Caravelli Resigns As 7's Coach, Replacement Named Soon

Well, within a couple of weeks the two major men's teams rugby teams in this country will have brand new coaches. First Mike Tolkin was named the XV's coach and now 7's head coach Al Caravelli announced his immediate resignation. A replacement is set to be announced within the next 24 hours. Caravelli announced "personal reasons" for his departure. After having talked with Al over the last year, I found him to be extremely dedicated and professional. He put everything he had into the 7's team. He got an apartment in San Diego and even switched jobs to give more time to the team.

When Caravelli took over the team the U.S.A. 7's team was a very part time team that did not compete in every leg of the IRB Series. Sure they hosted a leg of the Series but they weren't terribly competitive. In only a few short years, under Caravelli's tutelage, the 7's team became organized and a selection process was streamlined. The team became a core member of the Series and even reached a semi-finals and a finals. Still, all of those pale in comparison to the effort Caravelli put into getting the 7's team in residency. This step cannot be underestimated. Anyone that had been around the team over the last two years knows how much he emphasis he put into rugby gaining access to Olympic resources. For that alone, we as fans should be grateful.

It is unclear if Caravelli was forced to resign or resigned on his own terms. At first I felt that it was genuinely for personal reasons, but the more I think about the more it seems that isn't the case. Caravelli is known to not give up. I find it hard to believe that he would stop in the middle of the season unless he was forced out or he had some personal reason that couldn't wait any longer (if that is the case, I hope everything is well for Al). Also, the idea that U.S.A. Rugby already has a replacement coach lined up makes you think that this wasn't a surprise. This doesn't mean that the new coach will be permanent, it could be an interim coach, but it still seems like this was planned out. The buzz around the team is that Caravelli had lost the locker room and that players felt like the selection system wasn't a straight forward as it might have been. That would be sad if that was the case, but it is something that happens in sports.

There are a lot of candidates that could take over the team: the current strength coach and former Eagle Dave Williams, Women's head coach Ric Suggitt, Dartmouth coach Alex Magleby, or 7's legend Waisale Serevi. All would be good choice and would bring particular strengths but since the new coach will be named tomorrow, I'll let U.S.A. Rugby announce the choice before we analyze.

No matter what the "personal reasons" were for Al Caravelli to resign, he should be congratulated for a job well done. He built this 7's programme and should get credit for it. Good luck to Al in the future and thanks for all of his efforts.

Al Caravelli Steps Down as USA 7s Coach

News from USA Rugby says that Al Caravelli is stepping down immediately as head coach of the 7s team, due to personal reasons. More on this to come later.

Match of the Week: Cal vs. Utah, Get Out and Support Rugby

Yesterday I challenged U.S.A. Rugby fans to get out and support their teams wherever possible. Low and behold, this weekend presents one of the first opportunities of the year for fans to do just that. Cal will be travelling to Salt Lake City this weekend to take on Utah at Rio Tinto Stadium. These are two of the best teams in the country and should provide some of the most exciting rugby of the year. Cal has prepped themselves by taking on UBC and various California schools while Utah has played SFGG, and in Las Vegas. Cal will also be looking to rebound after their 63 match win streak was halted last week by Cal Poly. The match will also feature some of the best potential for future Eagles, include the Utes Don Pati and Cal's Seamus Kelly. All in all in should be a great match so head on out with the whole family. Hopefully several thousand people will show up.

What: Utah vs. Cal at Rio Tinto Stadium

When: Saturday, March 3rd at 1:00 p.m. mt

Tickets: Adults-$10, $6 w/student or military i.d. Children under 12 free with purchase of adult ticket. Click here to buy tickets.

Here is a little look at the history between the two teams over the last few years (yes, it includes 7's):

Opening Kick

Opening Kick is a segment devoted to bringing you all Eagles and USA rugby related news in one location.

Eagles/7's:

The U.S. has dropped to 18th in the latest IRB Rankings. You can take that for what it is worth.

Gainline looks at how the Eagles dropped in the rankings.

On the latest edition of Total Rugby Radio is Nigel Melville, who talks about hosting the JWRT.

In news we broke, the rumors of Chris Biller heading to Northampton appear to be gaining speed. He has changed his resident status on Facebook to Northampton.

Some room on the Osprey's wing may have opened up for Hanno Dirksen as one of his teammates is leaving.

College:

In what could easily be the match of the week, Cal travels to Utah to take on the Utes at Rio Tinto Stadium.

The boys at Rugbymag.com look at who might get the at large bids for the DI-AA playoffs.

Alex Goff weighs in on whether Cal should be allowed into the DI-AA playoffs.

CRC tickets are now on sale. Get out and support rugby in this country.

Women:

The IRB has announced that London will be hosting the Women's Challenge Cup this upcoming May.

The students at the University of Massachusetts had the opportunity of assisting the women's national team and aspiring men's players last weekend by putting player through fitness training.

Women's college winners last weekend include Washington State over Washington, UCLA over UCSD, Stanford, and Chico State.

Tidbits:

The Post & Courier of Charleston, South Carolina looks at the growth of rugby in that area.

Here is the interesting story of Matt Hogan, an Australian-American ex-rugby players that has found a new passion in swimming.

Kimball Kjar, in his latest post for rugbyrugby, talks about a coaches role in scheduling.

Our Responsibility as U.S.A. Eagles Fans

Last week I stated that the first thing Mike Tolkin should do as head coach is to integrate the youth system into the national team. I even suggested that it would be nice if U.S.A. Rugby could find a way to start a residency program for high school players. Apparently this is something Nigel Melville has thought about. Here is a conversation from his blog:

Nigel,

Are there any plans to contract the HS AAs or even create a residency program? The players could go to school and train full time in Cula Vista. After High School they could move on to a University team or even a pro contract in the States or overseas.

