Video: Zee Ngwenya's First Try of the Season

Just to get you in the mood for the weekend, check out Zee Ngwenya's try from last week. (To check out the try go to the 8:14 mark.)

Elite Cup Details Emerge

Details have emerged regarding the Elite Cup (formerly the Super League). As has been rumored, the old Super League teams NYAC, Old Blue, Boston, Life, SFGG, OPSB, and Denver Barbarians have been placed in a competition that will now also include Glendale.  The competition will feature two pools of four teams divided by east and west. Each pool will play a three game round robin with the top two teams advancing to the semi-finals. The semi-finals will be a crossover match followed by the championship.

Overall, this is a great competition but one that will provide less games that the Super League provided. The top two teams will only play a total of five matches where in last year's Super League the top two teams played ten. These teams will also be free to play DI, which a team like Glendale is already doing. Minus a team from Southern California and Chicago, this represents the best teams in the countries. Fans have long wanted Glendale to square off against Super League teams and now they will get the chance.

What do you think? Is this is how the competition will remain for 2014 or will something different evolve?

FOX Soccer 2Go Free Trial

The opening of the Aviva Premiership and the RaboDirect Pro12 this weekend means the return of regularly scheduled rugby on Fox Soccer Plus, the main rugby outlet in the United States. But it gets better. Fox Soccer 2Go, the online platform of Fox Soccer Channel and Fox Soccer Plus is offering a free seven day trial.  It's unclear if you can watch full-match replays for rugby (you can for soccer), but it appears that is the case.

The Positives of the Super League Cup & Varsity Cup

The club and college structure in this country is going to look considerably different next spring than it did earlier this year. The Super League is ceasing to operate as usual and is turning itself into a cup competition while the Varsity Cup represents another attempt by top college rugby teams to establish a revenue-generating competition. Even though both cups have potential obstacles, U.S. rugby fans should be celebrating their creation. In my latest RugbyRugby article I talk about the positives that accompany these competitions and why U.S. fans should get behind them.

Eagles Abroad: Weekend Preview & TV

Every major European league has now begun and that means that there are plenty of Americans in action, including the London derby doubleheader. Check out what all the players are up to this week:

British Isles:

Aviva Premiership

The Aviva Premiership begins this weekend with a big doubleheader. Chris Wyles will be at the heart of the action as he will start at #11 for the Saracens as they play London Irish.

Samu Manoa and Northampton start their season on the road at Gloucester.

Paul Emerick has been in London less than a week giving him little time to train with the team. With that in mind, he is not in the lineup as Wasps take on Harlequins in the London derby doubleheader.

RaboDirect Pro12

The RaboDirect Pro12 also begins this today. Callum Black will get the start at prop for Ulster at home as they take on Tommy Seymour and Glasgow. Seymour will start at wing.

The Ospreys and Hanno Dirksen will kick off their title defense against Treviso in Italy today. Dirksen will start for the Ospreys.

Zebre will play their inaugural league match today against the Dragons. U.S.-eligible Dave Ryan will start at prop.

France:

Top 14

Taku Ngwenya got his first try of the season last weekend. He’ll look to build on that as he is once again scheduled to start of Biarritz as they play Toulouse on Saturday.

Scott LaValla continues to see significant minutes for Stade Francais. He is scheduled to start at flanker once again as Stade play Grenoble today.

Pro D2

Roland Suniula and Auch play Massy on Saturday.

Seta Tuilevuka got his first start in over a year last weekend. He’ll look to notch his second as Beziers play Lyon on Saturday.

Inaki Basauri and Tarbes play Pau on Saturday.

Federale 1

Andre Liufau, Mate Moeakiola, and L'Uson will play Macon in a friendly on Saturday.

New Zealand:

ITM Cup

Eric Fry and Manawatu play Auckland on Sunday (Saturday evening in the U.S.). The Turbos will also play Northland on Wednesday.

South Africa:

Currie Cup

Marcel Brache will start at #12 for Western Province as they play the Blue Bulls on Saturday.

Other

JJ Gagiano and the Ikeys play their rivals, the Maties, on Saturday.

Japan:

Top League

Todd Clever will start on the bench as the NTT Shining Arcs play Toshiba on Saturday. It’s the opening weekend for the Top League.

TV:

*No word yet on where the Top 14 will be aired in the United States.

Friday
• Ulster vs. Glasgow, 2:00 p.m. et/11:00 a.m. pt (live on Fox Soccer Plus)

Saturday
• London Wasps vs. Harlequins, 4:00 p.m. et/1:00 p.m. pt (delay on Fox Soccer Plus)
• Saracens vs. London Irish, 6:00 p.m. et/3:00 p.m. pt (delay on Fox Soccer Plus)
• Scarlets vs. Leinster, 8:00 p.m. et/5:00 p.m. pt (delay on Fox Soccer Plus)

Sunday
• London Welsh vs. Leicester, 8:55 a.m. et/5:55 a.m. pt (live on Fox Soccer Plus)

Opening Kick

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

Eagles:

Scott LaValla is off to a strong start in France. Alex Goff caught up with the Eagles back-rower to get his thoughts on how the season has gone so far.

As we noted yesterday, Canada will be the host for this year's Americas Rugby Championship. The tournament will take place in October in Victoria.

Here is more on the tournament from the Victoria Times Columnist.

Paralympics:

The Paralympics have officially opened and now it's only a matter of days until Wheelchair Rugby. U.S. player Seth McBride is blogging about his experiences in London for the IWRF.

College:

The first national 7's qualifier is this weekend featuring the teams from the MAC plus a few others. Davenport are favored to win the tournament.

Norwich are preparing to begin their fall season. Head coach Bob Weggler talks about the teams goals in this article.

Club:

The Midwest has changed their structure to have three divisions. This will increase the chances of their best teams getting national playoff spots.

One of the teams expected to benefit from that change is the Chicago Lions. Rugbymag has a preview of their season. (Membership required)

World:

Scott Stone, writing for Grantland, shares with Americans why he fell in love with the Haka and with rugby.

Everyone wants to be hot rather than not, so see who made Planet Rugby's list this week.

Planet Rugby also previews week four of the Currie Cup.

Tidbits:

The U.S. Maccabiah rugby team will be having tryouts in Chicago this weekend.

ESPN shares what the TMO is like from their perspective.

U.S.A. Selects Head to Canada for Americas Rugby Championship

After taking a year off due to the Rugby World Cup, the Americans Rugby Championship is back and will be held in Victoria, British Columbia on October 12th, 16th, and 20th. The U.S. will be sending the Select XV while Argentina and Canada will also be sending their 'A' teams. Uruguay, who finished in second place in the South American championship, will send their full national team. The U.S will play Argentina on the 12th, Canada on the 16th, and Uruguay on the 20th. All the matches will be held at Bear Mountain Stadium just outside Victoria.

