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Opening Kick

September 23, 2016, 8:00 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/PRO Rugby/ODAs:

U.S.A. Rugby CEO Dan Payne has issued a statement reaffirming his organization's support for PRO Rugby.

The Eagles 7s will play South Africa, Scotland, and a team TBD after the Dubai 7s draw was unveiled.

Club/College:

TIAR's Rugby East correspondent Ryan Trost previews Wheeling Jesuit vs. Iona and West Virginia vs. Kutztown.

7s season in the Northwest is heating up with Gonzaga winning the Idaho 7s and the Viking 7s on tap for this weekend.

Alex Solomon previews the Big Ten's week two as well as the West.

Take the jump to read more.

NSCRO has released their women's playoff info and Providence picked up a win.

The Lindenwood women are thinking big this year.

One local high school rugby star is Idaho is garnering attention.

World:

New Zealand apparently tried to change the Super Rugby format for next season.

Saracens will not appeal the lengthy ban given to Chris Ashton.

David Wilson will join Newcastle, his hometown, with immediate effect.

Not long after being fired by Bath  Mike Ford has landed with Toulon.
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Weekend Television Listings

September 23, 2016, 10:00 am
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The Premiership will once again by available on broadcast cable. Sunday's match between Leicester and Bath will shown on delay on NBCSN while two other Premiership matches on the weekend will be streamed on NBCSports.com. The Pro12 will be on The Rugby Channel and the Top 14 on ESPN3 once again.        

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:
  • Leinster vs. Ospreys, 2:35 p.m. et/11:35 a.m. pt (live on The Rugby Channel)
  • Bristol vs. Exeter, 2:45 p.m. et/11:45 a.m. pt (NBCSports.com)

Take the jump to read more.

Saturday:
  • Northampton vs. Wasps, 10:00 a.m. et/7:00 a.m. pt (NBCSports.com)
  • Munster vs. Edinburgh, 10:00 p.m. et/7:00 a.m. pt (live on The Rugby Channel)
  • Stade Francais vs. Toulouse, 2:45 p.m. et/11:45 a.m. pt (live on ESPN3/WatchESPN)
Sunday:
  • Clermont vs. Toulon, 10:15 a.m. et/7:15 a.m. pt (live on ESPN3/WatchESPN)
  • Leicester vs. Bath, 7:00 p.m. et/4:00 p.m. pt (live on NBCSN)
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Eagles Abroad: Weekend Preview

September 23, 2016, 11:30 am
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Eagles Abroad is brought to you by Grubber, makers of fine sporting apparel. 

It's another busy weekend for Americans overseas. It all started earlier in the week with news that Langilangi Haupeakui had signed with Glasgow, Dino Waldren was playing for Blackrock, and Robbie Shaw had returned to Hartpury. Unfortunately, but not unsurprising, Langilangi won't be in action this weekend but his teammate Greg Peterson will start. Also getting the starting nod is AJ MacGinty who has recovered from his injury and will be the fly-half for Sale. Other starters in the big three competitions include Chris Wyles at Saracens and Blaine Scully at Cardiff. Down in France it could be time for Taku Ngwenya to make his debut for Brive. Teams for that match still haven't been announced. Samu Manoa is also looking to dominate for Toulon.

As with many weeks down in the lower divisions Americans will continue to see good time. Ronnie McLean will get the start for Richmond and other Americans will also get their chance. Additionally, the 'A' League is also an opportunity for players like Titi Lamositele to get out on the pitch.

Take the jump to read more.
British Isles:

Aviva Premiership

Chris Wyles will start while Titi Lamositele is not in the line-up for Saracens as they play Harlequins on Saturday.

AJ MacGinty will start for Sale as they play Worcester on Saturday.

Paddy Ryan is on the bench for Newcastle as they play Gloucester on Saturday. Nick Civetta is not in the line-up.

Thretton Palamo will start for Bristol as they play Exeter today.

Guinness Pro12 

Callum Black is on the bench for Ulster as they play Greg Peterson, Langilangi Haupeakui, and Glasgow today. Peterson is starting for the Warriors while Haupeakui is not.

Sam Underhill and the Ospreys play Leinster on Friday. Underhill is injured and won't play for months. He's also likely to play for England or Wales before the Eagles.

Blaine Scully will start while Cam Dolan is not in the line-up for Cardiff as they play Zebre on Saturday.

