Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
USA TO HOST IRB JUNIOR WORLD RUGBY TROPHY 2012!
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| Photo from left to right: USA Eagle star, Paul Emerick; IRB General Manager Development, Morgan Buckley; USA Rugby CEO, Nigel Melville; USA Eagles vice-captain, Mike Petri. Credit: Edward Zeltser/USA Rugby |
- Hosting reflects massive growth in Rugby in USA
- Salt Lake City hosts key age grade event
- IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy set to leave lasting legacy for Rugby in America
The
International Rugby Board has announced that USA Rugby will host the
IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy (JWRT) 2012 from 18-30 June in Salt Lake
City.
The announcement, which was made at the 2012 USA
Rugby Youth Development Conference in Atlanta on Saturday, reflects the
ongoing committment of both the IRB and USA Rugby to grow the Game
within one of the world's major markets.
Rugby is
taking off in the States with participation rates making the sport one
of the fastest growing team sports in the country. Olympic re-inclusion
has further boosted interest and growth and the hosts will be looking to
build on the hugely successful HSBC Sevens World Series event in Las
Vegas and growing support for the national team as demonstrated at Rugby
World Cup 2011.
Hosts USA join Canada, Chile, Georgia,
Japan, Russia, Tonga and Zimbabwe as they attempt to emulate 2011
champions Samoa by winning the title and with it promotion to the IRB
Junior World Championship 2013 in France.
The eight participating teams will be split into two pools of four, with double headers played across four match days.
The
tournament will aim to exceed the record-breaking event in Georgia, and
provide compelling and entertaining Rugby whilst leaving a lasting
legacy for the Game in the host nation.
“The IRB is
committed to the development of the Game around the world and the USA is
a very important and exciting market for Rugby. We now have a 10 year
tours and test schedule that will see major international teams touring
north America starting this year, while Sevens is really taking off.
Schools are increasingly looking to Rugby as a force for social and
sporting integration and USA Rugby is reaching out to more men, women
and children than ever before," said IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset.
"The
IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy has consistently proven that it is a
major tournament on the global Rugby calendar. It's blend of
entertaining, high-quality matches always captures the imagination and I
am sure that USA 2012 will be no different. The legacy for Rugby in the
Host Union and participating teams is proven and long lasting.
“As
well as providing teams with a platform to test themselves on the
international stage at this key age grade level, the tournament also
provides an opportunity to take Rugby to new and expanding territories,
and enables Unions to adopt best-practice techniques across areas as
diverse as High Performance strategies, event hosting and Referee
development.”
“I would like to thank USA Rugby for
their commitment, enthusiasm and passion in the delivery of what, I am
sure, will be a world-class event and for using the opportunity to
continue their great work in growing the Game.”
USA
Rugby will seek to build on the outstanding tournament hosted in Tbilisi
last year, which saw record fans and increased broadcast coverage
coupled with some of the world’s best young players. Russia’s Denis
Simplikevich became one of the latest of the 82 JWRT graduates to grace
the world stage when he made his Test debut at Rugby World Cup 2011.
Tai
Enosa, Scott LaValla and Shawn Pittman who now play regularly for the
Eagles at fifteens and Sevens, also cut their teeth on the world stage
at IRB age grade tournaments.
“We are very proud to be
hosting the JWRT,” said USA Rugby CEO and President of Rugby Operations,
Nigel Melville. “I know the American rugby community will embrace this
great tournament and I’m confident that we at USA Rugby will deliver an
impressive event.”
Melville added, “Hosting a JWRT is
the first step to positioning the USA to host larger tournaments with
the end goal of one day hosting a Rugby World Cup.”
Speaking
in Atlanta, IRB Development Manager Morgan Buckley reiterated the
success USA Rugby has enjoyed in the promotion of its development
initiatives, particularly the record-breaking Rookie Rugby programme
which introduces boys and girls to the sport.
“I am delighted to
present USA Rugby with their IRB Development Award 2011 on home soil for
their hugely successful Rookie Rugby programme which has seen more than
two million children take up the sport,” said Buckley.
“Together
with their existing High Performance programmes and commitment to both
Sevens and Women’s Rugby, the Game is in great shape here as the Union
continues to build for the future. These are very exciting times for
Rugby here in USA.”
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Saturday, January 28, 2012
2012 COLLEGIATE RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP!
All set for the 2012 edition of the highly anticipated Collegiate Rugby Championship (CRC) featuring 16 of the top universities in the United States, played at PPL Park in Philadelphia on June 2 & 3!
Poster boy is none other than the UT Longhorn Texas flyhalf sensation Eric Allen Luikens - you slippery EEL!
HEYNEKE MEYER IS THE NEW SPRINGBOK RUGBY COACH!
The South African Rugby Union on Friday put the entire world
out of its misery by confirming the worst-kept secret - Heyneke Meyer is
the new Springbok coach.
At a media briefing in Cape Town they confirmed that the Bulls
supremo, Meyer, has replaced Peter de Villiers as the national team's
mentor.
His contract is for a period of four years.