This is a great opportunity for emerging Eagles to earn a place on the fall tour of Europe. According to a story by Alex Goff at Rugbymag, Eagles head coach Mike Tolkin is looking to take a team of mostly un-capped players. That means that unlike previous years, this tournament is being looked at more from a development standpoint, rather than as practice matches for domestic Eagles.

Lastly, for those who haven't been to Bear Mountain Stadium, go. It is in a beautiful part of the continent and an October trip to Vancouver Island is well worth it for anyone. Also, the stadium is right next to where they filmed parts of X-Men.

Final Notes From the NACRA 7’s

I’m sure you’ve had enough of last week’s NACRA 7’s now that we’ve saturated you with information, but here are some final notes from the tournament:

Luke Hume: Many have questioned why Luke Hume isn’t one of the residency players. The answer is simple: he has a full-time job in New York. Would you rather have a nice job in New York or would you take 20k a year? He may not be with the team full-time, but he has the opportunity to train and play with Old Blue (and occasionally rugby league), so fitness isn’t an issue. He also blended well into the team fairly seamlessly. Being in residency would help, but he is a very adaptable player, very communicative, and easy to fit into a team. The simple fact is that rugby is not in a place in this country where players can turn down good jobs to play.

Contracted 7’s players: Another question people have had is why the U.S. only has 14 players under contract rather than 15. Again, another simple answer: it provides flexibility for Alex Magleby to make moves. The point isn’t to cut players to make room for others if they become available. Other sports teams do this all the time. Out of those contracted players, the most interesting is Mike Palefau. It will be great to get him onto the team full-time. Also, Niua, Scully, and Durutalo are all injured.

Team chemistry: As Luke Hume said after the tournament, the chemistry among this team is good. For the first time in awhile it seems like the same group of guys are returning for back to back seasons. That is only going to be a positive for the team. They are excited to move forward and improve. That time together will help the team get more familiar with each other and to limit their turnovers. The team is certainly positive about the future.

Other teams: There was an obvious disparity between Canada and the U.S., and the rest of the teams. However, there are some bright spots out there in NACRA. First and foremost is Mexico. They don’t have the athletes or the player pool to break into the top two, but they clearly showed that they are now the third team in the region ahead of Guyana. Mexico is extremely organized and have a tight group of players that love to play for each other and their country. As for Guyana, they seem to be on the bit of a decline with much of that due to resources and player availability. They have lots of people behind the team and can still be good, but they’ll have a way to go. Other teams like Barbados and the Bahamas have solid athletes on their teams and if given time, could be very good.

Twin Elm Park: On the webstream it didn’t look like anyone was at the tournament, but people did show up. One of the Canadian officials said they expected 1,200 on Day 1 and then 2,000 on Day 2. That obviously didn’t happen, but it was still a good crowd. Twin Elm Park is in the middle of nowhere but it is a nice facility and something that American fans should be envious of. The stands were nice, and they had plenty of practice facilities.

Tournament funding: Just in case you were curious, the Canadian Government provided $50k for the tournament. Additionally, the Canadian Government provides over $1.5 million to Rugby Canada every year.

Web stream: Having lived in Canada it’s often hard to explain to folks back in the states how Canadians think. I won’t go into all of that now, but it helps explain their web stream. They don’t have a lot of Canadian generated content on television, and in order to fix that Rogers (one of the big cable providers in the country) has regional stations that air a lot of regional content. That is why the match was web streamed. The simple fact is that outside of Colorado, regional networks just don’t want to put up the money to air a local rugby match in the U.S., but in Canada they do.

Women: Lastly, the women’s tournament was very entertaining to watch. The quality was not high, but the attitude of all the women’s teams at the tournament was infectious. They got the crowd behind them and made the whole event fun. All credit to the womens teams for reminding everyone how much fun rugby can be.

Game of the Week: London Derby Doubleheader

One of the greatest things about watching rugby in America is that it is a year-long smorgasbord. As soon as Super Rugby ends, the Aviva Premiership, Top 14, and RaboDirect Pro12 begin, and what better way to start the season than with a London derby doubleheader? This Saturday, it will be Harlequins vs. London Wasps, and Saracens vs. London Irish at Twickenham. Two Americans could potentially be involved as well with Chris Wyles likely to suit up for the Sarries while Paul Emerick may get his chance with Wasps. Harlequins and Saracens are expected to win their respective matches, but it is a new season and you don’t know what surprises will be in store. So grab some food, settle down on your couch, and enjoy this weekend.

Who: Harlequins vs. London Wasps, Saracens vs. London Irish
What: Start of the Aviva Premiership season, London derby doubleheader
When: Saturday 31 August, Harlequins/Wasps 9:00 a.m. et/6 a.m. pt; Saracens/Irish 11:30 a.m. et/8:30 a.m. pt
Where: Twickenham Stadium; delay on Fox Soccer Plus at 4:00 p.m. et/1:00 p.m. pt and 6:00 p.m. et/3:00 p.m. pt

Opening Kick

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

Eagles:

Mike Tolkin is getting closer to announcing the U.S.A. Selects that will play in the Americas Rugby Championship. Reportedly there will be a number of non-capped players in the team. (Membership required)

Alex Goff talked with Eagles 7’s head coach Alex Magleby about last weekend’s tournament and what lies ahead. (Membership required)

College:

Wheeling Jesuit will begin the inaugural year as a varsity programme against Bowling Green this Saturday. They’ve also released the rest of their fall schedule.

The Empire 7’s Conference tournament has been cancelled due to a lack of teams.

World:

Everyone is excited for the start of the Aviva Premiership this weekend, including Planet Rugby who has a preview. Eagles Chris Wyles, Samu Manoa, and Paul Emerick play in the league.

Good news for Paul Emerick, it appears that his club is headed to a more stable situation.

The RaboDirect Pro12 also begins this weekend and several U.S.-eligible players will be participating. Hanno Dirksen and the Ospreys play Treviso while Dave Ryan and Zebre play the Dragons.

The Maori All Blacks will be in England this November to take on an RFU Championship all-star team, the Leicester Tigers, and Canada.

European qualification for the 2015 Rugby World Cup begins this weekend as Hungary plays host to Bulgaria.

Sonny Bill Williams has arrived in Japan to become one of the highest-paid rugby players in the world.

Club/Tidbits:

Rugbymag continues their club previews. Today it’s the Cincinnati Wolfhounds.

Rugbymag also has the IRB Drill of the Month.

