B-Side Bois: A Rugby Podcast · B-Side Bois

7/2/25 B-Side Bois w/ Ant Frein & Casey Hansen

·1 hr 59 min·5 clips

Ant Frein reveals how losing his daughter led to creating a rugby tournament to support grieving families.

This episode of the B-Side Boys podcast features hosts Mr. Gray and Billy V, joined by Gimli, discussing Iowa rugby news and conducting interviews. They speak with Iowa State Rugby head coach Ant Frein about a charity tournament and later with Iowa Youth Rugby high-performance director Casey Hansen about youth rugby developments. Ant Frein details the upcoming Lucy's Legion Luau tournament on August 2nd at the Des Moines Rugby Club, benefiting the Sleeping Angels Foundation. The event honors his daughter Lucy Ann, who passed away shortly after birth, and aims to support families dealing with child loss. Eight men's teams are already signed up, including sides named Lucy's Legion and the Angels, featuring players from Iowa State, Arkansas, and Sam Houston. The tournament will include Hawaiian-themed food, custom jerseys with names of lost children, and raffle items donated by local businesses like Rachel Ehrich. Admission is $10, with all proceeds being tax-deductible through the Cyclone Rugby Foundation. Frein hopes this becomes an annual event and discusses the overwhelming support from the rugby community during his family's difficult time. Frein also briefly reviews Iowa State's rugby season, expressing disappointment at not winning a national championship but optimism for next year with most starters returning. He mentions the team's upcoming trip to Ireland and a busy schedule facing all three other state schools. The hosts pledge to help promote the tournament and avoid scheduling conflicts for future Iowa Rugby Union events. Casey Hansen defines a true rugby academy as a high-performance training environment, contrasting it with casual club practices. He provides updates on the Bremer U-14 team, which includes players from Waverly and Cedar Falls. That team competed in tournaments in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and at Nationals in Ohio, where they finished fifth after avenging a loss to Wisconsin. The hosts' tone is conversational, humorous, and deeply supportive, blending casual banter with serious discussions about community and personal challenges. Listeners invested in Iowa's grassroots rugby scene, charitable causes, or personal stories of resilience within sports would appreciate this episode. Those seeking only professional rugby analysis or a tightly structured show might find the informal, localized focus less engaging.

As heard by us

A relaxed clubhouse conversation that makes Iowa rugby's next step feel close.

B-Side Boys settles into its familiar patio-side clubhouse tone while following how Iowa rugby has grown from teaching the basics to sharpening the finer points.

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Why you'd press play

For Iowa rugby talk that starts on the Wombat Den patio and settles into real coaching detail.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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