1. 
   

   nigelmelville February 27, 2012 at 2:14 pm | Permalink | Reply

   I have looked at a couple of models where this has been tried in the USA, most notably the US Soccer Academy at the IMG facility in Bradenton, Florida. This was extremely expensive and they couldn’t get the best kids to leave high school to attend. It certainly something I believe would help us.

So obviously everyone would like it to happen, but money is a concern. It is true that it is very expensive to run an academy program. Real Salt Lake of MLS started their own academy in the last several years and according to their executives it costs a million plus dollars a year. That academy also has built in competition, which a rugby residency team would not have. The only close opponent the residency team would have is Canada, and you can only play them so many times. It would take a huge sum of money to fly 30 young men to South America, the Pacific, or Europe.

Nigel is also right that many players might not want to leave their high school programs. This wasn't as big of problem for U.S. Soccer as he claims (Landon Donovan, Oguchi Ogwenyu, and Kyle Beckerman anyone?) but it would be for U.S.A. Rugby. First, many of the players from the first U.S. Soccer academy went on to play college soccer or overseas. For young rugby players they could go on to college, but how many scholarships are out there for rugby players? If rugby was a NCAA sport, or even if the PAC-12 made it a varsity sport and offered scholarships, then I could see more players heading to residency. But without the chance of getting a free education, why leave your family?

What allowed U.S. Soccer to start their residency program was the financial boom from the 1994 World Cup. At the time it was the most financially successful World Cup to date. The stadiums were full and people tuned into the matches on TV. It laid the platform for the growth of the sport by leading to more sponsorships and interest in the sport. It is true that soccer in this country was bigger in its infancy than rugby is today, but hosting an event like the World Cup would do wonders for the growth of the sport in the U.S. The revenues from a World Cup could lead to a residency program and possibly a stable league.

So if we are serious as fans, we need to help U.S.A. Rugby land the 2023 World Cup. How can we do this? The bottom line: get out and support the Eagles at all levels and at all times. This means heading out to the JWRT this summer as well as the U.S. matches against Georgia and Italy. Buy tickets for you and your friends. Put butts in the seats and show the IRB that the U.S. shows up to big events. The more people watching, reading about, and attending rugby means that U.S.A. Rugby can get more sponsorship money and many of the things that frustrate us as fans could possibly be fixed. It also means heading out to your local club matches, Las Vegas 7's, and the CRC. It means heading out to college matches. The 10,000 Cal-BYU got last year was terrific; we need to do that again and multiple times a year. If there are more fans in the seats then college teams will get better facilities and eventually offer scholarships. But it all starts with going out and supporting the teams in person and bringing others. Our responsibility as Eagles fans is to translate our fandom into action.

Poll Tuesday: Developing a Flyhalf

If you are living in Arizona or Michigan, you have the option of voting twice today. Your first vote should be in here of course!

The topic of last week's poll dealt with the hiring of Mike Tolkin as the head coach of the Eagles. We asked a pretty strait forward question asking you to give a thumbs up or thumbs down to the hiring. With 73% of the vote, the large majority of you gave thumbs up to the hiring. Only 3% gave it a thumbs down while 23% gave it s thumbs side. So, it is a pretty positive result.

This week we are going to touch upon the topic of a number #10. One of the questions Tolkin has been asked since being selected, a question that is always asked of Nigel Melville, is how the U.S. can develop a #10. The Eagles were fortunate to have Mike Hercus man that position for years. While he wasn't spectacular, he was solid. After Hercus was no longer being condsidered for selection, Nese Malifa won the position. Nese started out very well with strong performances but tailed off at the end of the last cycle, eventually loosing his position to Roland Suniula. We are not here to say that either of these players haven't done a terrific job with the duties they have been given, you have to argue that they have done the best that they can.

Still, it is good to look to the future. All of our flyhalfs have been trained overseas. This is not a bad thing. As we have stated before, anyone with American eligibility is an American and should not have their loyalty questioned. But will the U.S. ever have a flyhalf emerge the same way a Todd Clever, Paul Emerick, or Mike Petri have. The position is one that takes time to learn and with so many players coming into the game at the high school or even collegiate level, it is hard to find someone who knows the position. Until that issue is fixed, the U.S. will most likely still need to rely on overseas trained flyhalfs. So this week we ask you: will the U.S. ever domestically develop a #10? Vote on the left side of the site and then leave a comment.

Yes

No

Opening Kick

Opening Kick is a segment devoted to bringing you all Eagles and USA rugby related news in one location.

Eagles/7's:

Some in the rugby community have looked at the 7's teams record and suggest maybe it's time for a coaching change. Alex Goff took those calls and examined whether or not those calls are justified. (Membership required)

U.S.A. scrumhalf Mike Petri blogs about how he was influenced by Jonny Wilkinson.

Petri's fellow Eagles, Chris Wyles and Hayden Smith, will now be privileged to train with iPads.

Women:

The student newspaper has a great article on the balance residency player Deven Owsiany is trying to achieve playing rugby and finishing her degree long distance.

U.S.A. Women's coach Pete Steinberg give more details of the women's training centres on the U.S.A. Rugby website.

One of those training centres was in Chicago, where ten women participated this last weekend. Find out what they did here.

College:

The Oregon State men came away from their fixture with Western Washington with aresounding 46-0 victory.