RFU Championship

Ronnie McLean will start while Tom Bliss is not in the line-up for Richmond as they play Rotherham on Saturday.

National League 1

Hayden Smith and Esher play Plymouth on Saturday.

Robbie Shaw on Hartpury play Flyde on Saturday.

Other

Ollie Drew plays with Bournemouth University.

Louis Mulholland plays with Bath University and occasionally with Cheshunt. 

Dan Hostetler plays with Cardiff University.

All Ireland League

Tim Maupin, Conor Kearns, Jake Feury, Will Sims, Oisin Brady, and Ian Kinsley, and Trinity play Liam Bourke on UCD on Saturday.

Dino Waldren and Blackrock play Sundays Well on Saturday.

Ross Deacon and Lansdowne play Terenure College on Saturday.

Liam Murphy and Clontarf play St. Mary's on Saturday.

France:

Top 14

Samu Manoa and Toulon play Clermont on Sunday.

Gagi Bazadze and Montpellier play Bayonne Taku Ngwenya and Brive on Saturday.

Pro D2

Christian Ostberg is on the bench for Aurillac as they play Narbonne today.

Dave Ryan started and played 80 minutes for Agen as they beat Mont-de-Marsan yesterday.

Federale 1

Eric Fry and St. Nazaire have the weekend off.

Mate Moeakiola and Castanet play Nimes on Sunday.

Other

Victor Camptat plays for the Brive Reserves.

Mose Fualaau plays for the Clermont Academy.

Inaki Basauri plays for Stade Nantais.

New Zealand:

Mitre 10 Cup

Chris Baumann started and played 61 minutes for Wellington as they Northland 29-21 on Thursday.

Toni Pulu was not in the line-up as Counties Manukau beat Waikato 35-26 today.

Tony Lamborn will start for Hawke's Bay as they play Tasman on Saturday.

Pasqualle Dunn is not in the line-up for Auckland as they play Bay of Plenty on Saturday.

Other

Michelle Wong is training and playing with Sydenham.

Devin Ibanez is training and playing with Glenfield.

Australia:

National Rugby Championship

James Hilterbrand is on the bench as the North Harbour Rays play Brisbane City on Saturday.

Marcel Brache will start for the Perth Spirit against the NSW Country Eagles on Saturday.

Super Rugby

Marcel Brache and the Western Force have finished their season.

Chris Coyle is a part of the Brumbies training squad.

Shute Shield

Chris Chapman and Sydney University have finished their season.

Dewar Shield

James King and Moorabbin have finished their season.

Japan:

Super Rugby

Andrew Durutalo and the Sunwolves have finished their season.

Other:

BC Premier League

Graham Harriman and James Bay play Castaway-Wanderers on Saturday.

Other

Alex Aronson is playing and training in the Philippines.
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Rugby East Drop: Army’s Double-header on the Road

September 23, 2016, 12:16 pm
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by Ryan J. Trost
This is American Rugby – Rugby East

Army has an interesting weekend, which actually started on Thursday. Originally the schedule was for a Friday-Saturday double with St. Bonaventure and U. Buffalo. When the Royal British Army’s Household Cavalry Regiment team rang however, the USMA was happy to oblige a friendly. The Cavalry match was really more of an extra run for guys on the depth chart who aren’t making the trip west on Friday, however.

The main priority for the D1A team this weekend is getting two wins from two conference matches. “It’s a challenge we welcome,” said head coach Matt Sherman. There will be a number of lineup options to look at through the weekend, which should help the Knights develop their chemistry before the season’s peak.

That search for the perfect mix is acting as a catalyst for the tightening competition between 1st and 2nd teamers at West Point. As an example, though Jon Kim leads the team in scoring (through lights out Goal Kicking efficiency), Sherman is actually leaning more in favor of using freshman Michael McTiernan again on Friday against St. Bonaventure. Nothing is set in stone of course, as Sherman is very willing to try any myriad of positional combinations at his discretion.

Take the jump to read more.

The other side of the halfback pairing is also in question coming into the Buffalo area matches. Last week Sherman was very pleased with the team’s improved execution and decision making, including that of McTiernan’s fellow first year cadet, freshman, John Royston.

We think you’ll see Harrison Farrell (Jr.) start at Scrum on Friday with McTiernan at Fly, while Royston and Kim work together at some point as well (perhaps starting on Saturday). Anything is possible though. Sherman has already moved a former wing down to the flank this year. He is serious about seeing all of his options sooner rather than later.

