The 2009 NERFU college men's Division III rugby union tournament featured eight teams from four conferences. The top two teams in each conference were seeded according to the success of their conference in the previous year.
Plymouth State University beat Furman in the finals of the '08 Division 3 championship held at Hamilton college in New York.
In an outstanding championship match at the Kirwin Memorial Pitch at Fort Adams in Newport, Rhode Island, newcomer Salve Regina University defeated Southern Connecticut State University by a score of 21–20. The match was attended by over 500 fans.
Cup championship bracket
2008 regular season
The 2008 regular season was played in September and October. Each team played 5 conference opponents, with the top 2 finishers qualifying for the NERFU championship.
At the end of the regular season, the four conference champs (Salve Regina, Saint Anselm, Southern Connecticut, and Keene State) met the four conference runners-up (UMASS Dartmouth, Tufts, Western Connecticut and defending national champion Plymouth State) in the NERFU quarterfinals.
2008 regular-season standings
Central Conference
Conference Champion: Salve Regina University
| Team | Wins | Losses | Draws | PF | PA | PD | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salve Regina University | 4 | 1 | 0 | 92 | 33 | 59 | 13 |
| University of Massachusetts Dartmouth | 4 | 1 | 0 | 81 | 34 | 47 | 12 |
| Bryant University | 3 | 2 | 0 | 124 | 53 | 71 | 11 |
| Roger Williams University | 3 | 2 | 0 | 79 | 53 | 26 | 11 |
| Massachusetts Maritime Academy | 1 | 4 | 0 | 39 | 112 | -73 | 6 |
| Wheaton College | 0 | 5 | 0 | 15 | 145 | -130 | 3 |
East Conference
Conference Champion: Saint Anselm College
| Team | Wins | Losses | Draws | PF | PA | PD | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Anselm College | 4 | 1 | 0 | 97 | 46 | 51 | 13 |
| Tufts University | 4 | 1 | 0 | 98 | 40 | 58 | 12 |
| University of Massachusetts Lowell | 3 | 2 | 0 | 143 | 46 | 97 | 11 |
| Babson College | 3 | 2 | 0 | 70 | 84 | -14 | 11 |
| Wentworth Institute of Technology | 1 | 4 | 0 | 42 | 126 | -84 | 6 |
| Maine Maritime Academy | 0 | 5 | 0 | 20 | 128 | -108 | 3 |
South Conference
Conference Champion: Southern Connecticut State University
| Team | Wins | Losses | Draws | PF | PA | PD | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Connecticut State University | 5 | 0 | 0 | 187 | 55 | 132 | 15 |
| Western Connecticut State University | 3 | 2 | 0 | 128 | 88 | 40 | 10 |
| Trinity College | 3 | 2 | 0 | 150 | 115 | 35 | 10 |
| New Haven U23 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 100 | 112 | -12 | 8 |
| Wesleyan University | 1 | 3 | 1 | 89 | 144 | -55 | 4 |
| Central Connecticut State University | 0 | 5 | 0 | 53 | 193 | -140 | 4 |
West Conference
Conference Champion: Keene State College
| Team | Wins | Losses | Draws | PF | PA | PD | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keene State College | 5 | 0 | 0 | 193 | 31 | 162 | 15 |
| Plymouth State University | 4 | 1 | 0 | 203 | 31 | 172 | 13 |
| University of Hartford | 3 | 2 | 0 | 68 | 96 | -28 | 11 |
| Springfield College | 1 | 4 | 0 | 24 | 138 | -114 | 6 |
| Nichols College | 1 | 4 | 0 | 27 | 90 | -63 | 5 |
| Franklin Pierce University | 1 | 4 | 0 | 42 | 171 | -129 | 5 |
References
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