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Weekend Television Listings

February 6, 2015, 10:30 am
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The opening of the Six Nations is usually one of the biggest rugby viewing days of the year in America and this year is no different. To watch the tournament live you'll have to pay Premium Sports to view it online or you can wait until the even when beIN Sports is showing the matches on delay.  The Wellington and Sao Paulo 7s will offer fans a chance to see the Eagles. Finally, the World Cup between Cal and UBC will be on the PAC-12 Network. 

If you know of an event or a tournament that is not on our list, please share it with us at thisisamericanrugby@gmail.com.

Friday:
  • Wales vs. England, 3:00 p.m. et/12:00 p.m. pt (live on Premium Sports)
  • Wellington 7s, 5:50 p.m. et/2:50 p.m. pt (Universal Sports and Universalsports.com)
  • Wales vs. England, 7:00 p.m. et/4:00 p.m. pt (delay on beIN Sports)
Take the jump to read more.

Saturday:
  • Sao Paulo 7s, 8:00 a.m. et/5:00 a.m. pt (love on worldrugby.org)
  • Italy vs. Ireland, 9:30 a.m. et/6:30 a.m. pt (live on Premium Sports)
  • France vs. Scotland, 12:00 p.m. et/9:00 a.m. pt (live on Premium Sports)
  • Cal vs. UBC, 5:00 p.m. et/2:00 p.m. pt (Live on the PAC-12 Network)
  • France vs. Scotland, 7:00 p.m. et/4:00 p.m. pt (delay on beIN Sports)
  • Italy vs. Ireland, 1:00 a.m. et (Sunday)/10:00 p.m. pt (delay on beIN Sports)
Sunday:
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Eagles Abroad: Weekend Review

February 6, 2015, 12:07 pm
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Eagles Abroad is brought to you by Grubber, makers of fine sporting apparel. 

With the start of the Six Nations quieting the top competitions in Europe and the start of the Super Rugby season a week away it's a relatively slow week for Americans overseas. In the LV= Cup Hayden Smith and Eric Fry will get starts while Greg Peterson and Thretton Palamo will have opportunities to come off the bench. Tai Tuisamoa is back for London Scottish while in the ProD2 Taku Ngwenya is involved in a big match as Biarritz take on Pau. At the lower levels there are also a number of players that will be involved. Some will be involved in head to head matches with each other. Finally, Graham Harriman will be involved as a starter for James Bay in the BC Rugby Premier League.

Take the jump to read more.
British Isles:

LV= Cup

Samu Manoa and Cam Dolan are not in the line-up for Northampton as they lost to Leicester 17-8 on Saturday.

Blaine Scully is not in the line-up but Greg Peterson is on the bench for Leicester as they play Wasps on Saturday. Tom Bliss was not in the line-up for Wasps. 

Hayden Smith will start while Thretton Palamo is on the bench for Saracens as they play Exeter on Sunday. Chris Wyles and Titi Lamositele are not in the line-up.

Eric Fry will start for Newcastle as they play London Irish on Saturday.

Guinness Pro12

Callum Black, Dave Ryan, and Munster have the weekend off.

James Hilterbrand, Brett Thompson, and Edinburgh have the weekend off.

RFU Championship

Tai Tuisamoa is on the bench for London Scottish as they play Bristol on Saturday. 

National League 1

Will Magie and Old Albanians play Blaydon on Saturday. 

Ronnie McLean and Ealing play Robbie Shaw and Esher on Saturday.

Other

Hanco Germishuys is with the Gloucester academy. He also plays for Cheltenham.

Christian Ostberg and Chinnor will play Cambridge on Saturday.

Jona Cali and Grove play Chippenham on Saturday.

All Ireland League

Tim Maupin, Pierce Dargan, Conor Kearns and Trinity have the weekend off. 

Ross Deacon, Gearoid McDonald, and Lansdowne have the weekend off. 

Liam Bourke and UCD have the weekend off.

Liam Murphy and Clontarf have the weekend off.

John Quill and Dolphin have the weekend off.

France:

European Champions Cup

Scott LaValla and Stade Francais have the weekend off.

Pro D2

Taku Ngwenya will start for Biarritz as they play Pau on Sunday. 

Inaki Basauri will start for Tarbes as they play Dax on Saturday.

Federale 1

Roland Suniula and Chalon play Seta Tuilevuka and ROC La Voulte-Valence on Sunday.

Mate Moeakiola and Castanet play St.-Sulpice-sur-leze on Sunday.

Italy:

Eccellenza

Nick Civetta and Viadana play Petrarca on Sunday.

Japan:

Top League

Anthony Estrella and Toshiba Fuchu Brave Lupus are in the All-Japan Rugby Championships. 

Australia:

Super Rugby

Marcel Brache and Western Force have the weekend off before starting the season next week.

National Rugby Championship

Tom Coolican, James McMahon and the Sydney Stars have finished their season.

New Zealand:

Super Rugby

Toni Pulu was not a part of the Chiefs team that lost to the Waratahs 38-36 in a trial match.

Other

Michelle Wong is training and playing with Sydenham.

Mika Maeva and is training and playing with Marist.

Canada:

BC Premier League

Graham Harriman will start for James Bay as they play Burnaby Lake on Saturday.

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Video: Day One Highlights From Wellington

February 6, 2015, 1:43 pm
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Sao Paulo 7s Preview: Women Eagles Hungry For Points

February 6, 2015, 4:07 pm
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After a seventh place finish in Dubai the Women Eagles are looking to jumpstart their season with a strong showing at the Sao Paulo 7s. The tournament is only the second of the season and the Eagles still have a great opportunity to move into the top four of the standings and automatic qualification for the Olympics but they are going to need to pick up points is Brazil or they risk falling behind with only four tournaments left.