Most figure the Knights to win both of the conference matches upstate this weekend, but it is always enjoyable to watch the ongoing improvements at Bonaventure and Buffalo. The kind of turnaround both of these teams are working toward won’t come overnight, so Tui Osborne and Mike Hodgins continue working toward long term goals.

For Osborne at SBU, it is about breaking down moments of error caught on film. The Bonnies have a system and the players understand its outline. Osborne is working on the finer points now to get them running within the system more consistently. “Our pattern went well (last week), but we panicked a little… go one or two phases and lose ball,” said Osborne. “That’s all mental and something they (the players) can change.”

Mike Hodgins at UB is 100% focused on tightening up the base skills “We’re not trying anything extra, or anything fancy,” he said. “We want to get everybody on the same page and be better at what we’re already doing,” he said.

Both St. Bonaventure and UB are working to rise in the conference. Having Army at this juncture will be a great tell for their coaches, as they prepare for Penn State next week... That’s right, another double header is on tap next week, this time for Penn State.






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Rugby East Drop: Penn State’s Ride to Delaware

September 23, 2016, 1:30 pm
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by Ryan J. Trost
This is American Rugby – Rugby East

This week Penn State travels to Delaware in another match that most expect to be pretty one sided. Anything can happen though, and the Blue Hens showed some improvement against Iona last week. With State coming off a bye, the Lions should be rested and well prepared.

UD sustained a few key injuries last week against Iona, which could exacerbate the issues they are having as a young team. Missing prop Peach Hess and hooker Jared Wilkins in the front row is going to hamper the team most. The Nittany Lions’ tight five is often an unheralded group, simply due to their consistently dominant ways. It could be a long day for Delaware if they don’t unleash a few surprises.

To instill commitment through their early growth period, Delaware coach, Struan Murray is reminding his team that nothing is impossible. “We can’t come out worrying about what they’ve got,” he said. “(Penn State) have not really been tested yet. If we can pressure them, then we get to see how they react.”

Take the jump to read more.

Reaction to pressure will be key for the Blue Hens as well. Something Murray wants to see more control over this week is their recognition of options when things aren’t going as planned. “Iona stopped everything we tried to do (last week), but there are a few things we have worked on that we didn’t even try,” he said.

Asked to elaborate on the choices his young men did not make, he said simply, “Changes don’t have to be complicated. It is better to go forward slowly, than to go backward faster (for instance).” If his young team can get their heads around the subtle sorts of changes he is teaching, eventually they should be dangerous again.

In the meantime their growth initiative is very much under way. “I’d rather lose and compete against these teams right now if, it means we improve in the next couple of years,” said Murray. “If we have to lose in our return year in order to get where we want to be in two or three years, then that’s what we’re looking to do.”

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Opening Kick

September 26, 2016, 8:00 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/PRO Rugby/ODAs:

Jihad Khabir is going to get his chance to make an impact after being called into Eagles 7s camp.

The Eagles 7s will play Uganda at the Dubai 7s after that country beat several top opponents in the African qualifier.

Alex Goff give his guess who might be on the Pacific Challenge team.

Club/College:

Doug Coil recaps wins by the Penn State women, Quinnipiac women, Central Washington women, and on the men's side it's wins by AIC, Virginia Tech, and Army.

Justin Rutledge recaps the Big 10 and Brett Anker looks at the Ivy. Alex Goff has more on the MAC, SCRC, WIIL, the Chesapeake, and the ECRC.

Take the jump to read more.

Canada:

Patrick Johnston has articles on the Canadian women's 7s team meeting Prime Minister Trudeau and some Royals as well as what's next for Sean Duke.

He also notes that Gordon Tietjens could be in line for the Canada job.

World:

Mourad Boudjellal is thinking about selling Toulon.

Jamie Cudmore is fighting back after he says he was not treated for a concussion on multiple occasions.

Nehe Milner-Skudder will miss New Zealand's fall tour.

Planet Rugby has their latest edition of who's hot and who's not.
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Saint Joseph’s v Millersville: The KRC Kicks Off Week 1

September 26, 2016, 10:00 am
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By Brendan Triplett
@brendanUSArugby

It was a beautiful day for rugby.  The teams were pumped and eager to get on the pitch and the crowd was bustling as the game kicked off.  As we walked into this game we knew that Millersville would have a little bit of trouble.  The had skirmished Saint Joseph’s University (SJU) all season had come up short time and time again.  However they had a few tricks up their sleeves that SJU would need to figure out quick and early.  First, we have Millersville University’s (MU) new head coach.  Alex Artus, hailing from Kutztown and a Warwick Swarm Alumni, he took the focus of the team away from size and smash hits and has been focusing on a team that is leaner and faster.  He said, “We have started a completely new system and are looking to have a more open and fluid game that is built on speed and less attritional, focusing on big hits.”

