Youth Performances Indicate a Bright U.S. Future

There have been plenty of things for U.S. fans to get excited about this summer, but at the top of that list has to be the performance of the Junior All-Americans. Their victory in the Junior World Rugby Trophy was a pivotal moment for rugby in this country that could signal bigger things are still to come. The successful tour of the High School All-Americans to South America is also a step in the right direction. In my latest RugbyRugby column I take a look at what made the All-Americans tour of South American successful and what it means for rugby in this country.

Poll Tuesday: Club 7's Championship

Finally, a poll where we let you predict some results! But first, let's take a look at last week's poll.

We asked how closely you followed the High School All-Americans. As you know, the High School All-Americans just wrapped up their tour of South America with three wins and two losses. Overall, it was a good tour for the team and something they can build on as they move forward. So, with that in mind, 56% of you said that you "follow" the team while 30% said you were "obsessed." Only 12% of you said that you "Do not follow" or "Don't care."

This weekend is the Club 7's Championships held in San Francisco. The club 7's season was strong this year with many many good teams set to battle it out this weekend. Some of the strongest teams include perennial favorites Old Puget Sound Beach, the Chicago Lions, and Belmont Shore. Youngbloodz and Schuykill River are other strong teams that could impress. Old Aztec are a relatively new club but they feature members of the U.S.A. 7's team. The list goes on. So the question we pose to you is, who do you think will win the Club 7's Championship?

Old Aztec

Denver

NYAC

Charlotte

Schuykill River

Old Blue

Olympic Club

OMBAC

OPSB

Youngbloodz

Daytona

Maryland Exiles

Chicago Lions

Tama Laie Lions

KC Blues

Belmont Shore

Opening Kick

Opening Kick is a segment devoted to bringing you all Eagles and U.S.A. Rugby news in one location.

Make sure to enter our club 7's prediction contest for your chance to win a shirt from Bakline Rugby.

Also, send in a question for our question and answer session.

7's/U.S.A. Rugby:

Rugbymag looks at the best 7's teams not playing in the Club 7's Championship this weekend. (have patience while the page loads)

Rugby Canada has begun previewing teams ahead of next month's 7's RWC qualifiers in Ottawa. Here is their look at the Cayman Islands and the Bahamas.

U.S.A. Rugby has increased their coach certification standards.

World:

The RaboDirect Pro12 has announced their TV schedule for the first 13 rounds of competition.

The Ospreys have avoided the threat of being wound up after they settled their tax bill.

Question and Answer Time! (Again)

There have been plenty of changes in rugby since the last time we held a question and answer session. So, fire away with your questions in the comments section until now Friday evening and I'll have the answers for you on Saturday.

Interview with Roland Suniula

Roland Suniula recently signed a contract with Auch of the French Pro D2. Working through his agent, the Eagle flyhalf/centre joins Inaki Basauri (Tarbes) and Seta Tuilevuka (Beziers) in the French second division. Suniula was kind enough to sit down for an interview to talk about his recent move.

This Is American Rugby: How have you adjusted to life in France so far? Did you know anyone ahead of time that could help you get settled in?

Roland Suniula: Apart from the language which was something I knew I was going to struggle with, adjusting has been smooth. Auch is a small town and people at the club are friendly and have made me feel welcome from day one. I knew a French guy who played for Auch that I met on the circuit who left this season to another club. Otherwise I met everyone for the first time.

TIAR: You've played flyhalf for the Eagles but have also been considered at centre. Which position do you prefer and which will you be playing at Auch?

RS: Twelve has been the position I've played most of my career which is my usual preference, but I have enjoyed the challenge at 10 also. At the moment I'm running at 12 for Auch, but who knows they may throw me in other positions whenever needed.

TIAR: The Eagles had a relatively successful summer. How do you think the summer assembly went for you personally?

RS: Personally, it could have been better. Not being 100% since the World Cup last year and doing 7s after it has made it difficult for me to get time to rest and prepare at my best. Which is why I made the choice to not do 7s and 15s back to back. At least for the time being.

TIAR: What do the Eagles need to do to improve on their fall tour?

RS: A fitter and more defensively sound Eagles will definitely allow us to play more free flowing footy in the fall.

TIAR: You and some of the other lads like to refer to each other as teef. What does that mean?

RS: Haha. It's the only word in the world that has no meaning yet it's used to define someone or something, but ask my brother Andrew. He knows the guy personally who came up with the word back in high school.

Opening Kick

Opening Kick is a segment devoted to bringing you all Eagles and U.S.A. Rugby news in one location.

Make sure to enter our club 7's prediction contest for your chance to win a shirt from Bakline Rugby.

Eagles 7's:

The U.S.A. 7's team is getting set for the 7's RWC qualifiers next month. Last Friday they scrimmaged against OMBAC. (Membership required) Those reportedly in camp are: Zack Test, Andrew Durutalo, Peter Tiberio, Tai Enosa, Make Unufe, Colin Hawley, Rocco Mauer, Taylor Mokate, and Carlyn Isles.

Alex Goff checks in with the team and says that they not only need to plan for the future, but also need to be ready to win now. (Membership required)

All-Americans/Youth:

The High School All-Americans wrapped up their tour of South America with a disappointing 52-3 loss to the Argentina U-18 team. The All-Americans finished their tour 3-2 with two wins over Chile, a win and a loss against Uruguay, and the loss to Argentina.

The Northern California U-18 team played three matches against the British Columbia U-17 team over the past weekend and came away with the series win. British Columbia still got the better of them in a series of 7's matches.

Club:

The latest Ruggamatrix is out and the group discusses the qualification to the club 7's championship.

The Palo Alto 7's took place over the weekend. The Pacific Coast Grizzlies were once again the top team.

Women:

The U-20's are currently in assembly and played a scrimmage against a team from the Northeast. Here is the video.

World:

IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset is excited for rugby's inclusion in the next Olympics, saying that it will inspire many rugby players.

Was there match fixing at the 2007 Rugby World Cup? At the time, New Zealand coach Graham Henry thought so.

Tidbits:

The Provo Steelers (union) defeated the Utah Avalanche (league) in a cross-code rugby match.