Austin Hall, head coach of the women's team at Norwich University has written an open letter to Nigel Melville asking him to resolve the seasonality issue in college rugby.

Jackie Finlan at Rugbymag.com gives a recap of the weekend's results from the Pacific Mountain North Conference.

Youth:

Finlan also gets an in depth look at two of the best girl's teams in the country: The Amazons of Sacramento, and Fallbrook of San Diego. (Membership required)

Club:

The Austin Blacks were the winners of this year's Ruggerfest.

Tidbits:

Gainline gives some analysis on the coverage BBC America is providing of the Six Nations.

Eagles Abroad: Weekend Review

A championship, the end to a regular season, and regular action topped a busy week for American overseas. Todd Clever finished his time with Suntory in style as his team won the Top League final. All the Americans in the RFU Championship are still in the hunt for promotion (not really because of stadium issues).

Also, if this were last year we would be talking about James Paterson and Fudge Mabeta after the first week of the Super Rugby season. However, Paterson taking the year to play in the states and Mabeta is out with a long-term injury. So, barring some unknown player with American eligibility, there will be no Americans in Super Rugby this year and our reporting on the Southern Hemisphere will slow down until the other leagues get going.

British Isles/Ireland:

Aviva Premiership

Chris Wyles started on the wing and went 80 minutes while Hayden Smith was not in the lineup for the Saracens as shocking lost to Worcester 16-11 on Friday. Wyles signed a new contract this week.

Paul Emerick came off the bench played 35 minutes as Wasps lost to Sale 46-34 on Friday.

Samu Manoa started and played 76 mintues for Northampton as they beat London Irish 30-23 in Reading on Sunday.

Chris Biller was not in the lineup for Bath in their 9-12 victory over Exeter on Saturday.

RFU Championship

Shawn Pittman started and went 51 minutes for London Welsh as they lost to Leeds 39-29 on Saturday. Robbie Shaw came off the bench and played 26 minutes while Mike MacDonald is injured and did not play. Here are the highlights of the match. Both Leeds and Welsh are in the promotion pool.

Andrew Suniula was not in the Cornish Pirates side that beat Moseley 32-17 on Sunday. Suniula has an injured knee. Pirates are still in the promotion pool.

RaboDirect Pro 12

Tommy Seymour came off the bench and played 13 minutes as his Glasgow Warriors team drew with Leinster 10-10 on Saturday.

Hanno Dirksen started and played 80 minutes as his Ospreys lost to Ulster 15-14 on Friday.

Other

Derek Asburn, Jason Law and Oxford play Penguins on Wednesday.

Tim Usasz and his Barking side played their re-arranged fixture with Birmingham and Solihull over the weekend.

France:

Top 14

Taku Ngwenya and Biarritz had the weekend off.

Scott LaValla and Stade Francais had the weekend off.

Seta Tuilevuka and Montpellier had the weekend off.

Kevin Swiryn is injured and was not in the lineup for Agen as they beat Castres 23-12 on Friday.

Pro D2

Inaki Basauri came off the bench and played 9 minutes for Perigueux as they picked up a big 33-27 victory over Albi on Saturday.

Japan:

Top League

Todd Clever came off the bench and played 15 minutes in Top League final. His Suntory beat the Panasonic Sanyo Wildcats 47-28 to win the championship on Sunday. It was Clever's final match for Suntory.

Opening Kick

Opening Kick is a segment devoted to bringing you all Eagles and USA rugby related news in one location.

Eagles/7's:

Chris Biller's contract with Bath has expired, but rumor has it he may be about to join Samu Manoa at Northampton as injury cover. We'll have more on this as more information becomes available.

The 7's team had a grueling week after fitness coach Craig White put them through the drills. (Membership required)

Women:

Phaidra Knight continues to interview her fellow Eagles, this time it is Beth Black's turn.

Nigel Melville looks at the women's 7's team and their preparation for Hong Kong.

Youth:

Also on his blog, Melville announces the High School All-Americans 2012 schedule, which will see them go to England and South America.

College:

The big collegiate news over the weekend was Cal Poly defeating Cal, who hadn't lost in 63 games. Alex Goff says that this Cal Poly team is for real.

BYU has picked up another victory over a Super League side after defeating the Denver Barbarians 35-28

Other winners over the weekend include Washington State defeating rivals Idaho, UCLA beating UC Davis, Texas A&M over Oklahoma, Arkansas putting up nearly a century over Notre Dame, scores in Northern California, Clemson over Georgia Tech, and many other scores.

Rugbymag.com has the latest DI-AA standings and DI-A standings.

Club:

The Glendale Raptors defeated OPSB 35-21 in Seattle on Saturday.

The Sacramento Lions have started the NorCal DI league in style after defeating San Francisco Golden Gate.

Belmont Shore, OMBAC, and Santa Monica were all winners in Southern California.

The Austin Huns came out of the Texas league action with a victory.

Here are the latest Men's DI standings via Rugbymag.com.

Tidbits:

Jonah Lomu is back in hospital after more kidney troubles. Here's wishing him a speedy recovery.

Rugby Weekend: Your Commentary

This weekend we'll try something new. As you are watching rugby this weekend, comment on the matches as they happen. Hopefully we can get a good dialogue going.

Opening Kick

Opening Kick is a segment devoted to bringing you all Eagles and USA rugby related news in one location.

Eagles/7's:

Chris Wyles has signed a new contract that will keep him at Saracens. Congrats to Chris! His team didn't have as great of day yesterday when they lost to Worcester.