The Eagles showed plenty of positive signs in Dubai, especially in pool play where they held New Zealand close, beat Russia, and then crushed China. However, on day two nothing went their way as they looked like a different team slumping to Canada and Fiji before getting past Russia again. The lack of consistency isn't unexpected given that many on the team are still learning the intricacies of rugby but it's still a concern and something they will be targeting to fix this go around.

Take the jump to read more.
The Team

One of the key elements of the Eagles as of late is their athleticism. In comparison to most teams on the Women's Series the U.S. has athleticism that few other teams can match. Everyone knows about Megan Bonny and her ability to hit opponents with force but it's players like Vix Folayan, Jessica Javelet, Alev Kelter, and Nana Fa'avesi that have the physical ability to turn matches around in second. Javelet is the quickest player on the Series and as she matures Kelter has the ability to be a dominant player on the series.

The game plan is similar to the men's side, they want to work the ball out quickly to their fast wings. Folayan is a beat in terms of try scoring and with Javelet also int he picture the Eagles have two of the best wings on the Series. Hannah Lopez is an excellent playmaker that typically finds the right players at the right times.

Head coach Ric Suggitt has only made two changes as Kristen Thomas and Dana Meschisi come in for Amelia Villines and Lorrie Clifford.

Squad: Kathryn Johnson, Kelly Griffin (C), Megan Bonny, Hannah Lopez, Jessica Javelet, Lauren Doyle, Vix Folayan, Alev Kelter, Nana Fa'avesi, Dana Meschisi, Melissa Fowler, Kristen Thomas

The Opponents

New Zealand (9:06 a.m. et/6:06 a.m. pt): New Zealand are the best team in the world and they once again won another tournament in Dubai. That said, the Eagles had a chance to beat them in pool play and probably should have. That match will give the Eagles confidence. That could be key, especially if they keep the score close and advance on point differential.

France (11:50 a.m. et/8:50 a.m. pt): France finished four in Dubai which for them is a great start to the season. With the World Cup over France is putting more effort behind their 7s team and that means trouble for other teams. That said, they are a team that the Eagles need to be beating every time out if they want to finish in the top four.

Spain (2:34 p.m. et/11:34 a.m. pt): Spain did not have a great tournament in Dubai finishing in 11th place. This is a match the Eagles should be winning and winning big. However, they have pushed and beaten the Eagles in the past so a win is not guaranteed. In all likelihood they U.S. must win this match to advance.

The Outlook

The Eagles have the tools to not only go far in the tournament but to even win it. They have game changes in Javelet, Kelter, Kelly Griffin, Bonny, and Folayan but they have yet to put it all together for an entire tournament. That is their challenge this tournament. For us the France match will be the big barometer of where the Eagles stand. If they want to finish in the top four they have to put France away and give themselves a chance to win on day two. 
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Wellington 7s: Eagles Lose Heartbreaker To Scotland

February 6, 2015, 5:03 pm
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With a spot in the Cup semi-finals only minutes away the Eagles let a 15-0 lead lead evaporate as they lost to Scotland 19-15 on a last minute try. Missed conversions and poor discipline were the story of the match as the Eagles looked dominant for 10 of the 14 minutes. They will now head to the Plate semi-finals where they will look to regroup against either Fiji or England.

The Eagles looked phenomenal early, especially on the defensive end. Time after time they were able to limit Scotland's chances and their worked at the breakdown led to opportunities on the offensive end. That's exactly how the Eagles earned their first try as Danny Barrett stole the ball at the breakdown and the Eagles gained a penalty. From the set piece Madison Hughes put the Eagles up 5-0 with a simple try in the corner.

Take the jump to read more.
The Eagles second try also came off a turnover at the breakdown. Hard tackling from the Eagles, in particular Folau Niua broke the ball loose, the Eagles then recovered and quickly found Carlin Isles who went around the Scottish defense like they were turtles to make it 10-0. The defensive effort continued after the try was epitomized by Zack Test chasing a Scottish player all the way down the pitch with only second remaining in the half to keep Scotland off the board.

The second half saw much of the same early on as the U.S. defense gave them plenty of possession. At halftime Mike Friday said that the next try would kill Scotland and when Danny Barrett powered over to give the U.S. a 15-0 lead it looked like that would be the case.

However, the U.S. found themselves continually on their heels after that as Scotland put pressure on them. Scotland improved but it really came down to the U.S. taking their foot off the gas and poor discipline. Barrett found himself involved in a scuffle with the Scottish team after he took exception to Zack Test being shoved on the ground. He didn't earn a card but it was a penalty on the Eagles that Scotland worked into a try with only a couple minutes to go.

Things then got worse for the U.S. as Test was shown a yellow card for holding on to the ball. With the advantage Scotland scored another try to make it 15-12 with less than minute to go. After Martin Iosefo knocked the ball on with only seconds to go Scotland used their numerical advantage and a solid scrum to score the winning try.

It was a heartbreaking match for the Eagles but one that was preventable. Friday can't be pleased that his team gave away a spot in the Cup semi-finals with poor discipline and simple mistakes. If the Eagles want to be a top team on the Series these are the types of matches they must win.

Starters: Barrett, Test, Durutalo, Isles, Niua, Unufe, Hughes.

Tries: Hughes, Isles, Barrett

Conversions: Hughes (0/3)
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Wellington 7s: Eagles Out After Fiji Loss

February 6, 2015, 8:11 pm
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The Eagles are out of the Wellington 7s after a controversially loss 12-10 loss to Fiji in the Plate semi-finals. Controversy aside the Eagles should have won the match as their two missed conversions were the difference in the match. The Eagles conclude the tournament with mixed emotions having a very strong day one but then letting an opportunity to make the Cup semi-finals slip away on day two.