MU came out strong, answering the call from SJU by a Try from Connor Shayne and a good conversion and penalty shot from Kyle Schory.  Unfortunately, that is where the answers ended.  A yeallow card against SJU’s own Ryan Stickon looked to be setting up MU for some success but it was just not so.  Whether it was the fitness, the enormous fan support from the SJU Hawk fest and alumni group, or just the discipline on the ball MU never got another opportunity to score again and by the second half of the match they were all but spent and the game had run away without them.

Take the jump to read more.

SJU could not have asked for a better day.  It was senior day and every one of their seniors started the match.  It was a bit of a gamble on the part of Coach “Shags” Yarusso.  All of the seniors playing could have changed up the game play and set them up for a rough first half.  The boys however did not feel that way at all and their experience and discipline working so many different positions over their careers really shone through.  Michael Weber, Greg McTiernan, Jimmy Wolfer (C), George Harris, Job Nieman, and Rob Kufczynki all made it over the line and pushed SJU ahead with a first half ending 36-10.

The second half of the game fared even better for SJU with their set piece dominating the pitch.  The tries rolled in and by the time the yellow card was issued to MU’s captain, Daniel Falcon, the final nail was in the coffin and the game turned into a scorefest.  Big scores riled up the crowd and the seniors were sent off in style.  Try scorers: Patrick Ryan, Aram Keshgegian, Chris Curcio (2), Ryan Stickno (2), and Connor McAuliffe (3).  Not to discount any of the incredible effort from the golden boot of Jimmy Wolfer (C) with seven conversions, and the great work of Matt Lydon with three.  Final Score 95-10 in epic form.

Coach Yarusso was happy with result overall he felt, “There is more work that we can do developing some continuity, but our training, discipline, and fitness really shone through.  I am just really happy for the seniors, their hard work truly paid off.  Millersville fought us the whole time and never quit.  They played well.”  I think we can all agree with those sentiments.  Congrats to SJU for the win and well done to the MU boys and their “never say die” attitude!

It was a great start across the conference for the big name teams with Rutgers outscoring Villanova 73-0, Pittsburgh outscoring Lock Haven 57-0, and West Chester over Temple 28-24 with an excellent upset.  Next week will bring some closer scores, some bigger rivalries, and take us one step closer to crowning the next KRC XV’s Champions.  Check out the game on my YouTube.  Search the channel- Brendan Triplett, and stay tuned for weeks to come as we bring the games to you.  And of course, as always.  Ruck on!
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Eagles Abroad: Weekend Review

September 26, 2016, 12:00 pm
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Eagles Abroad is brought to you by Grubber, makers of fine sporting apparel. 

Several Americans managed to find themselves on the scoresheet this last weekend as action in Europe and the Southern Hemisphere intensified. AJ MacGinty has recovered from his injury that kept him out of the line-up the last few weeks and picked up the start for Sale. He ended up playing the full match kicking two penalties and four conversions in the process. Also in the Premiership, both Chris Wyles and Thretton Palamo played the full 80 minutes for their clubs. In the Pro12, Blaine Scully scored his first try of the season as he helped Cardiff to a win.

Down in France, Christian Ostberg continues to see good time for Aurillac, once again coming off the bench. It would not be a surprise to see him earn a call-up to the Eagles sooner rather than later. In the Top 14, Samu Manoa came off the bench. Taku Ngwenya still has yet to make an appearance for Brive.

Take the jump to read more.
British Isles:

Aviva Premiership

Chris Wyles started and played 80 minutes while Titi Lamositele was not in the line-up for Saracens as they lost to the Harlequins 17-10 on Saturday.

AJ MacGinty started, played 80 minutes, and had two penalties and four conversions for Sale as they drew with Worcester 34-34 on Saturday.

Paddy Ryan was an unused substitute for Newcastle as they beat Gloucester 18-13 on Saturday. Nick Civetta was not in the line-up.

Thretton Palamo started and played 80 minutes for Bristol as they lost to Exeter 41-17 on Friday.