The New Boy is a new novel coming out with a rugby-centric theme.

Eagles Quote Sheet

This Is American Rugby caught up with Alex Magleby, Colin Hawley, and Luke Hume after the loss to Canada at the NACRA 7's tournament this past weekend.


Alex Magleby

On the match against Canada:

“We knew the game was going to be contested pretty heavily at the breakdown and we failed in that endeavor. They [Canada] did a good job turning over ball at the contact point forcing us to play out of ourselves. There wasn’t a lot of depth to our game. I was frustrated that we let them change the nature of the game and make it sloppy, which is exactly what they wanted. We didn’t do a good job taking care of our own ball.”

On the referee:

“I’ve seen the video, the ref had nothing to do with it. At the end the day there were things we could have done better.”

On the tournament overall:

“It was a great tournament for us. Imagine if we had a test like this every year before going into the circuit? We need this buildup. It gives new guys experience, some of who did well, some of whom are a work in progress. We have a player pool at home so we’ll be working hard to get those guys ready as well. We found out a bit about ourselves at this tournament.”

The next several weeks:

“Next week is a regeneration week and then we move on to getting ready for the Gold Coast.

On Maka Unufe:

“Maka’s had a really good tournament. He’s come into his own this last camp and done some really good things. Again, guys step in and do their job they need to.”


Colin Hawley

On the match against Canada:

“We came out strong but Canada is a good side. They’re breakdown skills are pretty impressive. We got compressed at the beginning of the match and they took opportunties out wide to score some good tries. We made adjustments and came back to tie the game at 19-19, but then Sean Duke, who is a great player, found the outside and that was it.”

On improving physicality in the breakdown:

“First it’s getting used to the pace of play at the breakdown. We played Serevi RugbyTown Sevens and now this tournament, and the quality of play at the breakdown at those events was different that it was against Canada. It was good to get this eye-opener. We know our support has to be faster. Once you’re there and in your set position they can’t get over the ball, and we keep the ball, it’s that simple. We’re as big, strong, and fast as they are so it’s just having that awareness.”

On the new guys:

“We have some young guys on the team and they did well. Carlin came in, did well, and seemed to get the hang of it. It’s not going to happen overnight but he’s got the skills to be a fantastic rugby player. We’re all behind him. The same for Jack, who came in and had some great minutes. He offered what we needed.

On the ten-minute final:

“This is my first 10-minutes final and I’ve been on the team for awhile now. There are a lot of firsts for a lot of people right now. It’s good to now know what it’s like to be in a ten-minute final. We still have a long-ways to go potential wise and now it’s just building blocks. Mags has a great game plan that we’re all behind. We’re just moving forward because eventually we’re going to have to do this all (qualifying) again. We’re just going to get better.”

On preparation for the Gold Coast:

“This game will stay with us. It’s going to drive us going forward. We saw where are short-comings were: we’ve got to retain the ball, we’ve got to use our speed, we’ve got to increase our breakdown speed. We know what the standard is and we’re going to meet it.”

Luke Hume

On the match against Canada:

“We didn’t have any ball. Every time we did we scored. We’d lose a phase and we just couldn’t get the ball back. The referee wasn’t a help at all but you can’t blame the referees all the time you have to take the onus on yourself. We need to retain the ball. The physicality is getting there, but ball retention is the main thing. This was good to see how we measure up. There were a lot of positives to take out of this tournament.”

On the physicality of the match:

“We need to enjoy the physicality of rugby. That’s what it’s all about.”

On team chemistry:

“The chemistry’s great. These guys are a great bunch of blokes and I wouldn’t want anyone else on my left or my right to be honest with you. We’re all passionate and we play for each other. I think getting more familiar with each other is only going to help as we spend more time together.”

On scoring tries:

“My teammates were sorting me out and getting me ball. It’s not about individual brilliance, it’s about being part of a team.

World Rugby Weekend Review

The Rugby Championship

Any question whether Argentina would be competitive in their first year in The Rugby Championship was put to rest this week in Mendoza as the Pumas took a historic 16-16 draw out their match against South Africa. Argentina were aggressive from the start capped off by a very nice try by Santiago Fernandez that was converted to give the Pumas a 10-0 lead in the 17th minute. They remained the more eager team throughout the match as the Springboks seemed to coast through most of the match. Whether it was playing in an unfamiliar country or the injuries that plagued the team from the previous week, the Springboks were mostly flat and were probably fortunate that Frans Steyn was there to bail them out. Steyn charged down a kick and recovered in in the try zone to put the Springboks back in the game. Overall, it was a thoroughly entertaining game. Up next South Africa will face Australia, while Argentina will play New Zealand.

Speaking of the All Blacks, they won the Bledisloe Cup in very convincing fashion by blanking Australia 22-0. If the Springboks were disappointing in Mendoza, the Wallabies were dismal in Eden Park, where the All Blacks have never lost to Australia. The Wallabies were never really in the match and were embarrassed by getting nilled. Maybe the most notable thing to take away from this match was that it could be Sonny Bill's last match for the All Blacks for the foreseeable future. Dan Carter had five penalties and converted Israel Dagg's try.

New Zealand 8 points (2-0-0)

South Africa 6 points (1-1-0)

Argentina 2 points (0-1-1)

Australia 0 points (0-0-2)

Top 14

For the most part the usual suspects won again in the second week of the Top 14 season. Big spenders Toulon picked up a two point win over Racing Metro 23-21. Jonny Wilkinson's boot was once again the hero. American Taku Ngewenya scored his first try of the season for Biarritz as they continued their strong start to the season with a 25-22 away victory at Agen. Both Biarritz and Toulon sit on top the table with 9 points. Elsewhere Castres topped Grenoble 30-13, Bordeaux beat Perpignan 26-22 and Toulouse beat Mont-deMarsan 37-19. In what could be considered upsets (depending on your perspective) Clermont lost to Montpellier 13-8 while Stade Francais was upended by Bayonne 24-11. American Scott LaValla started for Stade.

Currie Cup

Down in South Africa, the Lions continued to play with a chip on their shoulder after being kicked out of Super Rugby by beating Western Province 26-23. Lions flyhalf Elton Jantjies was the hero of the match kicking the Lions to victory. The win puts them at the top of the Currie Cup Premier Division standings while loss puts Western Province down in fifth. The match between the Blue Bulls and the Sharks was a scoring fest with the Blue Bulls eventually prevailing 42-31. Lastly, the Griquas remain winless after losing to the Cheetahs 29-16. Here are the latest standings with the Lions, Cheetahs, and Sharks all tied on top with nine points.