The match opened with Fiji showing their classic passing skills leading to Samisoni Viriviri putting Fiji up 7-0. However, the Eagles settled down after that, especially defensively as they worked to turn the ball over several times. Unfortunately for them they weren't able to hold on to the ball offensively and let opportunities to score slip through. Finally they were able to break through as Folau Niua powered over for a try. Maka Unufe and Andrew Durutalo both had strong runs to set it up. Unfortunately for the Eagles the easy conversion missed putting them into a 7-5 hole at halftime.

Take the jump to read more.
The second half opened positively for the Eagles as more runs from Unufe, who was the Eagles man of the match, and Zack Test set up Durutalo for the go ahead try. However, crucially the conversion was missed again. Had they made either of their conversions the result would have been much different.

With plenty of time left on the clock and with a lot of the possession it was just a matter of time before Fiji picked up their second try. That came as missed tackles allowed Fiji to get free and Vatemo Revouvou to score to make it 12-10.

The controversy in the match came twice in the final minute. With thirty seconds to play the Eagles looked to have Danny Barrett away after nice passing from Madison Hughes and Test but the pass was ruled forward. Even if the call was correct, which it may have been, that identical pass had not been called forward in the U.S. matches against Scotland and Fiji earlier in the tournament. Had the call not been made the Eagles would have likely won the match. The second bit of controversy came as Fiji knocked on the ball just prior to the hooter but the referee called time. Typically in those situations the teams are allowed to continue play. Again, despite the controversy had the Eagles made their conversions they would have won the match.

The Eagles will now turn their attention to Vegas next week.

Starters: Barrett, Test, Durutalo, Isles, Niua, Unufe, Hughes

Tries: Niua, Durutalo

Conversions: Hughes (0/1), Niua (0/1)
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Sao Paulo 7s: U.S. Falls To New Zealand In Opener

February 7, 2015, 8:00 am
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The Women Eagles 7s always faced an uphill battle against New Zealand not having beaten the side in five tries on the Women's Sevens Series. However, just like in Dubai, the Eagles played competitively before ultimately losing 35-12. The team will now shift it's focus to France in a must win pool match.

Defense was the hallmark of the Eagles early as they were extremely physical at the breakdown and earned a couple of turnovers. Still, New Zealand were equally strong on defense limiting they Eagles opportunities and creating turnovers for themselves. It was on a turnover that New Zealand was able to gain their first try. They stole the ball at the breakdown and then simply stayed patient until Hazel Tubic found a gap for the try and a 7-0 lead.

Take the jump to read more.
To their full credit the Eagles did not take long to respond. On the ensuing restart Kelly Griffin fielded the long kick. She then exchanged in a series of give and go passes with Kathryn Johnson that got the New Zealand defense out of sorts and allowed Johnson to score. The conversion would miss but the Eagles were in the match at 7-5.

New Zealand are the world champions for a reason. Any mistake the Eagles offered up, such as a lack of support at the breakdown, was punished. That's exactly what led to New Zealand's second try as Portia Woodman made it 14-5 at halftime.

As the second half began it look less than a minute for Woodman to grab her second try of the match. From there it was a series of errors that allowed New Zealand to increase the lead to 28-5 through Kayla Mcalistair.

The U.S. pressed after the try and strong play, in particular from Nana Fa'Avesi and Kristen Thomas, both of whom had came on as substitutes, allowed Thomas to score to make it 28-12. New Zealand would score a final try from Gayle Broughton to give the game it's final score.

Starters: Johnson, Griffin, Bonny, Javelet, Doyle, Folayan, Meschisi

Tries: Johnson, Thomas

Conversions: Johnson (1/2)
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Sao Paulo 7s: Errors Cost U.S. In France Loss

February 7, 2015, 9:21 am
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It was a match they needed to win if they wanted to control their own fate in making the Cup round but too many simple errors cost the U.S. as they lost to France 14-12. The U.S. should have won the match easily as they controlled possession for large stretches but they couldn't hold on to the ball on offense and failed to make the plays needed on defense. They will now face Spain needing to win and to score as many points as possible.

The Eagles got off to a bright start as Kelly Griffin took a quick tap from a French penalty to put the Eagles up 5-0. Kathryn Johnson would miss the conversion and that would come back to haunt them as they only lost by two points. Vix Folayan was shown a yellow card a few minutes later for an intentional knock-on. With the advantage France wasted no time in making the Eagles pay as Marjorie Mayans scored to make it 7-5.

Take the jump to read more.
Despite trailing at the half the Eagles had a great chance to win the match had they cut down on errors and played simply. Unfortunately that wasn't the case as time and time again the Eagles killed themselves with silly penalties. They were mostly lucky to not have France punish them but eventually they wore down as France added their second try. With only a couple of minutes left the Eagles found themselves in a 14-5 hole.

The U.S. did get a boost shortly thereafter as Kristen Thomas showed her athleticism and Carlin Isles-like running as she burst around the French defense for an electric try. This time the conversion was good but the Eagles still trailed 14-12. The U.S. kept pushing but again small errors caught up with them as France were able to wind down the clock.

Starters: Johnson, Griffin, Bonny, Javelet, Doyle, Folayan, Meschisi

Tries: Griffin, Thomas

Conversions: Johnson (1/2)
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Eagles Learn Vegas Draw, Unufe Makes Dream Team

February 7, 2015, 10:25 am
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With the Wellington 7s behind them the Eagles 7s will now turn their focus to Las Vegas where they will face South Africa, Portugal, and Japan in Pool C. It's the second tournament in a row where the U.S. will play South Africa and Japan in pool play and the third time in a row facing South Africa. The U.S. lost to South Africa and beat Japan in Wellington. The U.S. will also play Portugal for the second time this season. Their previous encounter was a 33-0 win for the U.S. in the Bowl semi-finals in the Gold Coast.

South Africa are in first place overall in the standings, the U.S. sit 8th, Portugal 13th, and Japan 15th. The draw is a fantastic opportunity for the Eagles to advance to the Cup round for the third straight time on the season and pick up additional points. They should both easily beat Portugal and Japan and have been very competitive against South Africa.