Guinness Pro12 

Callum Black came off the bench and played 19 minutes for Ulster as they beat Greg Peterson, Langilangi Haupeakui, and Glasgow 22-19 on Friday. Peterson started and played 23 minutes for the Warriors while Haupeakui did not play.

Sam Underhill and the Ospreys lost to Leinster 31-19 on Friday. Underhill is injured and won't play for months. He's also likely to play for England or Wales before the Eagles.

Blaine Scully started, played 80 minutes, and scored a try while Cam Dolan was not in the line-up for Cardiff as they beat Zebre 23-21 on Saturday.

RFU Championship

Ronnie McLean started while Tom Bliss was not in the line-up for Richmond as they lost to Rotherham 18-8 on Saturday.

National League 1

Hayden Smith and Esher lost to Plymouth 21-19 on Saturday.

Robbie Shaw on Hartpury beat Flyde 57-14 on Saturday.

Other

Ollie Drew plays with Bournemouth University.

Louis Mulholland plays with Bath University and occasionally with Cheshunt. 

Dan Hostetler plays with Cardiff University.

All Ireland League

Pierce Dargan, Will Sims, Oisin Brady, and Ian Kinsley, and Trinity lost to Liam Bourke on UCD 23-13 on Saturday. Dargan started and was the only one on the list to play.

Dino Waldren and Blackrock beat Sunday's Well 33-23 on Saturday.

Ross Deacon was not in the line-up for Lansdowne as they beat Terenure College 29-5 on Saturday.

Liam Murphy was not int he line-up for Clontarf as they lost to St. Mary's 23-20 on Saturday.

Women's Premiership

Jess Wooden and Kimber Rozier started for Aylesford as they beat Darlington Mowden Park 43-5 on Sunday.

France:

Top 14

Samu Manoa came off the bench and played 28 minutes for Toulon as they beat Clermont 23-21 on Sunday.

Gagi Bazadze was not in the line-up for Montpellier as they beat Taku Ngwenya and Brive 42-13 on Saturday. Ngwenya was not in the line-up as well.

Pro D2

Christian Ostberg came off the bench and played 25 minutes for Aurillac as they beat Narbonne 27-7 last Friday.

Dave Ryan started and played 80 minutes for Agen as they beat Mont-de-Marsan on Thursday.

Federale 1

Eric Fry and St. Nazaire had the weekend off.

Mate Moeakiola and Castanet beat Nimes 18-10 on Sunday.

Other

Victor Camptat plays for the Brive Reserves.

Mose Fualaau plays for the Clermont Academy.

Inaki Basauri plays for Stade Nantais.

New Zealand:

Mitre 10 Cup

Chris Baumann started and played 61 minutes for Wellington as they Northland 29-21 on Thursday.

Toni Pulu was not in the line-up as Counties Manukau beat Waikato 35-26 on Friday.

Tony Lamborn started, played 74 minutes (six minutes for blood), and scored a try for Hawke's Bay as they lost to Tasman 36-29 on Saturday.

Pasqualle Dunn was not in the line-up for Auckland as they beat Bay of Plenty 44-38 on Saturday.

Other

Michelle Wong is training and playing with Sydenham.

Devin Ibanez is training and playing with Glenfield.

Australia:

National Rugby Championship

James Hilterbrand came off the bench as the North Harbour Rays beat Brisbane City 38-32 on Saturday.

Marcel Brache started and played 80 minutes for the Perth Spirit as they lost to the NSW Country Eagles 48-24 on Saturday.

Super Rugby

Marcel Brache and the Western Force have finished their season.

Chris Coyle is a part of the Brumbies training squad.

Shute Shield

Chris Chapman and Sydney University have finished their season.

Dewar Shield

James King and Moorabbin have finished their season.

Japan:

Super Rugby

Andrew Durutalo and the Sunwolves have finished their season.

Other:

BC Premier League

Graham Harriman and James Bay beat Castaway-Wanderers 38-26 on Saturday.

Other

Alex Aronson is playing and training in the Philippines.
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Pinkelman To Speak At Chicago Lost Luncheon

September 27, 2016, 11:25 am
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Make your Chicago Rugby Weekend complete by attending the 2016 Lost Afternoon Luncheon. Join us Friday, November 4, 2016 from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm at the Hyatt Regency Chicago for an afternoon of rugby fun at what has become a must-attend event on the test calendar.