ITM Cup

Under the shadow of the Bledisloe Cup match in Auckland, the ITM Cup kicked off this weekend. Wellington have already picked up two quick wins to go a top the Premiership table. They beat Eric Fry and Manawatu 30-11 last Friday and then Hawke's Bay 30-15 on Tuesday. For their part, Hawke's Bay opened the ITM Cup season with a 29-26 loss to Auckland. Other winners include Tasman 25-22 over Canterbury, Otago 46-34 over Northland, Taranaki 37-22 over Bay of Plenty, Counties Manukau 30-9 over Southland, and Waikato 42-22 over North Harbour. Here are the latest standings.

Aviva Premiership and RaboDirect Pro 12

These two leagues being play this weekend. Still, teams were busy playing in friendlies. The Saracens topped Stade Francais and Rotherham, Northampton beat Edinburgh 54-3, Glasgow beat Exeter 15-6 and Ulster beat Newcastle 24-20. Other teams took the weekend off to rest for the start of their seasons.

NACRA 7's Prediction Contest Results

We'd like that thank everyone that played our NACRA 7's prediction contest. Most people were fairly accurate with their predictions despite the challenges of picking with little information. One of the biggest stumbling blocks for people was Pool C where Guyana did not finish in the top spot. Considering their history, that was a bit of a surprise. Anyways, it was a lot of fun.

Jordan Morrow was the winner of the contest. Here is the scarf he won courtesy of Ruffneck Scarves.

About Ruffneck Scarves:

Ruffneck Scarves specializes in custom scarves for any organization. Started in 2007 by Jeff McIntyre and Erin O'Brien, the Seattle-based company has been a major supplier of scarves to various sports teams around the country, including rugby clubs. To learn more about the company, and how to design your own scarf, as well as fundraising opportunities, visit their website at www.ruffneckscarves.com.

Opening Kick

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

College:

Here is a real nice piece on All-American and Air Force Cadet Jackson Bristol.

Cal are currently heavy into their pre-season and are getting ready for the Buckeye 7's.

Many college programs around the country are funded by endowments. Matt Trenary at Grow Rugby talks with World Rugby Shop's Brad Kilpatrick about the company's involvement with Auburn University.

World:

Emulating the success of the Premiership double-headed involving London clubs, the Welsh Rugby Union will be hosting a double-header at Millennium Stadium next march involving all four Welsh teams.

ESPNScrum columnist Austin Healy looks ahead to the Aviva Premiership season and makes his predictions.

Planet Rugby previews the RaboDirect Pro 12.

Tidbits:

The Paralympics start today. NBC has a profile of the games, including Wheelchair Rugby.

Former 7's star Matt Hawkins has turned his attention to coaching, including assisting the U.S. Marine Corp in the International Defense 7's.

Eagles 7's Weekend Recap & 3 Stars

Eagles 7's coach Alex Magleby stated that the team had three goals heading into last weekend's NACRA 7's championship: win the tournament, prep for the IRB Sevens Series, and get the new players integrated into the team. While the team fell just short of a win against Canada, they were able to make progress to their other two goals and take away several positives, as well as things to work on, from their performance.

Being present at the tournament, it was apparent that there is a huge gulf between Canada and the U.S., and the rest of the region. There is talent there (Mexico played well and some teams had good players) but its was raw and not on the same depth as the U.S. or Canada. So even though the U.S. was able to blast through Jamaica, St. Vincent & Grenadines, the Bahamas, and Mexico by a combined score of 177-7, the only real game in which the U.S. could find something to judge themselves was the Canada match.

Positives and Things to Improve:

The thing the team said after the loss was that Canada was just more physical than they were at the breakdown. Canada had a lot of big boys and they through numbers and muscle in the ruck putting the Eagles on the back foot. Some of the players were getting visibly upset with the Canadian referee (why a Canadian referee was calling the final is beyond me) but that was not due to his performance, but do to frustration at the physicality of the Canadians. Magleby said that "the ref had nothing to do with it" after the match and that the team needed to be more physical. So in a sense, by not accomplishing their first goal they achieved their second. In reflecting on the match coaches and players said how eye-opening the loss was to their strengths as well as their weakness, with the main weakness being at the breakdown. Now with just over a month left until the Gold Coast, the team needs to know that they need to get more physical. Teams on the IRB Sevens Series are not going to be the first five opponents the Eagles faced at the tournament, but more like (or better than) Canada. By winning the battle at the breakdown, that allows the team to take advantage of a player like Carlin Isles, Luke Hume, Rocco Mauer, or Maka Unufe on the wing.

Another aspect in which Magleby and the team were not satisfied with starting out matches with focus. Too many times the Eagles started a little sloppy. They could get away with that against NACRA minnows but not against IRB Seven Series teams. However, some of the sloppiness is a little exaggerated because everyone involved with the team is a perfectionist. They are not just satisfied getting the job done, they want it done perfectly. There were plenty of things that weren't perfect in their performance (there were a couple of defensive breakdowns, such as Mexico's try, that could have been avoided). However, working toward perfection is exactly the type of attitude that will propel the team to success this year.

Still, there were many positives to take out of the tournament. One was their ability to dominate. They were supposed to crush Jamaica, St. Vincent & Grenadines, the Bahamas, and Mexico. They did that. In fact, it wasn't until the Mexico game that they even let an opponent out of their own half. At the same time, they team was able to deal with the unexpected by taking on opponents they knew nothing about. That is going to happen on the Series occasionally, and now they are prepared. The match against the Bahamas in particular was very physical and a good preparation.

Another strong aspect of the tournament was kicking. That aspect of the game is often overlooked but extremely important. It's true that many of the U.S. kicks were in front of the posts but on a couple of occasions Shalom Suniula and Tai Enosa had tough kicks and they made them. It was encourage to see consistent accurate kicking. It can always be better, but positives are there.

The last of Magleby's goals was integrate new players into the team. Of the twelve players on the roster, only Luke Hume, Jack Halalilo, and Carlin Isles were earning their first cap for the 7's team. Taylor Mokate has previous experience with the team but it has been a while. Of those players, Hume made the biggest impact. He is a quick and strong player that brings instant offense to the team. He is also a great defender. Halalilo is a big physical player that gives the team a lot of strength up front. The same for Mokate. While Isles is known for his speed, he showed at this tournament that he has more to his game. He is a fairly decent tackler and does not shy away from contact. All four integrated into the squad very well. One of the constant themes when talking to the players was how great the chemistry is on the team. These boys want to play for one another. That is going to pay off as the season grinds on.