Take the jump to read more.

Pool A: New Zealand, Fiji, Wales, Samoa
Pool B: England, Kenya, Argentina, Canada
Pool C: South Africa, U.S., Portugal Japan
Pool D: Scotland, Australia, France, Brazil

Unufe Makes Dream Team

The U.S. have another Dream Team selection as Maka Unufe was picked to the Wellington squad. Unufe was at the center of the Eagles throughout the tournament making strong defensive plays and hard runs. He joins Gillies Kaka and Scott Curry from champions New Zealand, James Rodwell and Warwick Lahmert from runners-up England, and Virimi Vakatawa from France, and Damien Hoyland from Scotland. 
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Sao Paulo 7s: Eagles Beat Spain To Confirm Cup Place

February 7, 2015, 12:03 pm
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The Women Eagles 7s have clinched a spot in the Cup round of the Sao Paulo 7s with a 26-7 win over Spain in their final pool play match. The Eagles needed to win the match by at least eight points or more to top Fiji for one of the two third place finishes. They will now play Australia or New Zealand on day two depending on where Russia finish in Pool C.

Similar to their match against France the Eagles let solid opportunities slip through their hands early as simple errors and penalties cost the Eagles time and time again. Fortunately for them Spain had similar issues causing neither team to get much going. That change halfway through the half as a heads up play from Kristen Thomas to take the ball out of the ruck, recognize that no one was at home on the short side, and use her pace for the try and the 7-0 lead.

Take the jump to read more.
Still, needing to win by at least two scores the Eagles kept pressing and were rewarded when Vix Folayan scored just before the break and an individual effort in which she cut across the entire pitch. At the break the Eagles led 14-0.

Spain struck first in the second half meaning that the Eagles needed another try to make the Cup round. That came as substitute Lauren Doyle made a fantastic offload to Jessica Javelet who easily beat the Spanish defense for the try. Javelet also did well to fake out the Spanish in the try zone in order to get under the posts.

That two try advantage was under threat only a few minutes later as Nana Fa'Avesi was shown a yellow card for a dangerous tackle. However, the U.S. defense held firm and when Javelet cut back inside on a nifty move to score a long range try the Eagles would confirm their cup place.

Starters: Johnson, Griffin, Bonny, Javelet, Folayan, Kelter, Thomas

Tries: Thomas, Folayan, Javelet (2)

Conversions: Johnson (3/4)
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Video Highlights: UBC Tops Cal

February 7, 2015, 4:48 pm
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(Updated) Utah Knocks Off UCLA, Arkansas State Beats Glendale

February 7, 2015, 5:27 pm
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Utah 38-0 UCLA

(Updated with quotes below.) Heading into their showdown in L.A. the match between Utah and UCLA was being billed as a much watch encounter between two teams who have claims to being the second best team in the PAC. Both teams have had mixed results before the tournament with UCLA beating Oregon State, Utah winning the PAC North Tournament, but at the same time UCLA losing to Cal and Utah losing to both BYU and St. Mary's.

Simply based on form over the last couple of years most would have said UCLA would win this match. That couldn't be further from the truth as Utah shut out UCLA 38-0 in a big road win. Tonata Lauti, the Utes star player and a player to watch on the national level, got the Utes on the board early. They would then extend their lead with a try and a penalty to lead 13-0 at the break before an onslaught in the second half saw them finish in fine fashion. In addition to Lauti, lock Nyles Lapuaho (who was playing in his first rugby game, prop Spencer Vickery, hooker Chad Gough, and Danny Christensen all had strong matches.

Take the jump to read more.
Overall, Utah Director of Rugby Mark Drown was pleased with the effort and preparation. "The staff focused over the past two weeks on tackling, ball handling, and accuracy at the breakdown and we saw good results today in all three areas. Our continuity was better today and several of our young players are making quick progress. We were happy that our defensive structures remained sound for the full 80 as we know how electric UCLAs backs can be. Our set piece was effective today, especially our work in the air at the lineouts."

The Utes will next head to the Las Vegas Invitational before taking on Cal at the end of the month. At the LVI they will be playing in the CRC qualifier bracket in order to return to the tournament they won back in 2010 with Thretton Palamo and Don Pati on the roster. The Bruins will take next weekend off before playing Cal on the 21st.

Drown was quick to give credit to UCLA for hosting. "UCLA were terrific hosts. Coach Stewart runs a classy organization."

Glendale 12-14 Arkansas State

The Glendale Raptors used their weekend off from the PRP to schedule a friendly with Arkansas State in Jonesboro. It ended up being a learning experience as tries from Dewon Reed and Garrett Brewer couldn't overcome two tries from the Red Wolves.

Arkansas State's first try came from freshman winger Glenn Eriksen. The plan started with Arkansas State playing within their own 22. An attacking kick from Eriksen was recovered by Mike Baska who then made the pass to Eriksen for the try. Reed responded for the Raptors before Dustin Bates scored Arkansas State's second try. Tomo Hausrrer stepped up to hit his second conversion of the day to make it 14-7. Brewer then scored for Glendale but missed the conversion and Arkansas State held on for the win.

Raptors Starters

Forwards: Nick Wallace, Giorgi Tsverava, Ben Tarr, Christian Wiessing, Andre Whaley, Austin Welch, Christian Sarmento, Justin Mitchell (C)

Backs: Crawford Miller, Garrett Brewer, Preston Bryant, Armandt Peens, Dewon Reed, Brian Wanless, Cody Melphy
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Friday Reflects On Wellington Day Two

February 8, 2015, 9:42 am
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Regardless of the final results the Eagles had a thrilling day two at the Wellington 7s. We caught up with head coach Mike Friday shortly after the match to get his take on the day and thoughts on adjustments before Vegas.