Here's a training tip on how to strengthen your stiff arm. (Membership required)

Lou Stanfill Signs With Vicenza Rangers

U.S.A. Eagles flanker/lock Lou Stanfill has signed with the Vicenza Rangers in the Italian Serie A. Rugbymag was the first to break the news and has a nice article with some quotes from Stanfill. Stanfill previously played in Italy with Mogliano in the Super 10. His new team plays in the Serie A with is one step below the Super 10 and two steps below the two Italian teams in the RaboDirect Pro12. The Rangers earned promotion to the Serie A have finishing second in the Serie B3.

Most recently Stanfill played with NYAC in the Super League where he was an intregal part of the championship team. The move to Italy will allow Stanfill to play 22 league games as well as be available for the Eagles fall tour in Europe. Congrats to Lou and good luck in the upcoming season.

Club 7's Championship Prediction Contest

Because our DI-A playoff prediction contest went so well, we'd thought we'd try it again for the Club 7's Championships! This time we have teamed up with Bakline (check out their website to see some cool clothes) to offer one of their awesome street wear shirts as the top prize.

Here is how you play: Pick the two winners from each of the four pools (the pools can be seen here). Then, fill out the remainder of your bracket. This year the quarterfinals feature A1 vs. B2, C2 vs. D1, C1 vs. D2, and A2 vs. B1. So for example, say OPSB wins Pool C and Belmont Shore is the runner-up in Pool D. They would then play each other in the cup quarterfinals.

The winner of the contest will be the person with the highest number of correctly guessed brackets. In the event of a tie, a winner will be drawn at random.

To enter, send an email to [email protected] with your predictions. The e-mail should look like this:

Your First and Last Name

Your Email

Pool A Winner

Pool A Runner Up

Pool B Winner

Pool B Runner Up

Pool C Winner

Pool C Runner Up

Pool D Winner

Pool D Runner Up

A1 vs. B2 winner

C2 vs. D1 winner

C1 vs. D2 winner

A2 vs. B1 winner

(A1 vs. B2 winner) vs. (C2 vs. D1 winner) winner

(C1 vs. D2 winner) vs. (A2 vs. B1 winner) winner

Final winner

If you have questions regarding the format, please contact [email protected]

The deadline for submissions will be Friday, August 3rd at 11:00 p.m. et/8 p.m. pt

Here is my personal favorite from their collection and the shirt we will be giving away (either men's or women's):

Interview with Derek Asbun

As the Eagles move towards becoming a younger team, one player that could play a big part of the team is Derek Asbun. The former Cal All-American sat down with This Is American Rugby to answer a few questions.

This Is American Rugby: Congrats on getting your first cap for the Eagles. How did it feel to step out on the field for the first time as an Eagle?

Derek Asbun: It was awesome. I was on the bench against Canada and quite anxious to get on so when I got a chance to contribute against Georgia I felt excited and ready to put my best foot forward. I was truly honored to put on the jersey and to be able to play for my country, it is a memory I will hold dear.

TIAR: You've played in the back row and at hooker. What position do you prefer to play?

DA: I love playing in the back row. All the teams I've played for have pegged as a hooker candidate but I usually fall into the back row position. I like the challenge of learning a new position and maybe bringing some skills to the position that are usually attributed to back row players. I have really enjoyed seeing improvements in my throwing and scrumming, and at this point I am fully committed to mastering the position. Both positions are really fun for their own reasons, but I just want to contribute the most I can regardless of where I play.

TIAR: After graduating from Cal you made to move to play for Oxford. How did you that come about? Why Oxford?

DA: The summer before my last year at Cal, I worked for an ex Oxford Blue and Cal Hall of Fame rugby and football player, Don James. He told me about his time at Oxford and encouraged me to apply. I had never entertained the idea of going abroad for grad school, but this sounded like a really exciting idea. Oxford seemed like a great opportunity to continue to add to my CV and also gain some really good rugby experience abroad. One of my best friends, and co-captain, Jason Law and I worked together on the application and spent a lot of time trying to find adequate courses of study. We got in contact with OURFC and they were very welcoming and excited to reestablish the Cal - Oxford connection. Once Jason and I both got into our separate courses OURFC helped us get on the ground running and this last year has been one heck of an experience.

TIAR: Oxford has a great reputation for playing a tough schedule against several professional teams. What is that like and how has that helped you improve?

DA: The rugby at Oxford was exactly what Jason and I were looking for. It has a very treasured history that is visible in everything related to the club. There is a lot of honor in playing for the Blues and that made our experience that much more special. As any other good team it was tough to break into the first side, but the opportunities were there and everyone was very encouraging. The ability to play against good opposition week in week out is great and it helped me focus on the weak points of my game and move forward as a player in general. Our coaching staff was superb and we got to work with some really great names in the game.

TIAR: The Eagles will be heading to Europe in the fall to play Tonga, Romania, and Russia. What do you think the team needs to do in order to improve upon the summer's results?

DA: As a first time Eagle, it is hard for me to criticize the team when I am still trying to find a spot on the team. That said, my impressions of the team are really positive. We worked hard towards creating a positive and winning culture that everyone embraced. Our coaching staff was excellent in promoting our team values and managing our players. The guys on tour were really solid, everyone seemed to have their noses pointed in the same direction and as a young member of the team it got me excited to be a part of this new era in USA rugby. I think the more time we have together the better we will be able to run the systems and play the exciting and forward moving rugby we want to be playing.

TIAR: You recently played in the Premiership 7's with London Wasps. How did that opportunity come about? Will you have an opportunity to train with them in the future?

DA: I was invited to play for Wasps in the Roslyn Park 7s tournament before the June tests. I played well at Roslyn Park and they asked me back to play in the JP Morgan tournament. I don't know if I will have any more chances to play with Wasps but it would be a welcomed opportunity.

TIAR: What are your plans after graduating from Oxford?

DA: After the June tests, I decided I am going to give rugby a go for the next year. Not entirely sure what that entails yet, but I am focused on finishing my dissertation this week and then moving onto finding a club to continue to improve as a hooker and rugby player.

TIAR: Lastly, how can fans in America follow you and Oxford?

DA: My time with Oxford is now finished, but Jason Law will still be with the team next year and OURFC has a good website with match recaps and Oxford news at ourfc.org. The Oxford Mail news paper also follows the team closely and regularly has write ups on their website as well.