Overall, it was a good performance by the team. They didn't win, but they did claim a spot in the 2013 Sevens Rugby World Cup, gained experience, prepped for the IRB Sevens Series, and integrated new players into the team. Mainly, they learned about themselves and where they stand. That is exactly what you want out of a tournament like this. Further, as Colin Hawley put it after the Canada match, the loss makes the team even more hungry.

Recaps:

Since I was at the tournament I will leave it up to you to read the recaps I wrote for Day One and Day Two for U.S.A. Rugby.

Three Stars:

There were a lot of standout players at the tournament. There was hardly a player that didn't play well. Much at that had to do with the opposition, but it was still good to see the team not playing down to the level of their opposition. But with that in mind, here are the three stars of the tournament.

*Luke Hume

**Maka Unufe

***Zach Test

Not much needs to be said about Luke Hume's performance. Any one who watched the match would easily see his qualities. Maka Unufe is still learning but he had a great tournament. He has bulked up quite a bit and that showed in how he was able to muscle off several defenders. He also did a good job against Sean Duke in the final before suffering an unfortunate concussion. Test was a leader all weekend who went out and did what he needed to do to help the team win. In particular, he was deadly on line outs.

The team is growing and improving. Things are on an upward trend and it will be great to see how they do in the Gold Coast.

Eagles Abroad: Weekend Review

The big news this week concerning Americans abroad was Paul Emerick's new deal with Wasps. The Eagles centre will be with the team for the rest of the year. Elsewhere, Taku Ngwenya picked up his first try of the season and Eric Fry started his first regular season match as a professional. Check out how all the Americans overseas did:

British Isles:

Aviva Premiership

Chris Wyles prepped for the start of this weekend's Aviva Premiership season by starting for Saracens in a friendly 61-17 win against Stade Francais last Thursday. He did not play for the Saracens against Rotherham in a 10-8 friendly win on Sunday.

Samu Manoa started for Northampton as they clobber Edinburgh 54-3 in their final pre-season friendly on Friday.

In other good Aviva Premiership news, Paul Emerick has re-signed with London Wasps.

RaboDirect Pro12

Callum Black started at prop for Ulster as they concluded their pre-season by beating Newcastle 24-20 in a friendly on Friday.

Tommy Seymour started and played a full 80 minutes for Glasgow as they lost their final pre-seaon match 15-6 to Exeter last Thursday.

The Ospreys and Hanno Dirksen had the weekend off before next week's start of the RaboDirect Pro12.

Dave Ryan and Zebre had the weekend off.

France:

Top 14

Taku Ngwenya started, went the full 80, and scored a try in the 9th minute for Biarritz as they beat Agen on Saturday.

Scott LaValla didn't get a chance to play Chris Wyles in the Stade Francais-Saracens match because he was busy starting at #6 in Stade's 24-11 loss to Bayonne on Saturday. LaValla picked up a yellow card in the 64th minute.

Pro D2

Inaki Basauri was not on the bench for Tarbes as they lost to Lyon 30-12.

Roland Suniula started and played 80 minutes for Auch as they squeaked by Carcassonne 24-23 on Saturday.

Seta Tuilevuka started and played 80 minutes for the first time in over a year as Beziers lost to Brive 27-20 in a wild match on Sunday.

Ben Roach encountered visa issues in his move to La Rochelle. He will now play the season back in the states with AIC.

Federale 1

Neither Andre Liufau nor Mate Moeakiola played as L'Uson beat Chalon Chalon 21-5 in a friendly last weekend.

New Zealand:

ITM Cup

Eric Fry started and played 80 minutes for Manawatu as they lost to Wellington 30-11 in their first ITM Cup match of the season last Saturday.

South Africa:

Currie Cup

Marcel Brache started and played 80 minutes for Western Province as they lost to the Golden Lions 26-23 on Saturday.

Other

JJ Gagiano started for the Ikeys as they beat Victorians 16-3.

Japan:

Top League

Todd Clever did not play as the NTT Shining Arcs beat Yokogawa 35-19 in a friendly on Saturday.

Poll Tuesday: Grade The Eagles NACRA 7's Performance

The Eagles have played their first official tournament of the 2012-13 season and while it wasn't the result they or the fans would have wanted, it gave the team some things to work on going forward. They dominated Jamaica, St. Vincent & Grenadines, the Bahamas, and Mexico as was expected and then played a tough match against Canada that saw them lose right at the end. It was a tough result, but now the focus shifts to the first leg of the IRB Sevens Series in just over a month in the Gold Coast.

Last week we asked you who you thought would win the NACRA 7's. 72% of you thought that the U.S. would win while 24% chose Canada and 3% chose "other."

This week we are going to ask you to rate the Eagles performance. As has been pointed out, the only match of the tournament in which to gauge the Eagles performance is the match against Canada. So with that in mind, vote, and share why you voted the way you did in the comment.

What grade would you give the Eagles for their NACRA 7's performance?

A

B

C

D

F

Opening Kick

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

7's/Eagles:

The Eagles came up just short in their quest to win the NACRA 7's last Sunday, losing to Canada in the final.

It was a tough experience for the team and one that captain Shalom Suniula called a "roller coaster ride."

Alex Goff says the Eagles were unlucky in some aspects of the game but that they need to create their own luck. (Membership required)

Also, in case anyone missed it, the names of the players under contract with U.S.A. Rugby have been released.

Even though the Eagles didn't win the NACRA 7's, they did qualify for next year's Sevens Rugby World Cup. In that tournament they could face either Australia or Tonga, who were the Oceania qualifiers. You can check out the highlights of the match here. American Samoa finished in fifth place.

Canada won the women's tournament meaning that they will joint the U.S. in the World Cup.

Club/College:

U.S.A. Rugby has announced a restructure to club competition. Beginning in the fall of 2013, clubs will be reassigned to regions and divisions based on their competitiveness.

As for the Super League, it will be rebranded as a cup competition beginning this Spring.

Life is one of the Super League clubs heavily effected by the changes due to the quality of DI competition in the South. Dan Payne says the team is busy making plans.

How some of the DI leagues will change as a result is a little uncertain. Alex Goff takes a closer look. (Membership required)

The Kansas City Blues have won a friendly over Metropolis.

The Glendale Raptors have appointed Andre Snyman as XVs head coach after Mark Bullock resigned to focus full-time on running the day to day operations of the club.

Also Rugbymag continues to preview club teams ahead of the fall season. Here is their look atSchuykill River, White Plains, Old Blue, and Boston Irish Wolfhounds. (Membership required)

With Alex Magleby away coaching the Eagles, Gavin Hickie has stepped up to become Dartmouth's interim head coach.

World:

Argentina picked up a big 16-16 draw with the Pumas in The Rugby Championship last weekend. However, ESPNScrum points out that one of the most exciting aspects of the game is what happened outside the stadium.