TIAR: The match against Fiji ended in controversial fashion both with a forward pass call and calling the match early. How frustrating is that for you and do you think it's a systematic problem?

Mike Friday: We have learned some harsh lessons today. We no doubt were the better team in the quarterfinal against Scotland but didn't close the game out. With a minute to play to lose in the fashion we did is a very harsh lesson indeed for the group but as long as the group learns from it this will be a long term positive thing. The Fiji game was very frustrating as we were on a number of controversial decisions which we need to take on the chin as we cannot control these things.

Take the jump to read more.

TIAR: Despite the close losses on day two do you think the team took a step forward this tournament?

MF: Without doubt as a squad and team we have taken steps forward and I am proud of their commitment to each other and to get better. Other teams are fearful on playing us which is a step forward in our journey and I hope we can kick on and continue to learn from these bumps in the road and growing pains.

TIAR: What adjustments are you going to make heading into Vegas?

MF: We don't need to make many adjustments we just need to reflect and learn from these mistakes and experiences which will make us better prepared for the group in Vegas.

TIAR: How excited is the team to play in front of their home crowd?

MF: Boys are very much looking forward to playing in front of their families and friends and excited by the opportunity and are keen to collectively make the country proud. 
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Sao Paulo 7: Eagles Finish As Plate Runners-up

February 8, 2015, 11:58 am
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The Women Eagles 7s had a mixed day two at the Sao Paulo 7s with a tight losses to both New Zealand and England, and a win over hosts Brazil. By picking up 10 Series points the U.S. have now jumped past Fiji for 6th place. The top five remains unchanged with New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and France holding Olympic qualification spots at the moment.

Eagles 17-28 New Zealand

It was almost a completely different day as the Eagles nearly upset New Zealand in their Cup quarterfinal match. Early penalties and a missed try opportunity proved costly as the Eagles lost 28-17. Sarah Gross got things started for New Zealand a few minutes into the match when she evaded U.S. tackles. The Black Ferns did well up to that point to make the smart passes that put them in a good position. Still, the U.S. came back and despite a mix-up between Kathryn Johnson and Vix Folayan Johnson was still able to recover the ball and make the pass out to Lauren Doyle who would go in for the score to make it 7-5. New Zealand would turn it on the rest of the half with Charlotte Arnopp-Scanland and Kayla McAlister scoring to make it 21-5 at the break.

Take the jump to read more.

In the second half the U.S. came out with renewed focus and it paid off as Jessica Javelet beat the New Zealand defense around the corner and then did well to put the ball down while being tackled to score. The second missed conversion of the match meant that the Eagles trailed 21-10. After Javelet's try it turned into the Kristen Thomas show as the speedster burst through a few Back Ferns tackle to go under for the score. She nearly added another one a minute later but when going to put the ball down Thomas spilled the ball costing her team a try and the lead. New Zealand would then add another try through Portia Woodman to seal the match.

Starters: Johnson, Griffin, Bonny, Javelet, Doyle, Folayan, Meschisi
Tries: Doyle, Javelet, Thomas
Conversions: Johnson

Eagles 19-0 Brazil

After their disappointing loss to New Zealand the Eagles rebounded with a 19-0 win over hosts Brazil. The Eagles dominated from start to finish putting in a especially strong defensive effort. Folayan was the first to score for the Eagles as she split two defenders and raced halfway down the pitch for the score. Johnson would slot the conversion and the Eagles would lead 7-0. The U.S. would continue to push the rest of the half but a number of simple errors would prevent them from adding another score before the break.

The U.S. caught a break two minutes into the half when the Brazilian captain was sent to the bin. Thomas immediately made Brazil pay after simple phase play from the rest of her team. Johnson would hit the easy conversion and the Eagles would lead 19-0. With the advantage the U.S. was able to gain great field position and it sooner paid off as Lauren Doyle would scoop up a loose ball and race in for the final try. Several player had strong matches but Alev Kelter in particular had a great match on the defensive end.

Starters: Johnson, Griffin, Bonny, Lopez, Javelet, Folayan, Kelter
Tries: Folayan, Thomas, Doyle
Conversions: Johnson (2)

Eagles 5-14 England

The Eagles saved their best defensive performance for last but in the end a lack of possession doomed the team as they fell to England 14-5 in the Plate final. The first half was a war of attrition for the Eagles as England nearly had all of the possession. Fortunately for the U.S. they were extremely solid in making their tackles and it looked like the Eagles would keep it scoreless at the break. Unfortuantely, Kelly Griffin was shown a yellow card with 30 seconds on the clock. England wasted no time in scoring through Rachael Burford.

Folayan responded for the Eagles in the second half to make it 7-5. The U.S. continued their solid defensive performance and worked that into a turnover. With possession Lauren Doyle made a great offload to Folayan for the try. Still, the U.S. couldn't regain much possession and when Johnson was shown a yellow card late in the match England scored their second try to seal the match.

Starters: Johnson, Griffin, Bonny, Javelet, Doyle, Folayan, Meschisi
Tries: Folayan

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NCRC Recap: Washington State, Central Washington Win

February 8, 2015, 9:04 pm
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There were a pair of games in the Northwest Collegiate Rugby Conference over the weekend, one of them close and the other not so close. The closest match of the weekend saw Washington State top rivals Boise State 24-19. It was a hard fought match between both sides and Boise State took away a bonus point for their effort. Joey Malloy, Anthony White, Casey Smith, and Larson would score tries for the Cougars.

The win move Washington State into a two way tie for second with Washington and Western Washington. Washington has a game in hand. Central Washington still stand number one after they defeated Western Washington 132-3 over the weekend. The Wildcats will not be participating in the playoffs.

Take the jump to read more.