The last few tournaments the 7's team hasn't scrimmaged with other teams, for Hong Kong however, the team will get back to scrimmaging. (Membership required)

With the Ulster job open, former Eagles coach Eddie O'Sullivan has indicated his interest.

Tomasi Waqa has been named the USOC Volunteer Coach of the Year for rugby.

Last weekend, Gavin Hickie and Luke Gross held a clinic in Colorado, Hickie shared the tips taught at the clinic. (Membership required)

Club/College:

DI Clubs are gearing up for a big weekend. One of the best matchups include Glendale vs. OPSB.

College team Penn State is playing Super League side Old Blue this weekend.

Jackie Finlan previews the weekend action for college DI women.

Super League Completes Winter Meeting

From the Super League website:

Representatives of the ten Rugby Super League clubs met last month in Las Vegas to discuss the upcoming season, the expanded playing schedule, club sponsorships, the impact of the rumored professional rugby league, possible upcoming expansion, and many other topics. The upcoming season will see each team in the Super League play an all-time high of eight matches beginning on March 10th. The increase in matches can be both good and bad for all the teams involved. "Teams are happy that they get to play eight regular season games...Some teams would like to see more regular season games," said RSL President Sean Kelly, adding that "as usual the discussion went into the reasons why this is hard to do, as travel costs would increase." Kelly indicated that unless teams could find a way to offset travel costs, it would be difficult to play more matches than the current eight. Also raised at the meeting was the issue of sponsorship. Kelly said that finding a national sponsor for the league was very difficult but that clubs had been very active in securing sponsorships from local bars, gyms, apparel companies, and local businesses. The league hopes that as more clubs transition into better facilities, more local businesses will begin to see the benefits of supporting a team. One question fans had heading into the offseason was whether the league would have an increased media presence in 2012. In response to this question, Super League clubs invited a media firm to give a presentation at the meeting. As a result, the league is planning on a redesigned website that should come online before the 2012 season begins. The new website should make it easier for fans to follow the league and their favorite team. The meeting also addressed the rumors of a new professional rugby competition in America. When asked if this was an issue amongst the clubs, Kelly responded by saying, "The RSL teams feel that if investors are willing to start a new league and put millions of dollars into it, then why not invest in the RSL which is already in place and a viable league?" Kelly also stated that none of the clubs had been approached to enter a team in the rumored league. One team mentioned that they had been rumored to be involved but had "no intention of leaving the Super League." While it may be a relief to many Super League fans that no club had the intention of leaving and only the Chicago Lions dropped out in the offseason, it is welcoming to fans to hear that representatives did discuss expansion for 2013. Kelly said the league will continue to look at potential teams and that the league did invite new teams to participate in 2012 but that those teams declined. Overall, the meeting has set the agenda for what looks to be an extremely active season for the league both on and off the pitch.

Eagles Abroad: Weekend Preview & TV Listings

Another week, another set of games for Americans. Here is what the week ahead looks like:

British Isles/Ireland:

Aviva Premiership

Chris Wyles will start on the wing while Hayden Smith is not in the lineup for the Saracens as they play Worcester on Friday.

Paul Emerick is on the bench for Wasps as they play Sale on Friday.

Samu Manoa will start at #6 for Northampton as they travel to Reading to play London Irish on Sunday.

Chris Biller and Bath play Exeter on Saturday.

RFU Championship

Robbie Shaw is on the bench while Mike MacDonald is out injured for Leeds as they play Shawn Pittman and London Welsh on Saturday.

Andrew Suniula is not in the Cornish Pirates side that will play Moseley on Sunday. Suniula has an injured knee.

RaboDirect Pro 12

Tommy Seymour and the Glasgow Warriors play Leinster on Saturday.

Hanno Dirksen looks to have firmly cemented his place in the Ospreys lineup. He is once again scheduled to start on the wing as the Ospreys play Ulster today.

Other

Derek Asburn, Jason Law and Oxford play Penguins on Wednesday.

Tim Usasz will coach his Barking side against Birmingham & Solihull on Saturday.

France:

Top 14

Taku Ngwenya and Biarritz have the weekend off.

Scott LaValla and Stade Francais have the weekend off.

Seta Tuilevuka and Montpellier have the weekend off.

Kevin Swiryn and Agen play Castres on Friday. Swiryn is injured and will most likely not play.

Pro D2

Inaki Basauri and Perigueux play Albi on Saturday.

Japan:

Top League

Todd Clever will start the Top League final on the bench in his final game for Suntory as they play the Panasonic Wild Knights on Sunday.

T.V. Listings:

*Here are the times for Super Rugby this weekend. All matches are on DirectTV.

Friday

• Worcester vs. Saracens, 2:40 p.m. et/11:40 a.m. pt (live on Fox Soccer Plus)
• Munster vs. Cardiff, 5:00 p.m. et/2:00 p.m. pt (delay on Fox Soccer Plus)

Saturday

• England vs. Wales, 11:00 a.m. et/8:00 a.m. pt (BBC America)
• Gloucester vs. Harlequins, 9:00 p.m. et/6:00 p.m. pt (delay on Fox Soccer Plus)

Sunday

• Glasgow vs. Leinster, 6:30 a.m. et/3:30 a.m. pt (delay on Fox Soccer Plus)
• London Irish vs. Northampton, 12:30 p.m./9:30 a.m. pt (delay of Fox Soccer Plus)

Opening Kick

Opening Kick is a segment devoted to bringing you all Eagles and USA rugby related news in one location.

Eagles/7's:

Nate Ebner, the rugby players turned American football star at Ohio State, has tweeted his interest in possibly playing for the 7's team if the NFL doesn't work out.