Although the full list of speakers for this year's Luncheon is still being finalized, former New Zealand All Black, former New Zealand Maori All Black and rugby sevens legend, Eric Rush, considered by many to be the best after dinner rugby speaker in the world, will act as emcee. In addition, past Ireland captain and British and Irish Lions great Keith Wood has signed on as this year's keynote speaker. It promises to be a wonderful afternoon with two of the best speakers on the rugby circuit reminiscing about their on and off the pitch rugby experiences.

If that's not enough for you, past All Blacks player and head coach and current U.S. Men's National Team head coach John Mitchell will answer a few questions ahead of his team's game with the Maori All Blacks, as will 2016 U.S. Olympian and past USRF Graham Downes Scholarship recipient,Ben Pinkelman. You will also hear from past U.S. Eagle and new CEO of USA Rugby, Dan Payne.

Take the jump to read more.

They join an ever growing list of past United States Eagles players who have already confirmed their attendance, including Ed Burlingham, Brad Andrews, Dan Lyle, Kirk Miles, Mike Purcell, Blane Warhurst, Chris Lippert, Jeff Lombard, Steve Finkel, Chip Howard, Bill Fraumann, Fred Paoli, John Jelaco, Mark Williams, Jason Walker, Sean Allen, Brian Hightower, Brian Vizard, Dave Skidmore, Ray Green, Robbie Flynn, Pat Johnson, Mike Stanaway, Jay Hanson, Bob Freed, Chris Kron, Frank Kennedy and Tony Flay. In addition, former U.S. Eagles 15s and 7s coaches Ray Cornbill, Ron Mayes, and Emil Signes will be on hand.

Fraumann, Lombard, Vizard, Lyle, Purcell, Andrews, Burlingham, Hanson, Cornbill, Mayes and Signes will be joined by fellow U.S. Rugby Hall of Fame members Dick Smith, Jon Prusmack, Dick Poulson and Bob Watkins.

Also in attendance will be former Canadian international greats Al Charronand Gareth Rees. Past Ireland international and Chicago Lion Paul McNaughton will also be in attendance.

A raffle, which will include autographed sports memorabilia, including several rugby jerseys autographed by past and present United States, New Zealand and Ireland players, will take place following the official program.

Typically the 90-minute program turns into a full day extravaganza so please plan your schedule accordingly. We don't call it a lost afternoon for nothing.

The best part of it all is that all proceeds from the Lost Afternoon Luncheon will be directed towards youth rugby.

So join us for a day of rekindling old friendships, making new ones and supporting youth rugby.

Attire for the Lost Afternoon Luncheon in business casual.

We do expect a sell-out so don't wait to purchase your tickets. You can purchase a table of 10 for $1,000. Single seats can also be purchased for $125. Remember, all proceeds benefit youth rugby. Registration deadline isnoon EST on Wednesday, November 2, 2016.

See you on November 4.

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Report: U.S. To Play Tonga In Spain

September 27, 2016, 11:56 am
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Anoeta Stadium in San Sebastian.

According to a report in Europe the location for the U.S. vs. Tonga match in November will be in San Sebastian, Spain. The teams were rumored to be playing in France but this puts them in a warm weather location in the rugby mad Basque community. San Sebastian has a history of supporting rugby hosting several Top 14 matches over time. The match will be on November 19th.

The U.S. will have three matches this fall beginning with the Maori All Blacks on November 4th in Chicago. They will then fly out to Europe to play Romania in Bucharest on November 12th before finishing with the match in Spain. It's not the four match schedule that many would have hoped for but it's still a full schedule that will see the Eagles face off against tough opponents.
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Opening Kick

September 28, 2016, 8:00 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/PRO Rugby/ODAs:

The U.S. will reportedly be playing Tonga in Spain this November. We're still awaiting work on the Pacific Challenge roster.

Pat Clifton reports that the men and women Eagles 7s staffs have been given extensions.

Both Blaine Scully and Tony Lamborn had tries over the weekend.

The Bleacher Report has more on crossover Sam McGuffie, who played with Ohio last year.

Ben Pinkelman will be speaking at the Chicago Lost Luncheon.

The U.S.A. Rugby Trust spotlights Eagle alum Naima Reddick.

Take the jump to read more.

Club/College:

Keystone correspondent Brendan Triplett looks at the first week of play.

The latest Canterbury DI-A rankings are out. Also in DI-A, Arkansas, Michigan, and Air Force all won.

The Quinnipiac women's team's search for a field is gaining more coverage.