In non-conference play the University of Washington beat Oregon State 28-17 in Corvallis. UW scored early but the Beavers hung tough and the match was tied at 14-14 at halftime. The second half belonged to the Huskies as they added two more converted tries. Also, in the Northwest Cup, Seattle University beat Reed College 47-10.


NCRC Championship Standings
1-CWU (3-0) 15pts*
2-UW (2-0) 9pts
3-WSU (2-1) 9pts
4-WWU (2-2) 9pts
5-UO (1-1) 6pts
t6-BSU (0-2) 1pts
t6-EWU (0-2) 1pts
8-WOU (0-2) 0pts


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CRC Qualifier Preview

February 8, 2015, 9:24 pm
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By Doug Coil and Richard Portale, Real-time Sports

The Penn Mutual Collegiate Rugby Championship has emerged as one of the premier events in the promotion of rugby in the United States. The “CRC” began in 2010 and receives tremendous publicity, with most of the matches broadcast on NBC and achieving startling viewership numbers.

The talent level increases vigorously every year and this year should be no different, with the tournament going off on May 29-31, 2015 at PPL Park, in greater Philadelphia, PA.

Currently, 15 clubs have accepted the highly sought after invitations from event powerhouse United World Sports. Invites have yet to be awarded to Conference Champions from the Big Ten, Atlantic Coast and Southeastern Rugby Conferences, as well as the Champion of the LVI CRC Qualifier Division. Finally, A mysterious Wild Card invitation will be also extended to another top team.

Take the jump to read more.

LVI Director and rugby tournament savant - Jon Hinkin (picture above) clarified a number of questions about the CRCs and the LVI - CRC qualifier Division.  One question still remains:  What happens if one of the Conference Champion(s) listed above, or the LVI CRC Qualifier Champion has already confirmed participation in the CRCs -  For example, say Kutztown wins the CRC Qualifier in Vegas in 2 weeks. Former International Donal Walsh, Penn Mutual College Rugby Championship Tournament Director and Operations Manager has the answers to these critical question and how the CRC Wild Card spot will be determined, but he’s not telling...

Stay on top of all the action from the CRC qualifier Division and see what happens!

Tournament Results & Real-time Rugby Smartphone App  

Technology has made it easier to follow your favorite teams, not only for the CRC Qualifier, but for the Men’s Elite Division. Real-time Sports Inc. has teamed up with United World Sports so that fans everywhere may view results as they come in. You can now also find results much more handily on the USA Sevens website – just click on the LVI landing page. http://www.usasevens.com/las-vegas/las-vegas-invitational/

Download Real-time Rugby on IOS or Android. Real-time Rugby has integrated Facebook and Twitter to improve the overall intuitiveness of the App. Users will enjoy actively following their teams and having instant access to results. It is a great way to follow and promote your favorite teams and Maximize your Rugby.

LVI - CRC Qualifier (See Pools below)

There are 24 Colleges competing for this Division title, Feb 12-14th, and an invitation to the CRCs. Four of these teams, Saint Joseph’s University, Kutztown University, Dartmouth College and Notre Dame University have already accepted invites to the CRCs.

According to Jon Hinkin, seedings and pools were selected as follows:  Initially, teams were grouped into 4 tiers of seeds based on the perceived talent and the past team performance.  For this latter area, consideration was factored for players who have graduated and would not be competing when accessing talent. Even though this is a rugby 7s tournament, performance during the Fall 15s season was also considered. Please see Pools and seeding at the end of the article.

Advancement after Pool Rounds

The 6 pool winners and the top 2 second-place teams will advance according to the following criteria:

  1. Head to Head
  2. Point Differential
  3. Tries scored
  4. Total points scored


The criteria will be used to determine Seeds 1-6 for the Pool winners with the 7-8th seeds representing the top second place teams.  Cup, Plate, Bowl and Shield rounds will then continue.

The Teams

The Colleges participating in this year’s event represent a cross section of all College Divisions, D1A, D1-AA, DII and NSCRO. They have come to Las Vegas with different goals, but all having a common purpose of performing well and maybe, just maybe, securing a spot on NBC in National Prime Time! Not many of us Old Boys can say they have ever had that opportunity.

With the USA Sevens being the only World Rugby 7s stop in the United States (Feb 13-15), the LVI has provided an attractive destination for playing in a major, early season rugby tournament, where teams can evaluate and gain invaluable experience and cohesion. In addition to the CRC Qualifier, Men’s and Women’s Elite (an absolute cracker of a standard), College, Club and Youth Divisions add to the excitement (See Divisions/Teams).

With the exception of Claremont College, the CRC Qualifier teams tend to be from colder climate areas where the Fall season is devoted to rugby 15s and the Spring to 7s.  The LVI thus, also provides challenges of match fitness with most or all lead up practices having been limited to indoor facilities and can be an early barometer for the state of programs. However, the exciting atmosphere that Las Vegas provides must not be overlooked.

Teams participating in the CRC Qualifier range from large Universities (Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Pitt, Utah & Buffalo) to small Colleges (Lewis and Clark, Wittenberg). They represent programs with wide disparities in funding. This includes Varsity programs (AIC, Notre Dame College, Lindenwood & Wheeling Jesuit) and College/Alumni Supported Programs (Air Force, Dartmouth, & Arkansas State). Student run Programs (Wittenberg) also exist, as they are experiencing a coaching change.

Whatever the case, teams entered will do their best to represent their College in a positive way.  You don’t want to miss the most exciting bracket in years, the CRC Qualifier.

CRC Qualifier Pools

Pool A
Saint Joseph’s U
James Madison U
Creighton U
Lewis and Clark

Pool B
Kutztown U
Miami U (OH)
Columbia U
U of Buffalo


Pool C
Air Force Academy
Georgetown U
Dartmouth College
Pittsburgh U

Pool D
Lindenwood U
Bowling Green State U
Notre Dame College
Oklahoma U

Pool E
University of Utah
American International College
Claremont College
Wheeling Jesuit U

Pool F
Arkansas State U
Stony Brook U
Notre Dame U
Wittenberg U

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Opening Kick

February 9, 2015, 7:56 am
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Opening Kick is a segment devoted to bringing you all Eagles and U.S.A. Rugby news in one location. It is brought to you everyday by Rugby Marketplace, your independent rugby store! 