Opening Kick

Opening Kick is a segment devoted to bringing you all Eagles and U.S.A. Rugby news in one location.

Eagles/World:

Paul Emerick has returned to coaching at Life. Here are his thoughts on what young players need to be learning. (Membership required)

Hayden Smith has reported to camp with the New York Jets. Apparently he made the trip up to camp with none other than Tim Tebow.

The Olympics start today. That means the whole rugby world is anticipating rugby's inclusion in the games four year from now. They are also rediscovering who are the reigning Olympic champions.

Here is more on the Olympics from our friends up north.

College:

The club 7's championships are right around the corner but what about college? U.S.A. Rugby has released more information regarding the who, what, when, where's of the tournament.

In conjunction with the Ohio State vs. Cal american football match, the Buckeyes will be hosting a short 7's tournament featuring Cal, Navy, and Notre Dame.

Western Washington University's rugby program is expected to get a boost in the new several years as they gain more access to school facilities. That access might not have been possible if the school hadn't dropped their american football program.

Club:

The Sacramento Lions had a good season this last year. Now they are looking to get even better by adding an experienced Fijian coach.

Women:

As we told you yesterday, the clubs participating in the women's club championships were still up in the air. That has now been settled and you can see the final list of teams here.

Tidbits:

Eamonn Hogan shares his thoughts on the "Cardinal Rules of Amateur Rugby Coaching." (Membership required)

Video: High School All-Americans 23-22 Uruguay U-19

Here is video of the High School All-Americans 23-22 victory over the Uruguay U-19 team.

HSAA v Uruguay 2nd test copy from Wilbert Thompson on Vimeo.

Tracking College Rugby Changes

Here is a list of the all the changes to DI-A and DI-AA since last season. Bear in mind that lots of things on this list can change. In particular, a few conferences are down to only one or two members and will most likely be dissolved. Anyways, take a look:

RED=Subtraction, BLUE=Addition

DI-A

Before: 25 Teams, 4 Conferences
After: 37 Teams, 6 Conferences (1 Independent)

East:

• Old: Army, Delaware, Kutztown, Navy, Ohio State, Penn State, Rutgers
• Changes: Navy (Varsity Cup), Ohio State (DI-A Big Ten), Rutgers (DI-AA Empire)
• New: Army, Delaware, Kutztown, Penn State

Mid-South:

• Old: Arkansas State, Life, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Notre Dame
• Changes: Oklahoma (DI-A Allied), Texas A&M (DI-A Allied), Notre Dame (Varsity Cup), Davenport (from DI-AA Mid-Eastern)
• New: Arkansas State, Life, Davenport

Allied:

• Old: Didn’t exist
• Changes: Texas (DI-AA Soutwest), Texas A&M (DI-A Mid-South), Baylor (DI-AA Southwest), Oklahoma (DI-AA Mid-South), Texas Tech (??), Sam Houston State (DI-AA Southwest)
• New: Texas, Texas A7M, Baylor, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Sam Houston State

Big Ten: (I know they won’t be called Big Ten, but until they get a name, that is what I’m calling them.)

• Old: Didn’t exist
• Changes: Illinois (??), Indiana (DI-AA Mid-Eastern), Iowa (DI-AA Midwest), Minnesota (DI-AA Midwest), Wisconsin (DI-AA Midwest), Michigan (??), Michigan State (DI-AA Mid-Eastern), Purdue (DI-AA Mid-Eastern), Nebraska (DI-AA Midwest), Ohio State (DI-A East)
• New: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue, Nebraska, Ohio State

West:

• Old: Air Force, Arizona, Arizona State, BYU, Colorado, Colorado State, Utah, Wyoming
• Changes: Air Force (Varsity Cup), Arizona (PAC-12), Arizona State (PAC-12), BYU (Varsity Cup), Utah (PAC-12/Varsity Cup), New Mexico (DI-AA Independent), Northern Colorado (??)
• New: Colorado, Colorado State, New Mexico, Northern Colorado, Wyoming

Pacific (now California):

• Old: Cal Poly, Central Washington, St. Mary's, UC Davis, UCLA
• Changes: Central Washington (DI-A Independent), UCLA (DI-AA PAC-12), Sacramento State (DI-AA Northern California), San Diego State (DI-AA Pacific Mountain West), Santa Clara (DI-AA Northern California), Stanford (DI-AA Northern California), UC Santa Barbara (DI-AA Pacific Mountain West)
• New: Cal Poly, St. Mary's, Sacramento State, San Diego State, Santa Clara, UC Davis, Stanford, UC Santa Barabra

Independent: Central Washington

DI-AA

Before: 107 teams, 14 Conferences (1 Independent)
After: 99 teams, 15 Conferences Atlantic Coast:

• Old: Clemson, Duke, Georgia Tech, Maryland, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest
• Changes: Georgia Tech (DI-AA South Independent), Navy (DI-A East)
• New: Clemson, Duke, Maryland, Navy, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest

Eastern Pennsylvania (now Keystone):

• Old: Millersville, Shippensburg, St. Joseph’s, Temple, West Chester
• Changes: West Virginia (DII), Pitt (DII)
• New: Millserville, Pitt, Shippensburg, St. Joseph’s, Temple, West Chester, West Virginia.

Empire:

• Old: Binghampton, Brockport, Buffalo, Fordham, Iona, Merchant Marine Academy, St. Bonaventure, Stony Brook, Syracuse
• Changes: Rutgers (DI-A East)
• New: Binghampton, Brockport, Buffalo, Fordham, Iona, Merchant Marine Academy, Rutgers, St. Bonaventure, Stony Brook, Syracuse

East Coast:

• Old: Albany, Boston College, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Middlebury, Northeastern, South Connecticut State
• Changes: None

Ivy League:

• Old: Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Penn, Princeton, Yale
• Changes: None

Midwest:

• Old: Iowa, Iowa State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northern Iowa, Wisconsin, Wisconsin-Stout
• Changes: Iowa (DI-A Big Ten), Minnesota (DI-A Big Ten), Nebraska (DI-A Big Ten), Wisconsin (DI-A Big Ten)
• New: Iowa State, Northern Iowa, Wisconsin-Stout

Mid-Eastern:

• Old: Bowling Green, Davenport, Indiana, Miami (OH), Michigan State, Purdue
• Changes: Davenport (DI-A Mid-South), Indiana (DI-A Big Ten), Michigan State (DI-A Big Ten), Purdue (DI-Big Ten), Bowling Green (DI-AA Mid-America), Miami (OH) (DI-AA Mid-America)
• New: Doesn’t exist

Mid-America:

• Old: Didn’t exist
• Changes: Ball State (??), Bowling Green (DI-AA Mid-Eastern), Central Michigan (??), Dayton (??), Miami (OH) (DI-AA Mid-Eastern), Northern Illinois (??). Ohio (??), Western Michigan (??)
• New: Ball State, Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Dayton, Miami (OH), Northern Illinois, Ohio, Western Michigan

Southwest:

• Old: Baylor, Houston, North Texas, Rice, Sam Houston State, TCU, Texas, Texas State
• Changes: Baylor (DI-A Allied), Sam Houston State (DI-A Allied), Texas (DI-A Allied)
• New: Houston, North Texas, Rice, TCU, Texas State

Southeastern:

• Old: Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana State, Mississippi, Mississippi Sate, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vanderbilt
• Changes: None

South Independent:

• Old: Central Florida, Emory, Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Florida State, Georgia Southern, Kennesaw State, Life B, Middle Tennessee State, South Florida
• Changes: Emory (DII), Florida International (DII), Memphis (DII), Georgia Tech (DI-AA Atlantic Coast)
• New: Central Florida, Florida Atlantic, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Georgia Southern, Kennesaw State, Life B, Memphis, Middle Tennessee State, South Florida

Heart of America:

• Old: Arkansas, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, Oklahoma State, Truman State
• Changes: None

Pacific Mountain:

• Old: Claremont Colleges, Loyola Marymount, San Diego, San Diego State, USC, UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara
• Changes: San Diego State (DI-A California), UC Santa Barbara (DI-A California)
• New: Claremont Colleges, Loyola Marymount, San Diego, USC, UC Irvine

PAC-12:

• Old: Didn’t exist
• Changes: Cal (Independent), Utah (DI-A West), Oregon State (DI-AA Northwest), Arizona (DI-A West), Arizona State (DI-A West), UCLA (DI-A Pacific)
• New: Cal, Utah, Oregon State, Arizona, Arizona State, UCLA

Northern California:

• Old: Chico State, Sacramento State, Santa Clara, Stanford
• Changes: Sacramento State (DI-A California), Santa Clara (DI-A California), Stanford (DI-A California)
• New: Chico State

Northwest:

• Old: British Columbia, Eastern Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Oregon State, Simon Fraser, Washington, Washington State, Western Washington
• Changes: British Columbia (Canada), Oregon State (DI-AA PAC-12), Simon Fraser (Canada), Boise State (??), Western Oregon (??)
• New: Eastern Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Washington State, Western Washington, Boise State, Western Oregon

Opening Kick

Opening Kick is a segment devoted to bringing you all Eagles and U.S.A. Rugby news in one location.

All-Americans:

The High School All-Americans rebounded from their earlier loss to Uruguay by getting a close 23-22 win in their second match against in Uruguay.

Alex Goff provides some notes on the team as they head into their last match agains the Argentina U-18 team.

Eagles/Canada:

I missed this article a long time ago but Tim Usasz will not be returning to Barking as head coach.

Canada have added to their list of players playing abroad after 19-year old Taylor Paris signed for Glasgow.

It seems that everyone gets a high-level club rugby match but North America. Saracens have announced that they will host their Heineken Cup match against Racing Metro in Belgium.

Club:

Even though Old Puget Sound Beach are the favorites going into the Club 7's Championship, the team will be playing with a chip on its shoulder after losing the Super League final. (Membership required)

Women:

It appears that teams from the West, as well as the military side, have dropped out of the women's club 7's. They will be replaced by team's from the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Pacific Coast.

Ahead of the annual CanAm Tournament, the women's U-20 team will be training at Lake Placid.

Tidbits:

Here is a quick look at Wheelchair rugby and the U.S. team that hopes to bring home gold.

According to this article, rugby is beginning to boom in Alaska.

That doesn't come as a surprise to Boston.com, who took at look America's fasting growing sport.

Rugby players can do a lot of thing, but can they help people escape from a burning building?

The Provo Steelers will play a cross-code game with the Utah Avalanche this weekend.

An Update on 7's Contracts

Here is a little follow-up on who might be at the Olympic Training Center and potentially have signed a contract. (Bear in mind this is pure speculation and not confirmed.)

According to twitter, Zach Test, Peter Tiberio, Colin Hawley, and Taylor Mokate are all at the OTC. We already knew that Tiberio and Mokate had signed contracts and Test and Hawley were expected to be back. Also in the twitter conversations (I feel incredibly uncool writing that) Duncan Kelm is also with the group. However, Kelm is from San Diego so it's hard to tell if he is at the OTC or just in the area. If he did sign a contract it wouldn't be a total surprise either.

In my article I also mentioned that Nick Edwards would be a good candidate for a contract if he was willing to commit to the program. Now we've learned that he is registered to play 7's with Old Aztec (based in San Diego and has several other Eagles registered) even though he has been playing with Sydney University this summer. However, he wasn't on the Sydney University team sheet last week. Could he be on his way to the states? It's a possibility.

Lastly, a reader said that Maka Unufe had signed a contract and was in San Diego. If that is true (which there is no reason to doubt) then that would mean the following are possibly in San Diego:

For sure: Hawley, Test, Mokate, Tiberio, Enosa

Strong Possibility: Unufe

Maybe: Edwards, Kelm

Opening Kick

Opening Kick is a segment devoted to bringing you all Eagles and U.S.A. Rugby news in one location.

Club:

Old Aztec have quickly risen in the world of club 7's and head coach Matt Hawkins says much of that has to do with youth. (Membership required)

Another Bay Area coach has stepped down, this time it's Ray Lehner of Olympic Club.

Women:

Rugbymag has selected their list of women's 7's College All-Americans.

The women's bracket for the club 7's championship has filled up. North Shore and Youngbloodz will be the representatives from the Midwest.

In the Mid-Atlantic, NOVA will be sending two teams while the D.C. Furies will be the third regional representative.

The U.S.A. Women's 7's team has already qualified for the World Cup, but their Canadian counterparts still have to win the NACRA 7's to advance.

