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Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Brooklyn's Mike Petri, Rugby World Cup Star

Mike Petri (above, left) from Brooklyn's Petri Plumbing (with headquarters in Bay Ridge but trucks everywhere in Brooklyn) "juggled jobs at UBS AG and his family’s plumbing business" to help seal a spot on the U.S. Rugby World Cup squad, reports Bloomberg News.

The Eagles’ vice-captain proved his mettle at the global championship, which started Sept. 9 in New Zealand.

Petri, who attended Xavier High School and graduated from Penn State University (where he was selected to the Collegiate All-American Team four years in a row), scored the only "try" of the game in the 13-6 win over Russia on Sept. 15 to help give the U.S. its third win in World Cup history.

According to Wikipedia, a try is analogous to a touchdown in American and Canadian football, with the major difference being that a try requires the ball be simultaneously touching the ground in the in-goal area and an attacking player who is in the field of play or in-goal.

From USA Rugby:
"An intense first half saw the Eagles' defense hold strong and late in the first, the Suniula brothersm, Roland and Andrew, manipulated the Russian defense on an attacking move and vice-captain Mike Petri ran a great support line to score straight under the posts."

A highlights video is available at USA Rugby.

Petri played in yesterday’s 27-10 loss to Italy, which ends the U.S. participation in the tournament.

Petri Plumbing has been in business in Brooklyn for more than 100 years, and are also the first Green Plumbers in NYC (they get great reviews, too). Mike's great-grandfather started to company.

Photo courtesy of USA Rugby

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1 comment:

  1. Whoa, being selected for the Collegiate All-American Team four years in a row is a glorious achievement! Mike Petri should be idolized by kids. His on-field skills matched with his humble personality off-court are traits that every player should have. This young man has a great career ahead of him.

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