National Teams:

The Eagles 7s had a solid tournament in Wellington and came so close to making the Cup semi-finals. Instead they lost to both Scotland and Fiji in disappointing, but competitive, fashion.

Mike Friday looked back at the tournament and saw positive signs with room to grow.

The team will be drawn with South Africa, Portugal, and Japan in Vegas. Maka Unufe also made the Dream Team in Wellington.

The Sevens World Series is set to expand to 10 stops with Vancouver coming on board and Singapore replacing Tokyo.

The Women Eagles 7s finished as Plate runners-up at the Sao Paulo 7s. On day one they lost to New Zealand and France before beating Spain.

Take the jump to read more.

Club/College:

Belmont Shore lead the PRP after two weeks with their win over OMBAC.

SFGG beat a very tough Denver while Santa Monica defeated Olympic Club.

Cal fell 19-6 against UBC in the first round of their World Cup series. The Bears left a number of points on the board through missed kicking. Highlights of the match can be see here.

The University of Utah blanked UCLA on the road while Arkansas State came up with a big win over Glendale. Video of the Arkansas State-Glendale match is now up.

The Central Washington men came away with a big win over Western Washington while the women beat Washington.

In other NCRC scores, Washington State beat Boise State. Washington also beat Oregon State in non-Conference play.

In other college scores, Cal Poly beat San Diego State and Colorado State beat Arizona.

Doug Coil and Rich Portale from Real-time Rugby examine the CRC qualifier bracket.

In Texas Jesuit Dallas beat Plano reports This Is Texas Rugby. TITR also has an interview with Rugby Texas president Kirk Tate.

In the Red River Conference the Huns, the Reds, and the Blacks all won.

The Army women's team have announced their spring 2015 schedule.

In other women's results, Life beat Tennessee State and Stanford beat Cal.

World:

Stay tuned for our World Rugby Weekend Review.

The Six Nations started over the weekend with England beating Wales, Ireland topping Italy, and France defeating Scotland.

One of the big controversies out of the England-Wales match was George North being allowed to stay on with a concussion.

New Zealand have won their home 7s tournament in Wellington.

Duane Vermeulen has been named the South African Player of the Year.

This article out of Australia takes a look at what the ARU is doing, or not doing, to stop players from leaving for Europe.

In player movement, the Sharks have signed Jean Deysel and Michael Claassens.

Tidbits:

Rugby was front and center in a brand new Mitsubishi Outlander commercial. 
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Photo Gallery: PNRFU Loggers vs. British Columbia

February 9, 2015, 9:51 am
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The Pacific Northwest Rugby Football Union women's Loggers team took on British Columbia last Saturday in a wet match at Magnuson Park in Seattle. BC prevailed 56-3. Photographer Judy Teasdale was at the match and took some great photos. Check out here photo gallery, as well as roster for both teams, below. 


Take the jump to see more.















BC Roster: Carolyn McEwen (Burnaby Lake), Brittany Sims (Velox), Katie Van Nes (Burnaby Lake), Emily Van Gulik (Burnaby Lake), Cherisse Du Preez (Velox), Gillian Boag (Capilano), Gabrielle Hindley (UBC), Laura Crowe-Hutchon (University of Victoria), Lynzi Anderson (Velox), Kara Galbraith (University of Victoria), Brittany Waters (Velox), Amanda Thornborough (Velox), Andrea Burk (Capilano), Selina McGinnis (Velox), Emily Young (Burnaby Lake), Annabel Arnott (Burnaby Lake), Ciara Malone (Burnaby Lake), Courtney Sims (Velox), Kathleen Grudzinski (Burnaby Lake), Demi Satamatakis (SFU), Stephanie Janum (Ridge Meadows)
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Serevi Names Selects Rosters for Las Vegas Invitational

February 9, 2015, 10:50 am
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Press Release

SEATTLE – (February 9, 2015) Serevi Rugby® (serevirugby.com), a leading provider of on-field programming and conditioning for players and coaches from beginner to the U.S. National Team, today announced rosters for the men’s and women’s Serevi Selects teams to compete this week at the Las Vegas Invitational. As one piece of the Serevi Rugby Pathway (pathway.serevirugby.com), the Selects teams represent elite level players who participate in other segments of the Pathway including the Serevi Rugby Institute, USA Rugby Academy Training Camps powered by Serevi, or College and Club teams powered by Serevi.

The Serevi Selects rosters for the 2015 Las Vegas Invitational include:

Men’s Serevi Selects Roster: Tomasi Cama, John Cullen, Ben Gollings, Kellen Gordon, Ben Landry, Rocco Mauer, Mike Palefau, William Rasileka, Tim Stanfill, Shalom Suniula, Kevin Swiryn, Pate Tuilevuka; Coaches: Waisale Serevi & Ben Gollings

Take the jump to read more.

