Former Terra Linda standout Brusati embarking on pro rugby career
If you ask him, the origin story of how Tom Brusati became a rugby player isn’t all that incredible, but as he prepares to make his professional debut, it’s worth revisiting to see just how far his abilities have taken him.
“I wish it was a cooler story but basically when I was a sophomore, I wasn’t very good at basketball, didn’t like baseball and didn’t want to wrestle,” the former Terra Linda High football standout said. “My mom was like ‘You have to find something to do or you’re working at (T & B Sports) with dad.’
“One of my friends played rugby. He said ‘Just give it a shot’ and I tried it and liked it so i just kept playing.”
An activity born from the need to find a sport to play outside of football season — Brusati was a standout running back for the Trojans, earning second-team all-MCAL honors as a senior in 2014 — has taken Brustati all the way to Major League Rugby’s New England Free Jacks.
Brusati played two seasons with the North Bay Rugby club during high school then played for St. Mary’s in college. Brusati was part of a D1A national title team in 2017, though he notes he didn’t play in the title game.
Brusati’s college career was cut short by the coronavirus pandemic and, after he wasn’t one of 24 players taken in MLR’s June draft, he briefly wondered if his playing career might be over.
“Going into the draft, it was like whatever happens happens,” Brusati said. “If I get selected, great. If I don’t, no sweat.”
Any disappointment Brusati felt that day was short-lived. Within 15-20 minutes a pair of MLR teams — the Free Jacks and the Dallas Jackals — indicated their interest in him. Dallas offered Brusati a spot on their academy team while New England offered him a contract. The choice was easy from there.
“I’m young. I might as well go give it a shot,” Brusati said.
The start of the MLR season was also delayed by the coronavirus pandemic but the league is set to resume practice in mid-February. The Free Jacks open on the road against Houston when the season starts on March 20.
“I’m really excited for the opportunity,” Brusati said. “I also have a few friends from St. Mary’s who are going to be on the team. I’m excited to get back into my normal routine these past five years.
“Life felt a bit weird without rugby so I’m excited to get back into it.”
Brusati, who primarily played scrum-half and winger for St. Mary’s, is set to play scrum-half for the Free Jacks.
“Every time there’s a tackle, I’m the one who comes to the base of that tackle and passes the ball to the next person,” Brusati said. “Eighty percent of my position is running around the field passing and telling guys what to do.”
Count Dave Cingolani, Brusati’s former club coach at North Bay, as someone who has not been at all surprised by all the success Brusati has had so far.
“When Tom was in high school, there was no pro league,” Cingolani said. “My hope for Tom was he would get a look or a tryout at the national-team level.”
Brusati’s time spent carrying the football for Terra Linda helped him make a seamless transition to rugby.
“The way he could move his body, he was a natural-born runner with the ball in his hands,” Cingolani said. “He was a fierce defender. People didn’t get by him — faster, bigger, whatever. He had a knack for getting guys on the ground that was just fantastic.”
Cingolani saw right away that, even as a rugby novice as a high school sophomore, Brusati had a bright future ahead of him.
“The sky was the limit for Tom,” Cingolani said. “Tom could do or be whatever he put his mind to. It’s great to see he’s going to do something professionally for rugby. I think he’s going to be fantastic.”