It has been widely speculated in the media that Meyer, SARU's
preferred candidate, had beaten off the challenge of Ireland forwards
coach Gert Smal.
The Blue Bulls Company let the cat out of the bag earlier this week
when they confirmed that SARU vice-President James Stoffberg and SARU
CEO Jurie Roux had met with the company's board in Pretoria.
SARU, in a later dispatch from Newlands, also confirmed that they
intended to employ Meyer as the new Springbok mentor, effectively
pre-empting Friday's announcement.
This followed months of speculation regarding the favoured
candidates for the position.
Meyer and Ireland forwards coach Gert Smal were tipped as the
frontrunners to replace De Villiers, who led the Springboks to the
quarterfinals of last year's World Cup in New Zealand. Allister Coetzee,
who was also linked to the SARU shortlist, and De Villiers were never
really in the race.
Meyer was the favourite out of four shortlisted candidates four years
ago to succeed World Cup-winning mentor Jake White, but lost out to De
Villiers at the 11th hour.
SARU President Oregan Hoskins said at the time that transformation
had played an important role in the appointment of De Villiers.
Meyer guided the Bulls to South Africa's second Super Rugby title in
2007 and won four Currie Cup titles with the union, lifting the Blue
Bulls from the doldrums and making them one of the most successful
provincial teams in the rugby world.
Source: Rugby365.com
Friday, January 27, 2012
EAGLES 7s: USA NAME TEAM FOR HSBC WELLINGTON & VEGAS SEVENS!
CHULA
VISTA, Calif. – USA Men’s Eagles Head Coach, Al Caravelli, announced
today the 12-player squad selected to travel to the New Zealand and USA
legs of the 2011-2012 HSBC Sevens World Series.
Only
three changes have been made to the team that travelled to Australia,
Dubai, and South Africa in late 2011 for the first three stops of the
Series, providing a core group of experienced and capable players.
Maka
Unufe, a highly recruited former wide receiver from Provo, Utah, joins
the squad after missing out on the first three legs. Unufe played in
three National Championships in 2011 at the Under-19, Men’s Club, and
All-Star levels and his performance earned him a spot on the 2011 Pan
American Games squad. He helped his team win a Bronze in the Games.
Roland
Suniula returns to the squad after recovering from an injury in the Pan
Ams. Suniula was the first-choice flyhalf for the Eagles in the 2011
Rugby World Cup, showing his versatility at the fifteen and seven-a-side
versions of the game.
The
third addition to the squad is Andrew Durutalo. Durutalo got his first
taste of international sevens last December after joining the squad in
South Africa to provide cover for the team that played three tournaments
in as many weekends. Durutalo fit right in on the sevens field and
scored his first international try against Canada.
The
young up-and-coming players Miles Craigwell and Andrew Durutalo join
veteran forwards Mark Bokhoven, Mike Palefau, and Matt Hawkins.
Craigwell has been on every leg of the Series since December 2010.
The
backs are packed with pace and experience and led by captain Shalom
Suniula. Peter Tiberio, Maka Unufe, and Folau Niua represent the new
blood in the backline.
Utility
players Zack Test (vice-captain) and Colin Hawley are handy all over
the field and are among the most consistent performers at the
international level.
USA
Rugby announced in November 2011 that 15 full-time training contracts
would be offered to sevens athletes, lending momentum to the USA Rugby
sevens program. Of the 12 traveling players, seven are full-time
residents. The remaining five players are from the taxi squad.
In
Wellington, the Eagles will face Pool B opponents South Africa,
England, and the Cook Islands, a firm challenge but a great test for the
squad.
Source: USA Rugby
USA Men’s Eagle Sevens | 2012 New Zealand and USA Sevens
1. Mark Bokhoven (Denver Barbarians; Ames, Iowa)
2. Mike Palefau (Utah Warriors; Salt Lake City, Utah)
3. Miles Craigwell (Old Puget Sound Beach; Boston, Mass.)
4. Shalom Suniula (USA Rugby; San Diego, Calif.)
5. Zack Test (USA Rugby; Palo Alto, Calif.)
6. Matt Hawkins (Belmont Shore; San Diego, Calif.)
7. Maka Unufe (USA Rugby; Provo, Utah)
8. Andrew Durutalo (Old Puget Sound Beach; Seattle, Wa.)
9. Folau Niua (USA Rugby; East Palo Alto, Calif.)
10. Peter Tiberio (USA Rugby; Naperville, Ill.)
11. Colin Hawley (USA Rugby; Trowbridge, Calif.)
12. Roland Suniula (USA Rugby; Boston, Mass.)
Congrats to the 12 players that will be representing the United States!
Thursday, January 26, 2012
EAGLES XV: COACHES DOWN TO FINAL 4!
The USA Men’s National Team Head Coaching job seems to be down to a short list of …
(In alphabetical order)
Les Cusworth
Dave Hodges
Paul Keeler
Mike Tolkin
All four are apparently going to meet with the USA Rugby Board in Las
Vegas during the USA 7s February 10-12, and will give a presentation on
how they will tackle the job.