With that passion, Argentina have announced that they will be returning to play their home games in the Estadio Malvinas in Mendoza.

Samu Manoa got his opportunity for the Saints last year early on in the season. Unfortunately, it was that great of a start for the team. Head coach Jim Mallinder says this year will be different.

In a scary moment over the weekend, London Irish centre Joe Ansbro broke his neck. Fortunately there was no nerve damage.

Tidbits:

Rugby in taking off all over the country and in many different forms. Mary Kaminski at U.S.A. Rugby tells the story of Mark Burke and his success teaching rugby to deaf students.

A former member of Salisbury University's rugby team is running across country to promote fitness.

Bakline and A Rugby Life held Q&A sessions with Taking Flight scholarship winners Darrin Curle and James Sadler.

Travel Day

Today's a travel day so no opening kick or any other items today. However, we'll be back tomorrow with lots of good stuff from last weekend, Eagles Abroad and more.

Paul Emerick Re-ups with London Wasps

Paul Emerick has re-signed with London Wasps after serving out his suspension for his red card earned with the Eagles against Italy. Alex Goff at Rugbymag broke the story. Emerick was signed by Wasps as injury cover late last Spring but only appeared in a couple of matches before picking up an injury. However, he did enough while with the team to impress coach Dai Young. Congrats to Paul.

Also, if you are so inclined, check out this cool Paul Emerick shirt from Rugby Athletic.

A Few Photos From NACRA 7's Day One

Here are just a few photos from Day One of the NACRA 7's

Two St. Vincent & Grenadine players go for the ball

Try for the Eagles

Luke Hume beats the defender for the try

Mike Palefau and Shalom Suniula chase the ball against Jamaica

The team comes out on the pitch for their first match of the day against Jamaica

Eagles' Positives, Negatives, & Day Two Look Ahead

Jack Halalilo running with the ball against Jamaica

Since I already did match recaps for U.S.A. Rugby, we'll talk about other things.

What the Eagles did well-

Restarts- Any talk about the Eagles performance has to begin with a discussion of restarts. The team was absolutely dominant all day on restarts. Zach Test, Jack Halalilo, Colin Hawley, Mike Palefau, Taylor Mokate, and Peter Tiberio all won restarts that either immediately led to a try or shortly there after. The team had been working on keeping the ball with the thought that if the other team can't have the ball, they can't score. It makes sense and the team did a good job limiting possession all day.

Dominate- The team was always going to be victorious against Jamaica and St. Vincent & Grenadines but the question was by how much. They could either win 19-0 or 40-0. Thankfully, it was the latter as the Eagles outscored their opponents 99-0 on the day. They won and they won convincingly. In fact, they put up the biggest score of the day.

Defense- I know that the team and Alex Magleby felt the team could have defended a little better but if you really think about it, neither Jamaica or St. Vincent & Grenadines made it out of their own half. Team defense was very solid and the team made their tackles.

Introducing new players- It was obvious from talking with coach Magleby that one of his goals at the tournament was to get new players into game. Not only was he able to get new players into the game but he got them significant minutes. Carlin Isles, the rawest of the players, saw good minutes and even scored two tries. A tournament like this with a crowd, pressure, and something on the line is perfect for helping a player like Isles grow.

Intensity- Talking with the team it's clear that they are here to win the tournament. They are focused and are really together as a group.

What the Eagles could improve upon-

Sloppiness- After talking with coach Magleby after the match against Jamaica, it was apparent that he wasn't happy with the team's taking care of the ball. The made some so-so decisions in the first half against Jamaica. Some of that might have been nerves and only playing one tournament prior to this, but nonetheless it wasn't sharp. They could get away with it against Jamaica, but if it were New Zealand, they would have been punished.

Day Two Look Ahead-

Up first tomorrow is the Bahamas at 10:20 am et/8:20 am pt (full schedule here). The Bahamians are one of the more physically imposing teams in the tournament. They have a lot of strong, tall players that try to overpower teams. They'll have a difficult doing that against the U.S. though. If the U.S. can continue to win restarts and taking care of the ball, they should have no problem putting up a big score.

After the Bahamas (assuming the Eagles win), the team will play the winner of Mexico and Guyana. Mexico looked decent on the day, over matched physically, the team did well to stay smart and play well. If the U.S. plays them it will be more of a challenge that the Bahamas but shouldn't be a problem. The same goes for Guyana. They had some troubles before the tournament and it seems to have shown through as they were the team they've been in the past. It wouldn't be surprising if Mexico topped Guyana.

Canada looked good on day one but not invincible. Watching the Canadian team go about their business, they were serious, if not arrogant at times. They were scored on and looked a little out of sorts when trying to integrate some players. Still, they have plenty of physicality and speed. If there is any team at this tournament that is going to prevent the Eagles from winning every restart it might be Canada. There have been a lot of blowouts at the tournament, so a close match between the U.S. and Canada would be a great way to finish the tournament.

Some Quick Notes From Ottawa

The first day of the NACRA 7's is almost in the books, so here are some notes from day one.

• Twin Elm Rugby Park is a nice facility but it's literally in the middle of nowhere. It takes ten plus minutes to find the next trace of civilization and there is no wifi to speak of except for the webstream.
• It was very hot and humid today causing the team's to consistently be looking to refresh themselves. Alex Magleby noted that the ball is a little slippery as a result of the humidity.
• The crowd is okay, only about 500-750 today. Organizers are expecting a bigger crowd tomorrow.
• The crowd is definitely pro-Canada and anti-United States. During halftime of the U.S.-Jamaica match they played Bob Marley. A coincidence, I don't think so.

Regarding the Eagles:

• The team is relaxed and confident that they can win. The new players have assimilated well and have made good contributions so far.
• Alex Magleby is intent on winning and was busy scouting opponents all day.
• One thing that is clear from talking to the players is that they aren't satisfied with anything else but perfection. They weren't scored on all day but they still talked about improving their defense.
• Everyone is healthy and ready to go. Only having two matches today is a real advantage for the team. Only a couple of players played a full two matches and everyone should be ready to go for tomorrow.

I''ll be back later tonight with more recap and some photos.

Zach Test & Shalom Suniula Speak Ahead of NACRA 7's

Yesterday, we sat down with Zach Test and Shalom Suniula to talk about today's NACRA 7's tournament.

This Is American Rugby: What do you know about Jamaica and St. Vincent and Grenadines?

Zach Test: I don't know a thing about them.

TIAR: So how do you go about preparing for teams you know nothing about?

ZT: We just go about our business by sticking to our game plan. The only people that can hurt us is us, and if we try to play down to them, it only hurts us.