The Financial Times examines how the growth of 7's rugby is beneficial for the sport overall.

Fan wishing to watch Super Rugby will need to tune into DirectTV once again.

Club:

Too bad this match isn't televised: Old Puget Sound Beach are set to host Glendale this Saturday. Alex Goff previews the matchup. (Membership required)

Women:

The Women's National Team will be opening five training centres across the country this Spring.

Your Scrumhalf Connection points out an overlooked aspect of the IRB's new women's intiative, the inclusion of rugby in the 2014 Youth Games.

College:

With the 16 teams now finalized for the CRC, Alex Goff takes a look at each of the teams.

After dropping out of DI-A, Cal is looking to find a way to participate in the DI-AA postseason.

The Atlantic Coast Rugby League, which mirrors the ACC, kicks off this weekend.

The Northwest Collegiate Rugby Conference also has a full slate of action.

Mike Tolkin's To Do List

Last week U.S.A. Rugby named Mike Tolkin as the next head coach of the Eagles. For my money, this is a great hire. Tolkin is a very experienced coach with a great network of support around the country. He understands the way rugby works in this country and should be able to pick the best players available. I'm looking forward to seeing what Tolkin can do and to the future of the Eagles.

One of the best things about Tolkin is his positive attitude. He knows he has a lot of work ahead of him but he is looking forward to the challenge. That is definitely something you want in a coach. So, what are some of things that Tolkin should be doing? Here is a list of some things I believe should be on his to do list.

1. Integrate the Pyramid

The U.S. needs depth. This is not a new idea and the Eagles have been relatively lucky in that players have come out of nowhere to fill in holes for the team. Still, we need to develop players from a young age. Tolkin's first job should be to work closely with the All-Americans, Junior Eagles, and youth teams. He needs to help identify players early and to get them into the system. Professionalism may be a way off, but Tolkin should pour resources into setting up some sort of residency academy for younger players. It worked wonders for the U.S. Soccer programme and could do wonders for U.S.A. Rugby. These players would be taught a distinct U.S. system and would come into the full Eagles squad with more experience and knowledge. Tolkin will get the opportunity to put his imprint on the youth set up immediately with a Junior All-Americans camp coming up soon in preparation for the JWRT.

2. Confirm Todd Clever as Captain

No player gives more for the Eagles than Todd Clever. He is a leader. Players follow him and his hard work example. No better player is more suited to the captaincy than Clever. This decision should be a no-brainer for Tolkin.

3. Find a Kicker

Since the retirement of Mike Hercus, kicking has been the bane of the Eagles existence. The lads have done a lot of work in the past to put themselves in scoring position only to see it squandered by a missed kick. Last year Nese Malifa, Chris Wyles, James Paterson, Andrew Suniula, and Roland Suniula all took turns kicking for the Eagles. While they all did the best they could, it was hardly consistent. Whether it will be a new player coming into the squad that will be the new kicker or whether he picks one of the above players, Tolkin needs to find that kicker and a suitable back-up. It is nice to hear that improving the kicking game is one of Tolkin's targeted areas of improvement.

4. Fix the Scrum

The scrum simply cost the Eagles points and matches last year. The pieces are there but they need refinement. Tolkin has identified this as one of his area's of focus, that is a great step.

5. Convince Players to Stick Around

Rumors have it that several of the Eagles from the last round are retiring from international rugby. That is really too bad. Tolkin should convince these players to stay heavily involved in the team whether it is in a playing capacity or whether it is in a coaching capacity. He has stated he wants to blood younger players which is terrific, but it would be helpful to those players if some of the experienced players were around to ease the transition.

6. Spread the Net Wide

When the Eagles were searching for their next coach, many pundits out there insisted that U.S.A. Rugby hire American. There were plenty of reasons why this made sense. However, the idea that the Eagles should give priority to U.S. born and raised players is ridiculous. It is reassuring to hear that Tolkin has stated that any player committed to the team will be included, regardless of background. Excellent. Any player that is eligible to play for the Eagles is American. Period. With such a small playing pool, Tolkin needs to spread the net wide to find the best players possible.

Tolkin should be out scouting anywhere possible. He has stated that he will be attending Super League games in person. That is a great step for the next Eagles coach. There are a lot of good players out there but they need to be seen. Hopefully, U.S.A. Rugby will support Tolkin through a large scouting budget.

7. Utilize the Eagles Select XV & Support Eagles Abroad

Playing day in and day out is a privilege for only a few members of the national team. Tolkin has stated that he recognizes the value of playing overseas and will do anything to support those players. Tolkin needs to continue to foster these players overseas by keeping tabs on them and offering support whenever he can. He should also use their contacts to learn coaching strategies and to establish relationships with clubs overseas. The match against Saracens in the fall of 2010 was a great thing for the Eagles. It came about because of Chris Wyles and his contacts. Contacts like this can only help the Eagles and should be continued to be fostered.

Along the same vein, Tolkin should make it a priority to get more games for the Eagles Select XV. If players can't play overseas, the highest level of rugby they will get short of test rugby is select rugby. Tolkin should prioritize the Americas Rugby Championship and put a lot of effort into preparing players for that tournament. It begins with the domestic camp later this Spring. Last year Eddie O'Sullivan used this camp to select domestic players for the Churchill Cup. This year Tolkin will use it for the June tests. While that camp is only 3-4 days, it should be accompanied by a match. Training is a vital part of the game but so is playing in a match. Scheduling a team like Mexico (especially if the camp is held in San Diego) would be a great way to bring in new fans and to get the Select XV more time together.