World:

The IRB Sevens Series is only a few months away and it promises to be the "biggest ever year of Sevens."

College:

The South Independent conference is doing a big a reshuffling after losing some members but adding others.

Youth:

Here's a look at three players from Maryland who are with the High School All-Americans.

Also in Maryland, over 2,000 kids are set to participate in the Freedom Youth Rugby camp later this month.

A representative team from Northern California is set to host British Columbia in an U-17 match.

Predicting the U.S.A. 7's Team Roster: Part Two

Yesterday was part one of our look at the U.S.A. 7's team. We talked about which players were under contract this year and who might have their contracts renewed. Today, in my latest RugbyRugby article, we are going to take a look at some players that weren't under contract last year and who did not play for the team. There are many candidates, including the College 7's All-Americans, those that played with Atlantis in Victoria, members of the Eagles 15's team, and others.

What do you think? Who in this group might break through?

Poll Tuesday: High School All-Americans

Last week I asked bit of follow up to a column a wrote advocating for European club teams to visit the U.S. as part of their pre-season. As a mentioned, it got some reaction over on RugbyRugby--some positive and some negative. I asked you whether European club teams should tour America and an overwhelming 97% of you said they should. Wow. I thought that it would receive some support but that number is pretty outstanding. Hopefully European teams take a look at the poll results.

This week the topic is surrounding the High School All-Americans and their tour of South America. Simply, how closely do you follow the team?

Obsessed

Follow

Do not follow

Don't care

Video: High School All-Americans 15-17 Uruguay U-19

Wilbert Thompson is at it once again! Here is the video of the High School All-Americans 17-15 loss to the Uruguay U-19's.


HSAA v Uruguay copy from Wilbert Thompson on Vimeo.

Opening Kick

Opening Kick is a segment devoted to bringing you all Eagles and U.S.A. Rugby news in one location.

Eagles/World:

The draw for the Anglo-Welsh Cup has been announced. Chris Wyles and the Saracens are in Pool 3 while Samu Manoa and Northampton are in Pool 4.

Saracens have gotten a financial boost after securing a deal with Allianz over naming rights to their new stadium.

With all the commotion over London Welsh gaining promotion to the Premiership, the story of Jersey gaining promotion to the RFU Championship has been overshadowed. ESPNScrum has a great article on the club and its rise.

Club:

The Pacific Rugby Union will be disbanding soon to form separate geographical unions. A banquet will be held celebrating the union next month in San Francisco.

The Kansas City Blues are back in nationals after a long absence, but that doesn't mean they haven't been successful in recent years.

College:

Western Washington University have added a former member of the Eagles to their staff as an assistant coach.

Women:

The Boston Belles have claimed yet another Northeast title over the weekend.

The San Diego Surfers have won again after beating Berkeley in the final of the Denver 7's.

Predicting the U.S.A. 7's Team Roster, Part One

The Eagles fall 7's season is right around the corner. Many of the players in contention for the squad have been playing club 7's around the country and will play in the club championship in two weeks. After that there is the Serevi RugbyTown Sevens where the U.S. will field a Developmental team and the College All-Americans. The week after the NASC will take place followed by World Cup qualifying. It's definitely going to be a busy time for the team.

But who will be on the team? We already know that three players have signed contracts with the team for the fall and that there will be others. But who? In my latest RugbyRugby article I take a look at who played for the Eagles last year, who had a contract, and who is known to have a contract this year. Then I examine each player and determine their chances of landing a contract.

Opening Kick

Opening Kick is a segment devoted to bringing you all Eagles and U.S.A. Rugby news in one location.

Eagles/7's:

ESPNBoston has a great article on Alex Magleby and the direction he wants to take the Eagles.

All-Americans:

The High School All-Americans picked up their first loss on their tour of South America after losing to the Uruguay U-19 team 17-15.

The two teams play again on Wednesday and Alex Goff says the team is going to need more consistency if they want a different result.

The College All-American 7's team was chosen last weekend. Rugbymag also had their list. In total, only five players were different between the lists. The Rugbymag staff explains why they chose their five players.

Club:

Old Puget Sound Beach have shown their dominance once again as the winners of the Pacific Coast 7's. However, the biggest surprise of the weekend was Olympic Club's upset win over SFGG to claim the Pac-Coast's second berth. SFGG had beaten Olympic Club every other meeting this summer.

SoCal, with three berths on the line, also saw it's fair share of upsets. Old Aztec and Belmont Shore advanced, but Santa Monica and OMBAC finished tied on points.

After using the IRB tie-breaker rules, SoCal has ruled that OMBAC will advance to nationals.

Rocco Mauer has been playing with the Chicago Lions this summer and led them to another Midwest title. The Lions and Youngbloodz claimed the region's spots at nationals.

The rain came down all weekend and disrupted some games at the Mid-Atlantic qualifiers but that didn't stop Schuykill River from claiming the title and berth at nationals. The Maryland Exiles claimed the other berth.

Old Blue and NYAC have claimed the Northeast berths. Old Blue are the top seed after defeating NYAC in the final.

The West 7's have been hard to predict all summer and in a tournament full of some surprises, it was the Denver Barbarians--not much of a surprise--that claimed the title. The Kansas City Blues also picked up a berth.

Daytona emerged as the winner of the South, along with Charlotte, they will represent the team at nationals..

All the winners over the weekend going the Tama Laie Lions who already advanced from Hawaii. Here are the pools as they stand so far.

Is there a group of death? Alex Goff doesn't think so. (Membership required)

The Serevi RugbyTown Sevens is gearing up to be a massive event, especially now that Santiago Gomez Cora will be playing for the Serevi Selects.

Women:

There is still some uncertainty surrounding the women's bracket after the West is reportedly not sending any teams to the tournament.

World:

In big IRB news, Brett Gosper has been named as the new CEO of the organization. The former player brings experience from the private sector.

The European qualifiers for the 2013 Rugby Sevens World Cup wrapped up this weekend. Portugal, Spain, Georgia, Scotland, and France qualified.

The Ivory Coast, who qualified for the World Cup in 1995, is trying to repeat past glory and advance in the African qualifiers.

Tidbits:

Over 800 youth participated in the 13th annual American Flag Rugby Youth Festival over the weekend in New Jersey.