TIAR: What has coach Magleby been emphasizing in training leading up to the tournament?

ZT: Line speed. In previous years our line speed has been very passive. We've let other teams take up all that space. This year we've been working on coming up to the line hard and putting the other team under pressure. This gives us an advantage of tackling them behind the gainline, causing a lot of turnovers.

TIAR: The team has also been working on restarts. What aspect of restarts has the team been trying to focus on?

ZT: Restarts is the whole game. If you can win your restarts and their restarts they won't ever see the ball. You want to get an advantage by showing them different options, different kicking options, allowing us to get the ball and put up points on the board.

TIAR: How is the team physically doing? Any fatigue?

ZT: It's been a hard camp but the boys are feeling fresh and ready to go.

TIAR: How did the Serevi RugbyTown Sevens go for the team?

ZT: It was a great prep. It showed us our strengths and our weaknesses. It showed us some things we need to work on and fix. It was also a confidence builder. It showed us that we are the best in the country, but that we need to raise our game more here at this tournament and on the IRB Sevens Series.

TIAR: How do you go about integrating new players into the team?

ZT: Take advantage of their strengths. Carlin Isles is a great speed guy so we can condense our line to give him a lot of space on the outside for him to run. Jack is a big guy so we can utilize his strengths by having him put us away as runners. He's also a good counter-rucker. What can you say about Luke Hume? Luke's amazing. He's a great stepper, he's creative, and the best thing is that he's a finisher. He's deceptively fast and makes his tackles.

TIAR: How do you guys balance speed versus strength?

ZT: The game is always changing. Having guys with different abilities allows you to match them up with different teams. If there is a big team, we can put our powerful guys in to handle that. If there is a quick team, we can put in a guy like Carlin. It's just matching up against our opponent and using our players to our advantage.

TIAR: What do you expect teams will look like this tournament? Do you think you'll see teams with speed?

ZT: They'll probably be some teams with speed but overall the skill level won't be as high. That will allow us to put teams under pressure and to create turnovers. That's not to say anything negative about those teams, but we hold ourselves to a high standard. Canada is the only team that can match us here and we are looking forward to playing them in the final.

TIAR: Canada beat you guys a couple of times last year. What about the rivalry makes it so special and what are you going to do to turn the tide this year?

ZT: We've been playing these guys for a awhile, and anytime we play it's a dogfight.We have four years left to Rio and it's us and Canada for that spot. We want to dominate North American and dominate Canada so in four years time that spot is ours. We also want to be top eight in the IRB Sevens Series.

TIAR: What are your personal goals for the year? What are the teams goals?

ZT: For me personally I want to be more consistent to make more of my tackles, put teammates away and step up my game in the air. For the team we want to be top eight. We're tired of playing for Bowls, we want to play for Cups. I think with the team and experience we have, we can definitely do it.

TIAR: How has residency been helping the team?

ZT: It's brings chemistry and consistency. Making passes becomes second nature and you know what your teammate is going to do.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This Is American Rugby: What do you expect out of tomorrow? Not much is known about Jamaica and St. Vincent & Grenadines.

Shalom Suniula: That's the worst part. With other teams we know what we're getting ourselves into but tomorrow I don't really know what to expect. We can expect defenses that don't play like they usually would which makes it worse because because we have nothing to go against. Hopefully our skills and talents will be show through.

TIAR: What skills have you been practicing?

SS: Tomorrow we'll be working on our set pieces. Just the basics really. This is the early part of the season for us, and it's a long season. If we can do the basics, and string together phases, to us that will be well achieved.

TIAR: As a playmaker you have a lot of responsibility. What have you been looking to work on this year, what has the team been doing in the attack that's different than last year?

SS: Attacking the line. Playing what we see in front of us. So usually after we form a ruck, I'm the first one with my hands on the ball so it's to me or any other playmakers on the team to run the show and step up towards the d-line to play what we see.

TIAR: Part of that is taking care of the ball and keeping the ball. How have you been working on that leading up?

SS: Numbers in the ruck. All seven to get the ball if we have to, so that's a lot of support. Numbers in the breakdown. Secure that ball. And obviously, passing and catching. Never lose the ball. If a player is offsides, we try to avoid that and get up there with him.

TIAR: You expect to win?

SS: Definitely. We want results.

TIAR: What was it like playing in Serevi RugbyTown Sevens?

SS: That was a good tournament for us. We got rid of some cobwebs in the preseason. It was good that we used that tournament to try to put combinations together. There were some new faces so it was good to get them integrated. Tournaments like that are healthy for us to get continuity together with new faces coming in and out. It was good in that sense.

TIAR: You took the offseason off. You didn't play in Australia and got married instead. How is married life?

SS: Married life is awesome. It the big part of my life other than rugby. I want to show support to my wife. She's been supporting me all along so I want to return that support to her.

TIAR: Do you ever feel pressure having two brothers that play rugby?

SS: It the take away pressure to be honest. Having them there gives me stability.

NACRA 7's: Eagles Preview

It begins. The 7’s Eagles season, a chance to qualify for the 2013 7’s Rugby World Cup, and the journey to the Olympics all starts this weekend in Ottawa, Canada at the NACRA 7’s championship. On the surface the tournament doesn’t seem like that big of deal or one that the Eagles should be overly concerned about. After all, the only team out of the ten other teams participating in the tournament that has ever beaten the United States is Canada, and when you consider that the top two teams get berths to next year’s 7’s World Cup, the task seems easy. However, a lot more is riding on this tournament than just a berth in the 7’s RWC. This tournament could set the tone for the Eagles season, which in turn could set the tone for the next four years.

A lot is going to happen of the next year, let alone four years, that is going to change the team and the programme, but now the stakes are raised. The U.S. needs funding and the only way to go out and get that funding is to win. That is essentially what Alex Magleby said to Rugbymag: “We want to win…we want to qualify for the World [and] we also need to use this to get ready for the IRB World Series. As much as anything we want to use this as an opportunity to develop our 7s program.” That is absolutely the attitude this team needs heading into the tournament. If they can start the season off right by limiting mistakes, playing the way they want to play, and improving, the team will have a lot of confidence heading into the IRB Sevens Series later this year.

The Team-

In order to accomplish the team’s objectives, Magleby has brought in an experienced squad and one identical to the team that took home the Serevi RugbyTown Sevens two weeks ago. Returning to the team from last year are Zach Test, Colin Hawley, Mike Palefau, Shalom Suniula, Tai Enosa, Rocco Mauer, Maka Unufe, and Peter Tiberio. They will be joined by capped Eagle XVs players Luke Hume and Taylor Mokate (who has also been capped in 7’s), as well as newcomers Jack Halalilo and Carlin Isles.