Opening Kick

Opening Kick is a segment devoted to bringing you all Eagles and USA rugby related news in one location.

Eagles/7's:

New Eagles head coach Mike Tolkin and Eagles captain Todd Clever joined the latest Ruggamatrix podcast.

With four Americans playing in the RFU Championship, it is helpful to take a look at some playoff scenarios.

One blogger in Australia wonders if having a U.S. team in Super Rugby will really benefit America.

U.S.A. Rugby has picked four experience people to help guide elite referees in this country.

Kimball Kjar, in his new segment at RugbyRugby, says that being a mentor is the greatest role of a coach.

Women:

The IRB have officially announced that Hong Kong will host the next Women's Challenge Cup next month.

Women Eagles speedster Venesha McGee talks about refining speed.

Check out Eagle365 if you want to be a future Eagle.

Club:

30 teams are set to participate in this weekend's Fort Lauderdale Ruggerfest.

U.S. to Join Tier II Competition? & Glendale Raptors Add Two Eagles

There have been a couple of interesting news items to come out this last week concerning the Eagles that haven't had to do with Mike Tolkin being named head coach (EDIT: More on this later). First, Nigel Melville has indicated that the U.S. and other Tier II nations have agreed to some sort of competition where Tier II nations regularly play each other, and second, James Paterson and Nic Johnson have chosen to play for the Glendale Raptors.

Tier II Competition:

In Las Vegas, representatives of the U.S., Canada, Japan, Tonga, Fiji, Samoa, Russia, Georgia, and Romania all got together in order to discuss ways of creating more competition amongst themselves. Nigel Melville outlined three options the representatives were discussing. And while the second option was the most intriguing option to me, it looks like the Eagles will be playing in a resurrected Pacific Rim tournament with trips to Europe in November.

This is a good option that will get the Eagles 7-8 high level games a year. This is certainly an improvement. Additionally, it takes away the concern of pulling Eagles away from their European club teams in the middle of the year. After all, players like Samu Manoa, Chris Biller, and Paul Emerick were all signed to cover injury and international losses. Still, there is a missed opportunity for the Eagles to get more matches in the February-March time frame. A formalized tournament between all Tier II nations almost would have mandated the Eagles playing in the Spring. Still, the format they have come up with is probably the best for all the teams involved.

One question arising from this plan from a world perspective is asking where you draw that line on who constitutes a Tier II nation. This plan would leave out Namibia, Portugal, Spain, and Uruguay. It is true that Namibia and Uruguay have opportunities in South Africa and Argentina respectively, but keeping them out of this competition in effect creates an even bigger divide in world rugby. The installation of promotion and relegation to the competition could make it even more exciting and could incentivize other nations to improve. All in all, it will be interesting to see how this thing shakes out.

Johnson and Paterson join Glendale:

Nic Johnson and James Paterson joining the Glendale Raptors is not incredibly surprising. Both are Colorado natives and both want to pursue business opportunities close to home. Still, it is interesting to note the talent that Glendale as now assembled. What other team in the country as four potential regulars for the Eagles (including Nese Malifa and Ryan Chapman)? The only other teams that come to mind are San Francisco Golden Gate and the Utah Warriors. The Raptors could also be adding another player as John van der Giessen has moved to Colorado to work for Paterson's family company. All of this talent together is a good thing for the Eagles. It just goes to show that when a rugby club as great backing and good facilities, players will find their way to that club. It must be said that the Utah Warriors and SFGG have their strong points as well. The Warriors are close to having an excellent workout facility, and there is no more historic club than SFGG. Too bad Glendale doesn't play these teams in regular competition. Still, what the Glendale Raptors are doing is a great sign for rugby in this country. If I were a betting man, I would bet that the Raptors might be the first team to go professional in the U.S.

Eagles Abroad Weekend Review

It wasn't a very successful week for Americans overseas in terms of results this week. Still, it one big bright spot was the debut of Paul Emerick for London Wasps. Here is how the action went down this week:

British Isles/Ireland:

Aviva Premiership

Paul Emerick almost made a sparkling debut for Wasps as they narrowly lost Exeter 15-12 on Saturday. Emerick came on in the 21st minute and almost scored the perfect try at the last minute but was tackled just short of the line. It was a great start for Paul.

Chris Wyles started and played 80 minutes at centre while Hayden Smith started and went 42 minutes at lock as the Saracens they lost a heartbreaker to Leicester 19-20 on Sunday in a rematch of last year's Aviva Premiership final.

Samu Manoa started and played 80 minutes at lock for Northampton as Stephen Myler kicked the Saints to a 24-17 victory over Sale on Saturday.

Chris Biller was not in the lineup for Bath as they lost 14-11 to Gloucester on Saturday.

RFU Championship

Shawn Pittman was not in the lineup for London Welsh as they beat London Scottish 22-29 on Sunday. Pittman is slated to start against Doncaster on Wednesday.

Andrew Suniula was not in the Cornish Pirates side that beat Bristol by a point 19-18 on Sunday. Suniula is injured.

Robbie Shaw came off the bench in the second half while Mike MacDonald was out injured for Leeds as they lost to Esher 22-24 on Sunday. Shaw is set to start against Nottingham on Wednesday.

RaboDirect Pro 12

Tommy Seymour started and played the whole match (minus a yellow card in the 60th minute) for the Glasgow Warriors as they drew with Connacht 13-13 on Saturday.

Hanno Dirksen started and played 80 minutes but couldn't pick up a fourth try in a row as his Osprey's beat Aironi 23-7 on Friday.

Other

Derek Asburn, Jason Law and Oxford play Crawshays on Wednesday.