Les Cusworth, 57, is a former England flyhalf who played for
Leicester back when they had letters instead of numbers on their
jerseys. Cusworth coached at Leicester and also with the Argentina
national team, where he was also Director of Rugby. If he were to be
hired, he is expected to at least consult with former Argentina Head
Coach Marcelo Loffreda.
Dave Hodges, 43, was a rugby and football All American at Occidental
College and played 54 times for the USA, 27 as captain. During his
professional career at Llanelli he also served as the team’s strength
and conditioning coach, and was Head Coach of the Collegiate All
Americans and the Denver Barbarians. He has been an assistant with the
USA Men’s National Team since 2009 in charge of the forwards and
performance analysis.
Paul Keeler, 40, is the Director of Rugby at San Francisco Golden
Gate, where he led the club to appearances in the last three Super
League finals, winning two. Before that he was Head Coach of Old Blue in
New York City. His elite-level coaching includes several union all-star
teams at the senior and collegiate level. He also coached the USA
Selects in the first incarnation of the Americas Rugby Championship.
Mike Tolkin, 44, is the Head Coach of Xavier High School, where he
also teaches, Head Coach of the New York Athletic Club men’s team, and
assistant coach for the USA MNT, in charge of defense. In 2010 Tolkin
coached Xavier and NYAC to national titles. He was also a national
champion for Xavier as a student.
Source: RugbyMag.com
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| Photo Credits: Getty Images |
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
VEGAS 7s 2012: ELITE 7s POOLS SET!
The Elite 7s bracket has grown tremendously this year to include not
only some of the best American clubs, but several true National Teams
and international touring sides. The level of competition is of such
quality, the final will be played Saturday inside Sam Boyd Stadium for
IRB World Series fans to watch.
Chile and Guyana are teams who've
played inside the stadium in the real deal before, and both are capable
of knocking off core teams. At the 2011 London tournament, Spain upset
the Eagles. And Romania regularly competes in the European Sevens
Championship. Those four internationals headline their pools.
The
Chicago Lions won the Cup Championship Series at the 2011 LVI and are
routinely one of the best 7s sides in America. They're joined by fellow
American 7s sides the Denver Barbarians, Tiger Rugby and Columbus
(1823). Tiger Rugby is coached by Belmont Shore skipper James Walker,
and most recently competed in Kenya, winning the Bowl at Safaricom 7s, a
tournament which included Kenya and Samoa.
This rousing competition is worth a peek, even before its final is played inside the stadium.
Source: RugbyMag.com
TIGER RUGBY will feature several Eagles 7s players - including Pakis Corner - and are set to cause a stir in Vegas. Hopefully on the field...
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| Photo Credit: Dobson Images |
RBS 6 NATIONS 2012: ON BBC AMERICA!
The RBS 6 Nations Rugby Championship, one of Europe’s biggest annual sporting events, will once again broadcast live on BBC AMERICA.
The legendary rugby tournament features England, France, Ireland,
Scotland, Italy and Wales as they vie for the championship over seven
weeks. BBC AMERICA’s first match sees Scotland facing off against last
year’s champion, England.
6 NATIONS 2012 - BBC AMERICA’s schedule:
Scotland v England - Saturday, February 4, 12:00pm ET on BBC AMERICA
France v Ireland - Saturday, February 11, 3:00pm ET on BBC AMERICA
England v Wales - Saturday, February 25, 11:00am ET on BBC AMERICA
Wales v Italy - Saturday, March 10, 9:30am ET on BBC AMERICA
England v Ireland - Saturday, March 17, 1:00pm ET on BBC AMERICA
FIND YOUR LOCAL CHANNEL – BBCAmerica.com has a local channel finder at the top of its homepage
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
PAKIS CORNER SUITS UP FOR OXY OLDE BOYS!
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| A fantastic venue for rugby - the home of the Occidental College Men & Women's sides - as well as the Olde Boys! |
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| OC Bucks flyhalf Shawn Jefts and his opposite number at the Oxy Olde Boys - Dallen Stanford - share a cold one! |
The Occidental Olde Boys have enjoyed the first three matches of the 2012 Division 3 season - coming away with a 45-0 win at home against the OC Bucks on Saturday evening.
The Oxy Tigers enjoyed their best season in 2005 in Division 2 under the guidance of coach James Walker. Several players then transferred to Belmont Shore to play in the Super League competition, with Shore winning the prestigious title in 2007.
Since then the Oxy Tigers have regrouped and entered the Division 3 league - hoping that 2012 could a year to remember!
2012 Results
Oxy Olde Boys 43 Santa Monica 20
Oxy Olde Boys 14 Temecula 12
Oxy Olde Boys 45 OC Bucks 0
Fixtures
Jan 28 Rhinos
Away
Feb 4 Gators Home
Feb 11 Bye for 7's
Feb 18 SLO Home
Feb 25 LB Wave Home
Mar 3 OMBAC Away
Mar 10 Bye
Mar 17 Ravens Home
Mar 24 Sin City Home
Mar 31 Beaumont Away
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