Video: High School All-Americans 41-15 Chile U-19

Here is the full-match video from the High School All-Americans victory over the Chile U-19 team late last week.

Again, big thanks to Wilbert Thompson for putting this video up.

HSAA v Chile 2nd Test from Wilbert Thompson on Vimeo.

Interview with Junior All-Americans head coach Scott Lawrence

The Junior All-American just finished a successful summer by winning the Junior World Rugby Trophy (JWRT) in Salt Lake. The win means that the team will play in the Junior World Championship next year in France against teams like New Zealand, England, Australia, and South Africa. It’s going to be a big step up for the team and the man in charge of making sure that happens is head coach Scott Lawrence. In my latest article for RugbyRugby.com, he took the time to answer a few questions about his plans for the upcoming year.

Opening Kick

Opening Kick is a segment devoted to bringing you all Eagles and U.S.A. Rugby news in one location.

All-Americans:

U.S.A. Rugby has released their list of Sevens College All-Americans. The team was selected by team's coaching staff.

First team All-Americans include: Patrick Blair (Central Washington), Nate Brakeley (Dartmouth), Colton Cariaga (Life), Cam Dolan (Life), JP Eloff (Davenport), Madison Hughes (Dartmouth), Zach Mizell (Arkansas State), Don Pati (Utah), Tim Stanfill (Central Washington), Trevor Tanifum (Maryland), Brett Thompson (Arizona), Peter Tiberio (Arizona).

The High School All-Americans finished up the Chilean leg of the South American trip with two wins. The Deseret News of Salt Lake City points out that local product Zach Webber scored two tries in the team's second win.

Eagles/7's:

The latest Ruggamatrix is out with the second installment of their interview with U.S.A. Eagles head coach Mike Tolkin.

Ryan Roundy had a great tournament with Atlantis in Victoria and he certainly has the experience to help out the Eagles this year. (Membership required)

According to Gentlemen of Aspen head coach Andy Katoa, his team has been chosen as one of two developmental teams for the 7's national team. He already has James Aldridge and Carlin Isles and is looking for more players.

European qualifiers for the 2013 Sevens World Cup are this weekend. Five spots are up for grabs.

Club:

Paul Keeler has stepped down as head coach of San Francisco Golden Gate to devote more time to his duties at Santa Clara.

Another Super League head coach, NYAC's Bruce McLean, stands up for the league in the face of a lot of criticism it has received recently.

A major restructuring in club rugby is set to be announced soon that will alter the way DI operates. (Membership required)

Internationally renowned Sevens club Samuari are set to participate in the Serevi RugbyTown Sevens tournament next month.

Speaking of Serevi, he and Ben Gollings will be in British Columbia this weekend as part of the Vancouver International 7's tournament.

The final SoCal qualifying tournament is this weekend and there is still plenty to play for. (Membership required)

The Mid-Atlantic 7's championship also takes place this weekend in Norfolk, Virginia.

The Denver Barbarians host the last leg of the West qualifiers. Teams like Glendale, Woodland Exiles, Kansas City, and of course, the Barbarians, are fighting for a title. (Membership required)

What about the South? Alex Goff writes that the South has flown under the radar, but that doesn't mean they don't have a lot of talent. (Membership required)

Women:

The rest of the field will be sorted out for the women's sevens club championship this weekend.

Tidbits:

The latest issue of Rugby Magazine is out! (Membership required)

Mokate Lands 7's Contract

We are learning more and more about who is going to be under contract for the U.S.A. 7's team this fall. Taylor Mokate, who had been playing for the Wellington Old Boy's University in New Zealand, has signed a contract with U.S.A. Rugby and, according to twitter, is headed back to the States.

Windy Welly was a great home with some beautiful people, but it is time for a new home. #MakingTheMove
— Taylor Mokate (@TaylorMokate) July 19, 2012

Mokate, who has played with the U.S.A. 7's team before, passed up a chance to play in the Heartland Championship in New Zealand. He should be available for the Eagles as they get set to play in the NACRA 7's tournament in Ottawa next month. The tournament is the qualifier for the final Sevens Rugby World Cup in 2013.

Opening Kick

Opening Kick is a segment devoted to bringing you all Eagles and U.S.A. Rugby news in one location.

All-Americans:

The High School All-Americans have swept their two matches with the Chile U-19's after picking up a 43-15 win.

The All-American in total outscored the Chileans 67-32. They will next travel to Uruguay for to matches against their U-19 team.

Alex Goff says that the teams' success is all about their commitment to give a full effort.

Eagles/7's:

Is Carlin Isles the next breakout performer for the Eagles? If his play at the Victoria 7's is any indicator, that could very well be the case. Plus, it was only his third ever rugby tournament. (Membership required)

College:

For Gainline, the Varsity Cup is all about business and making a successful, marketable league.

Pat Clifton has a great article on why Notre Dame College decided to start a rugby program and to offer scholarships.

Women:

WauwatosaNow profiles Eagle Jane Paar and her ambitions to represent the U.S. in 2016.

Tidbits:

American Samoa has been a hotspot for burgeoning Eagles for quite some time now. Could Guam be next? Maybe, they are starting their own rugby sevens league.

There can never be too many stories of young Americans falling in love with the game of rugby. Here is a new short documentary about Jordan Torres, a rugby player from the Bronx.

Sorting Out the Changes to College Rugby

With the official introduction of the Varsity Cup, the college rugby landscape has become even more muddled. If people thought the divisions were confusing before, just wait until this next season when possibly three teams could claim to be the best in the country. So what exactly were the changes in college rugby and what effects will they have? In my latest RugbyRugby column I take a look at the changes and try to sort out some of the confusion. How everything will play out will only be determined next spring, but it sure will be fun to watch.

Opening Kick

Opening Kick is a segment devoted to bringing you all Eagles and U.S.A. Rugby news in one location.

College:

The Varsity Cup has officially launched. Here is the press release. Teams slated for inclusion are Cal, BYU, Utah, Air Force, Navy, Notre Dame, and Dartmouth.

Lost in the shuffle of college news this past week was the fact that Notre Dame College (not University) has announced they will give out scholarships for rugby.

All-Americans:

The High School All-Americans are saying the right things down in South America. They were quick to compliment Chile after their recent win.