Women’s Serevi Selects Roster: Ida Bernstein, Ryan Carlyle, Lorrie Clifford, Bianca Dalal, Hannah Lockwood, Danielle Miano, Jane Paar, Nate Serevi, Rebekah Siebach, Amelia Villines, Nia Williams, Kate Zachary; Coach: Richie Walker

Along with the Selects competing at the LVI, Serevi Rugby will be active promoting and supporting the growth of rugby in America throughout the Vegas7s week including:

  • USA Rugby Academy Coaching Workshop & Level 200 Certification (Feb.11-13) – A three-day interactive coaching workshop featuring IRB Leading point Scorer Ben Gollings, USA Men’s 7s Head Coach Mike Friday, USA Eagle Shawn Pittman, and USA Rugby's Director of Coach Development Josh Sutcliffe. Final day of instruction will be in Sam Boyd Stadium.
  • Las Vegas Invitational: Open & Elite 7s High School Tournament, Powered by Serevi (Feb 12-14) – To promote the growth of the game at the high school level, Serevi is supporting the LVI’s High School Boys and Girls Open and Elite divisions. Serevi coaches will be onsite observing game play and will present MVP trophies for all four divisions.
  • Youth Demo: Boys and Girls Club of Southern Nevada (Feb. 12, 4:30pm) – Members of the Serevi Selects, along with Serevi coach and former USA Eagle Pate Tuilevuka and Serevi/USA Rugby Coach Richie Walker will introduce hundreds of boys and girls to the sport of rugby through a hands-on demo. All Boys and Girls Club kids will to receive a ticket for Friday’s USA Sevens Rugby tournament games.
  • USA Rugby Girls High School All-Americans, Powered by Serevi (Feb. 12-14) – Announced in late 2014, Serevi Rugby supports the GHSAAs to ensure equitable opportunities in rugby for young women. Serevi has sponsored the team’s preparation and travel to play in the LVI.
  • USA Sevens Rugby Fan Fest/Serevi VIP (Feb. 13-15) – During the marquee event of the weekend, the international USA Sevens Rugby tournament, Serevi Rugby will be hosting a VIP area within the stadium, along with a booth at the Fan Fest for rugby fans of all ages to stop by for a fun, youth rugby focused experience.

Follow Serevi on Instagram (instagram.com/serevirugby) and Facebook (facebook.com/serevirugby) for real-time updates, photos, and interviews from the Vegas week.

More information on Serevi Rugby programming, a full nationwide schedule of upcoming USA Rugby Academy High Performance Training Camps, and the Serevi Rugby Institute is available at: www.serevirugby.com.

About Serevi Rugby®
Headquartered in Seattle, Serevi® is focused on growing the game of rugby in North America and beyond. An official Youth Programming Partner of USA Rugby, Serevi offers on-field programming and off field conditioning for coaches and players through the youth to elite spectrum. It also offers performance and casual rugby apparel to players and fans of the sport. For more information on Serevi Rugby, including upcoming player and coach training sessions visit www.serevirugby.com.
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World Rugby Weekend Review

February 9, 2015, 12:33 pm
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Six Nations

The opening weekend of the Six Nations started with a bang and then ended with two matches that left a bit to the imagination. It all started on Friday night as Wales took on England at Millennium Stadium. Wales had the momentum early as Leigh Halfpenny hit a penalty in the third minute and then Rhys Webb scored after some great work from Toby Faletau at the back of the scrum to make it 10-0. Despite numerous errors England bounced back and scored their first try in the 14th minute through Anthony Watson. Halfpenny and George Ford traded penalties before Dan Biggar hit a drop goal to give Wales a 16-8 lead at half-time. In the second half it only took three minutes for Jonathan Joseph to score for England. Two more penalties from Ford would seal the match at 21-16 for England as Wales failed to score any points in the second half.

Take the jump to read more.
Defending champions Ireland opened up their campaign with a 26-3 win over Italy in Rome. Conor Murray and Paul O'Donnell had tries for Ireland while Ian Keatley kicked four penalties. Italy only managed a penalty through Kelly Haimona. The score was only 12-3 when Leonardo Ghiraldini was sent to the bin in the 63rd minute. Ian scored two quick tries just after the binning. In Paris, France beat Scotland 15-8. Two penalties from Camille Lopez cancelled out an effort from Greig Laidlaw early. Dougie Fife scored the only try of the match just before halftime but five total penalties from Lopez were enough for the win. 

LV= Cup

The LV= Cup semi-finals are set and it's going to be an all English affair as Saracens, Northampton, Leicester, and Exeter all advanced. Saracens used their 35-18 win over previously qualified Exeter to claim Pool A. Pool B went to Northampton who beat Wasps 29-6. Leicester won Pool C after they beat Cardiff 43-9. In other scores, the Dragons beat London Welsh 17-13, Sale beat the Scarlets 38-3, the Ospreys beat Bath 13-10, Gloucester beat Harlequins 25-7, and Newcastle topped London Irish 31-13. It's Leicester vs. Exeter and Saracens vs. Northampton in the semi-final match-ups.

Top 14

The Top 14 had the weekend off. However, Toulon did play a friendly against the Sharks coming out 12-10 losers.

RFU Championship

Not much has changed in the RFU Championship with Worcester and Bristol still firmly in the top two. Worcester beat fourth place Nottingham 58-3 while Bristol beat third place London Scottish 25-17. Other winners include Bedford 38-8 over Plymouth, Doncaster 29-16 over Leeds, Moseley 22-18 over the Cornish Pirates, and Rotherham and Jersey playing to a 20-20 draw.

Pro D2

Pau extended their lead in the Pro D2 with a 26-3 win over Massy. Contenders Perpignan and Biarritz squared off with Perpignan winning 48-15. Just to show how close things are in the competition outside of Pau, Biarritz were second and now they sit fifth. Agen sit third despite losing to Bourgoin 13-9 while Aurillac beat Beziers 28-13 to move into fourth. Elsewhere, Dax beat Tarbes 33-15, Carcassonne beat Montauban 27-12, and Colomiers beat Narbonne 27-19.

Eccellenza

The weather impacted the Eccellenza over the weekend as the L'Aquila vs. Lazio and Viadana vs. Petrarca matches were rained out. In the matches that were played leaders Calvisano beat Fiamme Oro Roma 55-21, second place Mogliano beat Cavalieri 64-7, and third place Rovigo beat San Dona 52-17.

All-Ireland League

The All-Ireland League had the weekend off.


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