Reportedly, the experienced players have been showing quite well at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista. One of the things the team has worked on is retaining on the ball on restarts, something crucial to winning a 7’s match. Zach Test has always been good in the air and Colin Hawley has really started to assert himself as well. In the Serevi RugbyTown Sevens final, one of the pivotal plays in the match involved Hawley taking the ball out of the air for a score. At the same tournament, Suniula and Enosa have worked well together at scrumhalf and flyhalf. Both seem to have a good understanding of one another and will be a good pairing in the middle. Maka Unufe also looked good in the tournament and has added quite a bit of bulk since last season.

Mauer and Tiberio were a couple of question marks heading into the tournament. Both played well last year, but both played in the NASC last weekend, indicating that they need to prove just a little bit more. Mauer brings that game-changing pace while Tibeiro can play all over the backline.

Newcomers Luke Hume and Taylor Mokate aren’t that new to the U.S.A. set-up. Hume has played 7’s before for the invitational side Pups, while Mokate has been a part of the 7’s team before. As was seen in his play with the Eagle XVs during their summer series, Hume has great pace, loves to take on defenders, and can play lock-down defense. His addition is an immediate upgrade to the team and he should be a player for the future. Just as they did in June, Canada should have a lot of problems playing against Hume. Mokate spent the last season in New Zealand and played really well for the Eagles in the summer. He brings a lot of power up front and is a great runner. Opposition players, especially the smaller players in NACRA, are going to have fits with Mokate.

Jack Halalilo and Carlin Isles are still works in progress, but their play throughout the summer was enough to impress Magleby. Isles has incredible pace (scary, scary, fast pace) and will be a killer sub late in matches when the other team is tired. He has an American football background and likes contact. Having a speedy defender is a definite plus.

It should also be noted that Andrew Durutalo and Folau Niua are injured and were unavailable for the tournament.

Projected starting lineup: 1. Zach Test 2. Colin Hawley 3. Mike Palefau 4. Shalom Suniula 5. Tai Enosa 6. Luke Hume 7. Maka Unufe

Subs: Mauer, Mokate, Tiberio, Halalilo, Isles

The Opponents-

The U.S. is in Pool A with Jamaica and St. Vincent & Grenadines. Pool A is the only pool with three teams in it and only the top two teams will advance. Jamaica is the strongest of the Eagles two opponents. They have brought in some players for England and have been training in Toronto for the last week. As the Olympics showed, the Jamaicans are quick and that could pose problems for the Eagles. But they are inexperienced and if the U.S. can leverage the size and tactical awareness to their advantage, they shouldn’t have much of a problem. Not much is known about the St. Vincent & Grenadines, including who is going to be on their team, and the Eagles shouldn’t really have a problem with them.

If the Eagles finish in first place in Pool A, they will play the third place team from Pool B. Pool B is comprised on Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, Bahamas. Canada is expected to finish in first and it’s a toss-up who will finish in second and third. Either way, the U.S. shouldn’t have a problem with any of those opponents. If the Eagles win their quarterfinal match, they will face the winner of the match between the second-placed teams in Pool B and C, setting up an easy road to the final.

If the U.S. makes the final, their opponent is likely to be Canada. The Canadians have brought a strong team with them to this tournament and will be playing on home ground. Sean Duke has been a handful for the U.S. in the past and Canada has brought in national teamers Chauncy O’Toole and Ciaran Hearn. However, missing for the team is all-world kicker Nathan Hirayama. The Eagles were punished by Canada several times last year for careless turnovers. If the U.S. is going to win the tournament, they will need to take care of the ball.

U.S.A. vs. Jamaica, 11:20 a.m et/8:20 a.m. pt

U.S.A. vs. St. Vincent & Grenadines, 2:10 p.m. et/11:10 a.m. pt

What the U.S. has to do to win-

For the U.S. to win they have to do one thing: keep possession. Ever since Magleby took over last Spring he has emphasized winner restarts, limiting turnovers, and not giving the ball away cheaply. His team’s is still quick, but it also has some players that will slow play down and take care of the ball. Everyone remembers last year when they did a pick-and-go to get a try. That may be the extreme end of it but the principle is the same. Too often in the past U.S. players would run with the ball, find themselves alone, and then give the ball away. Under Magleby, players are making the right passes and playing smart. If they do those simple things, they have the talent to beat anyone at this tournament.

NACRA 7’s Predictions

Since I challenged you to make your predictions are part of our NACRA 7’s prediction contest, I thought I would do the same.

But first, let’s look back at my roster predictions. I predicted that Zach Test, Colin Hawley, Mike Palefau, Shalom Suniula, Tai Enosa, Luke Hume, Maka Unufe, Rocco Mauer, Peter Tiberio, Taylor Mokate, Ryan Roundy, and Nate Augsburger would all make the team. I was right on the first ten but was wrong about Roundy and Augsburger. Jack Halalilo and Carlin Isles made the team instead.

As for the NACRA 7’s, it’s never easy to pick a tournament where most of the teams are unknown, but after doing a bit of research (which I shared in a RugbyRugby article) I think I have a better picture of the tournament as a whole. The U.S. and Canada are clear favourites while Guyana has established itself as the third best team. Beyond that are the Cayman Islands, Mexico, Bermuda, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, and Jamaica. The Bahamas and St. Vincent & Grenadines are the true minnows of the tournament.

Pool A (The U.S., Jamaica, St. Vincent & Grenadines): Only two advance out of this pool and the U.S. will get the top spot while Jamaica will claim the second spot.

Pool B (Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, Bahamas): Canada are the class of the group and will easily finish in the top spot. Mexico and Bermuda are both good teams but Mexico has been playing a lot this summer with Bermuda has not. In the end, that gives them enough of an edge to finish in second place. Bermuda will make the quarterfinals by finishing in third and the Bahamas will finish last in the group.

Pool C (Guyana, Cayman Islands, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados): Guyana should be the team to finish first but they have had their share of problems recently. Some players weren’t able to make the tournament and funding has cut into training time. Conversely, the Cayman Islands have been well funded and played in a series of tournaments in Western Canada earlier this year. If I’m going to predict and upset, the Cayman Islands will beat Guyana to finish in first. Guyana will come in second while another surprise, Barbados, tops Trinidad and Tobago for third.

In the quarterfinals, the U.S. will top Bermuda, Mexico will beat Guyana, Canada will beat Barbados, and the Cayman Islands will top Jamaica.

In the semi-finals, the U.S. will beat Mexico and Canada will beat the Cayman Islands.

The U.S. will then beat Canada for the title.