Tim Usasz and his Barking side lost to Blackheath 23-29 on Saturday.

France:

Top 14

Taku Ngwenya once again started for Biarritz as they lost 25-6 to Perpignan on Friday.

Scott LaValla was on the bench but didn't get in the match for Stade Francais as they drew Toulon 19-19 at home on Saturday.

Seta Tuilevuka was not in the lineup as Montpellier beat Bordeaux 30-26 on Saturday.

Kevin Swiryn is out injured and did not play for Agen in their 21-10 loss to Toulouse on Saturday.

Pro D2

Inaki Basauri came on in the second half and played 32 minutes for Perigueux as they lost 9-11 to Grenoble on Sunday.

Japan:

Top League

Todd Clever was not in the lineup for Suntory as they beat NEC Green Rocket 56-8 in the Top League semi-finals on Sunday. Suntory play the Panasonic Sonyo Wildknights in the final next week.

Opening Kick

Opening Kick is a segment devoted to bringing you all Eagles and USA rugby related news in one location.

Eagles/7's:

The New York Times has a terrific feature on the 7's team, the growth of the sport, and a look ahead to the Olympics.

The New York Post has a great article on Mike Tolkin's hiring. It was Tolkin's first day at the office yesterday and he sat down and took questions from fans over Twitter.

According to Tolkin, the Rugby Super League is a big part of his plans going forward. (Membership required)

Alex Goff looks at some more of Tolkin's plans. (Membership required)

Nigel Melville responds to the rumors of Super Rugby expansion into the U.S. with a "we are ready to talk." Melville is responding to quotes by SANZAR executive Greg Peters.

In case you haven't heard it yet, the latest Ruggamatrix recaps Las Vegas and talks about potential pro rugby.

Gainline takes a look at how the Hong Kong draw has increased pressure on the Eagles.

The folks over at We Are Rugby haven taken a look at how the Eagles have done in comparison to the Tomahawks.

In what could be great news for both the U.S.A. 7's and 15's teams, Zach Pangelinan has returned from injury to play in his first competitive match in months.

College/Youth:

U.S.A. has announced that the dates for next year's College National Sevens Championships will be held November 16-17, 2012 in a place to be determined.

In addition to responding to Super Rugby rumors, Nigel Melville took the time to explain to world fans why the JWRT is such a big deal to the U.S.

Richard Anderson at RugbyRugby says that the U.S. can learn from the Varsity Cup in South Africa.

After Ohio State couldn't make their fixtures, Bowling Green stepped up and split their weekend matches against Carolinian teams.

The University of British Columbia responded to their loss to Cal by beating St. Mary's on Tuesday.

Rugbymag.com has their College Top 25 rankings for both Men's DI-AA and DI-A.

Women:

The IRB has laid out their ambitious plan for women's rugby. It includes an expansion of the Nations Cup and an IRB Sevens Series for the women.

Deven Owsiany is the latest Eagle to be interviewed by Phaidra Knight.

Stanford beat Cal 32-10 to go atop the Pacific Mountain North Conference.

In the Battle of Oregon, the University of Oregon was able to defeat Oregon State.

The University of North Carolina is now 4-0 and atop their conference.

Club:

The Atlanta Renegades retained the Atlanta Cup after defeating Atlanta Old White.

Tidbits:

Janet Flamming, a rugby coach from Minnesota, has won an award from the Positive Coaching Alliance as one of its two coaches of the year.

A white card? Apparently Super Rugby now has them.

Poll Tuesday: Thumbs Up Or Thumbs Down to Mike Tolkin's Selection?

Well, it is a little late on Tuesday and I am sure everyone has missed me while on holiday (note the sarcasm) but that shouldn't stop us from enjoying another edition of Poll Tuesday.

Last week we asked you to grade the Eagles 7's team and their performance so far on the season. According to the fans, the season hasn't gone so well. With 42% of the vote, the largest number of the fans gave the Eagles a "D." Second in the rankings with 32% was "C." A flat-out "F" came in third with 15% of the vote while 7% felt the team deserved a "B" and 2% felt the team earned an "A." It's easy to see the fans displeasure with the teams performance. They have severely underachieved. I am willing to bet that Al Caravelli and the players would be the first ones to admit to that as well. One commenter put his frustration this way after listing off some pluses, "They just seem to be making simple mistakes. Are they trying too hard and not focusing on the moment at hand? Sigh. Sooo much potential. Sooo much frustration."

This week we shift gears back to 15's and the selection of Mike Tolkin as the new Eagles head coach. Tolkin has been around the rugby scene in this country for awhile. He has experience as head coach of NYAC in the Rugby Super League, and as head coach of Xavier High School. Still, does that mean he has the experience necessary to be an international coach. Here is your chance to voice your opinion. Do you give Tolkin's hiring a thumbs up or thumbs down. Explain why you voted the way you did in the comments.

Tolkin Named Eagles Coach & Hong Kong Draw

So much for my going on vacation! As soon as I go away that Eagles go ahead and name Mike Tolkin head coach of the Eagles. Tolkin previously coach the New York Athletic Club and Xavier High School, one of the most successful High School programmes in the country. We'll have more on this selection next week, but for now, congratulations to Mike Tolkin.

The other bit of news to pass along is the draw for Hong Kong. This year the draw is being done a little differently due to the addition of three core teams to the Series. The 12 core teams have been drawn against each other while the 12 non-core teams have been put together. For the Eagles, this means they have been put in Pool B with New Zealand, South Africa, and Wales. Ouch. Hopefully the Eagles will knock off one or two of these teams. They are due for an upset.

