on the Selects team in 1976 and 1977.

In addition to his playing career, Rob held several key positions on the administrative side for Minneapolis RFC. This included President (1978), Match Secretary (1975-1977) and Aquatennial Tournament Chair (1976-1979).

Rob’s combined contributions to Minnesota Rugby, and in particularly, Minnesota Youth Rugby, are legendary. Rob has been a member of the Minnesota Youth Rugby (MYR) organization since 1999, which was then-named the Minnesota Amateur Rugby Foundation (MARF), and has served as its president. This organization was the original funding mechanism to establish youth rugby in Minnesota, providing financial and other support to all clubs across the state. This has helped introduce the game of rugby to thousands of boys and girls.

In addition to his contributions to youth rugby across the state of Minnesota, Rob started the Minnetonka high school rugby club in 1999 and was its first coach. Minnetonka has competed at a high level of high school rugby throughout this time, having introduced rugby to hundreds of kids, many of whom have come to play for Metropolis.