Justin Rutledge checks in on the Empire Conference and Alex Goff does the same on Upstate New York, Tri-State, and Rocky Mountain.

Jackie Finlan has more on the MAC, Big 10, Lindenwood, Emerald City Mudhens, and varsity play.

World:

Duncan Hodge is the new Acting Head Coach of Edinburgh. Staying in Scotland they could put both Glasgow and Edinburgh up for sale.

The RFU and NZRU are feuding ahead of next year's big Lions clash.
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Italy Withdraws World Cup Bid

September 28, 2016, 1:00 pm
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And then there were three. Italy has withdrawn it's bid to host the 2023 World Cup leaving only Ireland, France, and South Africa as bidders for the tournament. Italy had been considered to have a strong bid--the tournament hasn't been to the country, it's a fairly large country, and it would help give the tournament a new flavor. No information was given for Italy's decision to withdraw.

Italy could bid again in 2027 where there is expected to be competition from both the United States and Argentina. Had Italy won the rights to host the 2023 tournament it could have made putting the World Cup in the United States easier. However, if a country like South Africa, which now must be seen as the forerunner for 2023, host then it could once again be Europe's turn after a 12 year absence.

Ireland also has a case for a strong bid but the relatively small size of the country is a downside for hosting. France hosted in 2007 and it's probably too soon to see them host again.
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Women Eagles Adding To Staff

September 28, 2016, 2:00 pm
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As the Women Eagles 15s and 7s teams drive to the World Cup in Ireland next year, the 2018 RWC 7s in San Francisco, and the 2020 Olympics they are adding to their staff. Currently the team is looking for an Assistant Coach, Team Manager, Performance Analyst, and Head of Physical Development for the 7s team based in Chula Vista. While the jobs focus on 7s at the moment it's nature to see some crossover to 15s as has been the case in the past. One of the main reasons for adding staff is making sure that the team has the right performance pathway in place to train and identify the top group of players.

"We are excited to build a complete and robust high performance program that can not only support the WOmen Eagles and sevens programs, but will also provide expertise throughout the pathway," said Women Eagle head coach Peter Steinberg in a U.S.A. Rugby press release. 7s coach Richie Walker added "when I came into the program as the head coach in April before the Olympics, I identified a couple of areas that needed improvement. If we want to compete with teams like gold medalist Australia and New Zealand we need to bring expertise to the program that can help us maximize our performance both at practice and on the pitch on match day."

To apply or see more about the jobs you can go here and search for U.S.A. Rugby.
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WPL Update & Photos

September 28, 2016, 3:00 pm
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The WPL season is in full swing with several teams already separating themselves from the rest of the pack. In the Blue Conference it's the Glendale Raptors who moved to 3-0 with a big 44-0 win over Berkeley. So far they have the best defense in the conference but only hold a three point advantage over second place San Diego. The Surfers have scored the most points in the competition by a healthy margin and those bonus points are helping to keep them close in the standings. They have also enjoyed the addition of Eagles 15s residents in San Diego. ORSU has a win on the year while Berkeley is winless.

In the Red Conference New York holds a lead with three wins. Their latest was a 42-15 win over the Twin Cities Amazons. That's been the pattern for New York with a big win in week one before a close result against Atlanta. The Amazons are in second place with two wins but are five points behind. Atlanta is third followed by the winless Furies.

Photographer Connie Hatfield was at the San Diego ORSU match over the weekend and took some great photos which can be seen after the jump.






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Opening Kick

September 29, 2016, 8:00 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/PRO Rugby/ODAs:

Both Taku Ngwenya and Langilangi Haupeakui have officially arrived at their new clubs.

The Women Eagles are adding to their staff, including an assistant 7s coach.

Alex Goff looks at who may and may not be available for the match against the Maori All Blacks.

Club/College:

Clear leaders have emerged in the WPL after three weeks. We check in with the competition and have photos.

The student paper has a Q&A with Mary Washington play Terrence McPhillips.

Take the jump to read more.

Ohio State won big in their home opener against Purdue.

World:

Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand have all named their teams for this weekend.

Italy have withdrawn their bid to host the 2023 World Cup.