Club:

Like college rugby, the Super League has endured several changes. The Chicago Griffins have departed the league but the eight remaining teams have pledged to play next season.

Here is the Mid-Atlantic 7's table with Norfolk leading the way.

Women:

The Women's Premier League has set their schedule, which begins in September.

The Pacific Coast Championship was over the weekend and Seattle surprised all with the win. Berkeley, Seattle, and Emerald City all qualified for nationals, which was expected.

Pacific Coast head coach Laura Cabrera was excited for the level of talent on display at the tournament.

Tidbits:

The U.S. Maccabi rugby team tryouts are just around the corner and there is interest from several notable players.

Good news for Sevens fans, the number of broadcast hours for the IRB Sevens Series were up 17% over last year.

Tolkin Talks ARC, Eagles Fall Tour

U.S.A. Eagles head coach Mike Tolkin was gracious enough to take the time to answer a few of our questions regarding the upcoming Americas Rugby Championship and the Eagles fall tour.

This Is American Rugby: When and where is this year's Americas Rugby Championship? Which nations will be participating?

Mike Tolkin: October 4-14; it will be in Argentina (specific location TBA), and the teams will be USA, Canada, Jaguars, and 4th team TBD.

TIAR: The last ARC squad in essence encompassed all of the domestic-based Eagles and worked as a warm up to the Eagles 2010 Autumn tour. Will this year's team be similar to that team or will it be more developmental?

MT: This team will be much more developmental to try to build a second tier of depth/opportunity for fringe players to improve their standing. The squad will be composed of players we see as potential Eagles as well as the reserves/non-22s of the Eagle squad (fringe players). It will be relatively young in gas, but not specifically limited to a certain age range.

TIAR: Are there any positions you are targeting?

MT: We will look at trying to build some more depth at 2, 9, 10 and our kickers if possible.

TIAR: What are your goals for the team heading into the Autumn tour against Tonga, Russia, and Romania?  What positives are you looking to build upon and what are some weaknesses you are looking to shore up?

MT: We are looking to improve our play from the summer - to be more efficient in our tactics, more skilled as players, and more ruthless in our approach to winning. Our aim is to win the matches and play more complete rugby. This summer we saw our team attitude as a positive as well as  our positive approach to playing the game. We would like to continue to improve our scrum, tighten up our defense, to put more pressure on the opposition through playing in their end more and capitalizing on their mistakes.

TIAR: Some players who had contracts overseas last year are now without contracts (let's hope they still get one!). For those players that are returning to the United States, what would be your advice?

MT: Amateur based players have to be extremely disciplined about their fitness. Since they are not in a professional sports set-up, they need to stick to their fitness plan and to test themselves using coaches and teammates. These players also need the same approach towards their skills, fundamental and position specific. These players can't rely on 2/week training session; they need to do it everyday in order to compete internationally with success.

TIAR: The Junior Eagles had a very successful JWRT and will play in the JWC next year, how involved are you and the rest of the Eagles coaching staff with the team?

MT: We offer our tactics and systems from our system if they want to employ them. We ask the coaches to start putting in some basics of play that we would like our players to obtain, but it is mainly their show. They know their team and how to get the most out of the players they have using the appropriate tactics. If they need anything at all, we are here.

Video: High School All-Americans vs. Chile, Nigel Melville Talks Youth

Here are the highlights of the High School All-Americans 24-17 victory over Chile. Big thanks to Wilbert Thompson for putting these together.

HSAA v Chile from Wilbert Thompson on Vimeo.
Nigel Melville sat down to talk about the impact of the JWRT on America and the overall growth of the sport.

Poll Tuesday: European Club Teams Touring America

Another Tuesday, another poll.

Last week we asked you what kind of content you would like to see on This Is American Rugby: Videos, Interviews, or Opinion. In the end the vote was relatively close. Interviews came in first with 40% of the vote followed by Opinion at 33% and Video at 26%. I appreciate everyone who provided input. My goal is to make this site something fans make a part of their daily rugby intake and any suggestion is always beneficial.

This week, we are going to ask a question based off an article I wrote last week for RugbyRugby. In the article, I made the case that European club teams should tour America to play pre-season friendlies. I argued that not only would this help European teams prepare for their seasons, but it would provide greater interest in the game in America and give Americans higher quality of opposition. The article generated quite a bit of opinion so I want to ask you. Do you think European club teams should tour America?

Yes

No

Opening Kick

Opening Kick is a segment devoted to bringing you all Eagles and U.S.A. Rugby news in one location.

Eagles/7's:

Eric Fry journey to New Zealand has paid off after he signed a contract to play with Manawatu in the ITM Cup.

Atlantis may not have finished where they wanted to in Victoria, but for coach and Atlantis founder Emil Signes, it was a fantastic tournament. (Membership required)

Saracens and Chris Wyles may be headed for a life on the road this year, but that is fine for chairman Ed Griffiths.

College:

Next year's college post-season has finally been settled. With the establishment of the Varsity Cup, several DI-A teams have dropped out, either to DI-AA or independent, in order to participate in the tournament. The teams participating in the Varsity Cup couldn't reach an agreement with the DI-A to exempt them from the post-season. Four teams: Cal, BYU, Air Force, and Notre Dame have been confirmed in the Varsity Cup. (Membership required)

Despite the loss of several teams, the DI-A has added two new conferences and expanded membership. (Membership required)

DI-AA has also added two new conferences, including a conference resembling the PAC-12 and the MAC. Teams playing in DI-AA will be eligible to play in the Varsity Cup. (Membership required)

All-Americans:

Alex Goff says that the High School All-Americans victory over Chile was due to energy and strength.

Club:

Old White, the Atlanta-based team that has made several appearances to nationals, won the Hotlanta 7's over the weekend.

Tidbits:

Argentina have found a home away from home: South Florida.

The top Spanish team will not be competing in this year's Amlin Challenge Cup. Instead, it will be the team that finished fifth in the standings. Tom Hamilton at ESPNScrum takes a closer look at Spanish rugby in general.

Microsoft may have broken up with NBC, but they still have a relationship with rugby.