Eagles Abroad: Weekend Preview & TV Listings

The season is getting close to it's regular season conclusion and teams are jockeying for playoff position. Many Americans will be at the heart of that fight. Here is how what the weekend looks like for Americans overseas.

British Isles/Ireland:

Aviva Premiership

Chris Wyles will start at centre while Hayden Smith will start at lock as the Saracens play Leicester on Sunday in a rematch of last year's Aviva Premiership final.

Paul Emerick will make his debut on the bench for Wasps as they play Exeter on Saturday.

Samu Manoa will once again start at lock for Northampton when they play Sale on Saturday.

Chris Biller is not in the lineup for Bath as they play Gloucester on Saturday.

RFU Championship

Shawn Pittman will start for London Welsh as they play London Scottish on Sunday.

Andrew Suniula is not in the Cornish Pirates side that will play Bristol on Sunday. Suniula has an injured knee.

Robbie Shaw is on the bench while Mike MacDonald is out injured for Leeds as they play Esher on Sunday. Leeds will also play Nottingham mid-week in a rearranged fixture.

RaboDirect Pro 12

Tommy Seymour will start on the wing as his Glasgow Warriors team play Connacht on Saturday.

Hanno Dirksen will once again get the start for the Ospreys as they take on Aironi on Friday. Dirksen has scored a try three weeks in a row.

Other

Derek Asburn, Jason Law and Oxford play Crawshays Wednesday.

Tim Usasz will coach his Barking side against Blackheath on Saturday.

France:

Top 14

Taku Ngwenya will start for Biarritz against Perpignan on Friday.

Scott LaValla and Stade Francais host Toulon on Saturday.

Seta Tuilevuka and Montpellier play Bayonne on Saturday.

Kevin Swiryn and Agen play Toulouse on Saturday.

Pro D2

Inaki Basauri and Perigueux play Grenoble on Sunday.

Japan:

Top League

Todd Clever is not in the lineup for Suntory as they play NEC Green Rocket in the Top League semi-finals on Sunday

T.V. Listings:

Friday

• Leinster vs. Scarlets, 5:00 p.m. et/2:00 p.m. pt (delay on Fox Soccer Plus)

Saturday

• Stade Francais vs. Toulouse, 10:15 a.m. et/7:15 a.m. pt (ESPN3)
• Harlequins vs. Worcester, 2:00 p.m. et/11:00 a.m. pst (delay on Fox Soccer Plus)
  
• Bath vs. Gloucester, 4:00 p.m. et/1:00 p.m. pt (delay of Fox Soccer Plus)
• Treviso vs. Munster, 6:00 p.m. et/3:00 p.m. pt (delay on Fox Soccer Plus)
  

Sunday

• Saracens vs. Leicester, 11:00 a.m. et/8:00 a.m. pt (delay on Fox Soccer Plus)

Opening Kick

There will be no Opening Kick today. Sorry for the inconvenience. Hopefully there will be one on Friday but it also might be a no go. There will be the regular Eagles Abroad: Weekend Preview column however.

Why Changing Players Won't Help The Eagles

As you have probably been able to tell by the last three days worth of the "Opening Kick" segment, the news has been a little slow as people recover from the weekend. However, that means there is more time to reflect on the Eagles performance.

In "Poll Tuesday" we asked you to assign a grade to the Eagles (find the poll on the left hand side of the page). I fully expect the grades to be less than spectacular as the team has played less than spectacular. Some of this pool play has caused fans to look elsewhere for players. One commenter on Rugby America even suggested that a college all-star team could beat the Eagles. Maybe that is true, maybe it isn't. Still, there is the notion out there that all the Eagles have to do in order to get better is to get different players.

The fact is that the players on the team are the best players available at the time. People look back to when Todd Clever, Chris Wyles, and Zee Ngwenya were on the team and ask why we can't bring them back. The have jobs, that's why! The sevens team is often viewed as a vehicle for 15's contracts. While some may want that to change, that is the way it is. College players like Thretton Palamo, John Bademosi, and Nate Ebner have all chosen American football for the moment. Maybe they will come back to rugby, but can you blame them for having school paid for? Other players like Mike Petri could be good 7's players but they have too many commitments otherwise. You can't blame someone for not want to uproot their life for a minimum salary. The only player that could possibly be brought back into the team is Nick Edwards. We he plays he is arguable the best player for the Eagles. These players have not been selected because they are not available, it is as simple as that. If they were available, might they be considered? Absolutely, but there not, so some fans should get over it.

Also, it is not as if the players on the team don't have talent. I bet that if you were to match them up against any side in the country, they would win easily. Al Caravelli does a terrific job of picking out players. He spends the most time with them and has done his due diligence scouting. He did have many combines over the summer after all. These guys are the best that we have, and I for one will cheer for them no matter what. They could lose every match and I would still cheer for them.

Opening Kick

Opening Kick is a segment devoted to bringing you all Eagles and USA rugby related news in one location.

Eagles/7's:

The Glendale Raptors are adding two National Team players to their team. Both players are based in Colorado and should bring a good amount of experience. (Membership required)

Alex Goff says the stats tell the story of how the Eagles 7's are faring of late. Al Caravelli also asks for the fans to be patient. (Membership required)

American football stars Troy Polamalu, Paul Soliaia, and others came out to Las Vegas over the weekend.

Women:

With all of the different competitions going on at the same time over the weekend, one team that might have been overlooked was German-based Adler 7's, who won the women's elite competition.

Youth:

Highlights of the High School All-Americans have become available. The AA's are toward the end of the video.