Fry Signs with Manawatu

Eric Fry's move to New Zealand in order to gain more experience has paid off as the Eagles prop has signed a contract to play with Manawatu in the ITM Cup. Fry, who originally travelled to New Zealand last year and has been playing with Old-Boy's University, was spotted by Manawatu when his team played the ITM Cup outfit in a pre-season match. He will be one of five contracted props. The ITM Cup season begins at the end of August and finishes in late October. Manawatu are in the lower Championship division.

What do you think of the move? Will Fry succeed? Will other Americans have a shot at the ITM Cup this season.

Tim Visser: A Warning for Tier II Nations

With the success of Dutch born and raised Tim Visser on the Scottish national team, Scottish chairman Mark Dodson expressed the desire to integrate more overseas players into the national team. If they haven't already, warning bells should be sounding across all Tier II nations who now face an increased threat of having their players lured away. In my latest RugbyRugby article I examine Dodson's statement a little more closely and look into how this might impact the Eagles.

Video: Women Eagles Camp Highlights

Head coach Pete Steinberg just finished up his Women's national team elite camp in Colorado. The camp featured 75 of the best players from around the country divided into four teams: Red, White, Blue, and College All-Americans. The teams then played each other in a series of match. Here are some highlights of the action put together by the U.S.A. Rugby national office.

Opening Kick

Opening Kick is a segment devoted to bringing you all Eagles and U.S.A. Rugby news in one location.

Eagles/7's:

Derek Asbun scored a try and generally played well for Wasps at last weekend's Premiership 7's, but it wasn't enough to help the team who lost all three of their matches. Saracens and London Irish advanced to the next round.

After going undefeated on day one of the Victoria 7's, Atlantis/U.S.A. Development were beaten 19-17 by the Maples Leafs/Canada Development in the semi-finals. They then lost to OPSB in the Plate final. The U.S. Military Select team made it to the Bowl semi-final.

Here is a wrap-up of the tournament from the American perspective, including pictures.

In the U-18 bracket, Utah picked up the Plate while the Washington Loggers were Bowl runners-up.

The British and Irish Cup has expanded to 32 teams. Connacht A have been added as well as six more Welsh teams and one Scottish team.

Scottish Chairman Mark Dodson says that he wants to bring in more overseas players into the Scottish set-up.

Chile and Hong Kong have been selected to host the next two Junior World Rugby Trophy tournaments.

All-Americans:

The High School All-Americans played their first of five matches in South America yesterday and came out with a win over the Chile U-19 team.

Here is a look at the starting lineup for the Eagles, and for Chile.

There is a large contingent of Hawaiians on the team, including three from the Big Island. The West Hawaii Today talks about the sacrifices those players have had to make to play on the team.

Club:

Belmont Shore have won the second SoCal qualifier after defeating Old Aztecs in the final. Here are the standings after two rounds.

SFGG have won their third straight Nesquik 7's tournament. Old Blue were also weekend winners.

Colin Hawley has been playing 7's with Olympic Club this summer and says that the team has progressed nicely.

NOVA won their first Mid-Atlantic qualifier this weekend at the Slug 7's. Pat Clifton examines the club as it tries to re-establish its dominance.

The Chicago Lions have won their third straight Midwest qualifier. This summer they have enjoyed the help of JP Eloff, who says he is learning from the experience.

Tidbits:

The U.S. Paralympic Rugby team continues their preparations in Arizona.

College Overseas: A Pathway to the Eagles

It's a slow time of the year for the Eagles and for professional rugby players. However, that picks up today as Derek Asbun carries the flag for Americans at the J.P. Morgan Premiership 7's. Asbun, who regularly plays for Oxford, has been chosen by Wasps to be a part of their team (Wasps typically pick players from some of their affiliate teams like Oxford). Asbun is far from the first American to make the jump from the European collegiate ranks to a professional set-up, but it got me wondering: does playing collegiately overseas increase your chances of playing professionally and for the Eagles? In my latest RugbyRugby piece I look at some of the ways players have made the Eagles, including playing college rugby overseas.

Opening Kick

Opening Kick is a segment devoted to bringing you all Eagles and U.S.A. Rugby news in one location.

Eagles/7's:

Atlantis/U.S.A. Dev. are up in Victoria preparing for a tough weekend of rugby. Carlin Isles may be the smallest guy on the team, but apparently he is the "Fastest Man in American Rugby."

Grad Prix Entertainment, the company with plans to launch a professional 7's circuit in the U.S., has added another piece to their team.

All-Americans:

Alex Goff reports that Hawaii is having a big impact on the High School All-Americans, 20% of the team comes from the islands.

Here is a very nice feature on Joe Kelly, who is traveling to South America with the High School All-Americans.

13 Zimbabwean players from the JWRT have test positive for a banned substance. The team says it came from a sports drink they used while in the United States.

Club:

A spot in the club nationals is on the line this weekend at the Rock 'n Roll 7's. If the Chicago Lions win they claim one of the Midwest spots. Here is a scouting report of the tournament. (Membership required)

Women:

Fallbrook has quickly turned themselves into a powerhouse in girl's high school rugby. The Union-Times of San Diego explains how that came to be.

Tidbits:

The Wheelchair rugby team will be having an open practice tonight in Phoenix. If you are in the area you should go.

Opening Kick

Opening Kick is a segment devoted to bringing you all Eagles and U.S.A. Rugby news in one location.

Eagles/7's:

The J.P. Morgan Premiership 7's, begins this weekend in London. Even though Chris Wyles is not competing for Saracens this year, one America will still be in the tournament as London Wasps have enlisted Derek Asbun.

Here is a look at his competition: Harlequins, London Irish, and Saracens.

If Chris Biller is still at Northampton next season, he could be playing for their 'A' League side Wanderers who have released their fixture list.

The Victoria 7's are this weekend as well. One player looking to shine for Atlantis/Eagles Dev. is Sacramento Lions player Brett Willis, who is the subject of this feature.

All-Americans:

The High School All-Americans are headed to South America next week for a five match tour. Head coach Salty Thompson has named the 32 players that will be traveling with him.

Rugbymag's Alex Goff says that this tour should be the perfect experience for the team. (Membership required)

Club:

Belmont Shore will be hosting a national qualifier this Saturday at El Dorado Park in Long Beach. The public is welcome to attend.

In a very interesting piece and a must read for any club rugby player, Alex Goff takes a look at what could fix the club game in this country. (Membership required)