The Cook Islands are going to tour Brazil and Mexico next year.
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A Map Of All Rugby Clubs In America

September 29, 2016, 10:00 am
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Rugby fans are amazing. In case you haven't seen it coach and fan Rob Chudzik put together a map of all the rugby clubs in the United States according to information found on the U.S.A. Rugby website. It shows clubs in all fifty states (Alaska and Hawaii aren't showed) and it definitely shows certain trends. There are hot spots all over the West, while Chicago and the Northeast corridor are chocked full of teams. Rob wanted to stress it was never intended to be a real-time list of clubs, but more a visualization of where clubs are distributed.  All in all, pretty cool. 


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New Faces Into Eagles 7s Camp

September 29, 2016, 1:52 pm
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A lot of familiar names return to Eagles 7s camp as they get ready for the new season but there are also a whole host of new faces that are looking to make their way into the team.  Olympians Perry Baker, Danny Barrett, Madison Hughes, Martin Iosefo, Carlin Isles, Folau Niua, and Maka Unufe are all in camp as are veterans like Will Holder, Matai Leuta, Brett Thompson and Steve Tomasin. Noticeably absent from the team are Zack Test and Ben Pinkelman. Pinkelman is understandably taking some time to work on his degree but no word on if Test is taking a break or not.

New players into camp include former Central Washington standout Tanner Barnes, Zach Bonte, Nick Boyer, Spike Davis, Walt Elder, Alex Elkins, Brady Gent, Alec Gletzer, AIC standout Jihad Khabir, Don Pati, Gabe Ruflin, Bailey Stringer, and Kevon Williams. Several of these players, including Davis,  Elkins, and Pati have been around camp before. Pati was the standout at the Club 7s Nationals this summer while both Davis and Elkins were devastating for Ohio.

Take the jump to read more.
Overall this is a relatively young group of new players with a lot of potential. Eyes will by on Khabir to see how he performs while Boyer, Gletzer, and Barnes have the capability of being a reliable player that can turn into something special.

Expect the core group of the team to stay mainly intact this season under Mike Friday and Chris Brown but don't be surprised if you see a lot of players get called in to see how they perform as well. The season starts in December in Dubai. More camps will be held before then.

Perry Baker, Tanner Barnes (Fresno), Danny Barrett, Zach Bonte (Life West), Nick Boyer, Spike Davis (Ohio), Walt Elder (Kansas City), Alex Elkins (Ohio), Brady Gent (Davenport), Alec Gletzer (Olympic Club), Will Holder, Madison Hughes, Martin Iosefo, Carlin Isles, Jihad Khabir (AIC), Matai Leuta, Folau Niua, Don Pati (Park City Haggis), Gabe Ruflin (Utah), Bailey Stringer (Arizona State), Brett Thompson, Steve Tomasin, Chris Turori, Maka Unufe, and Kevon Williams.
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Rugby East Drop: Fighting For Spots In The Top 20

September 29, 2016, 2:22 pm
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by Ryan J. Trost
This is American Rugby – Rugby East

A third of the way through Rugby East’s fall season and one thing at least is becoming clear. The top tier of the conference is still very much the top tier. Minus Army’s narrow victory over Iona in week-one, they, Penn State, Kutztown and Wheeling have been absolutely dominant against the rest of the conference in the early stages.

Indeed, Iona is still the only lower seed in the conference to challenge that top group in recent years. Even that challenge though has only consistently ever been issued to the Black Knights. After playing it close with Army in week-one, Iona was dismantled by Jesuit in week-three, 44-19. They will face a fresh legged and newly tuned Kutztown this weekend, before finally earning their bye week at the halfway point of their season.

KU, in its season opener, laid 95 points on West Virginia, a team Army defeated by 64 the week prior. Facing Iona this week, the Golden Bears have an opportunity to make their case to the D1A voters about why they should stay higher ranked than the Black Knights. The hot-and-cold nature of Top-20 voting system has seen KU and Army swap places in every weekly publish thus far, despite Kutztown not playing any matches until last week.

Take the jump to read more.

For fans these lists are all just fun and games, good fodder for argument over a couple of pints after training. It’s a different story for certain teams though. According to Alex Solomon at the D1A office of USA Rugby, “The top-12 teams at the end of the year qualify for the D1A Playoffs. If a team within the top-12 does not participate in the Playoffs then the next highest ranked team takes its place.” Thus, if making the playoffs is one of your team’s goals, then the rankings absolutely do matter.

One team with such goals (and questions regarding the current rankings) is Wheeling Jesuit. The Cardinals came into week-three ranked #20. They put the throttle down on Friday night, running off 27 unanswered second half points against Iona (who stayed within 11 of Army in week-one), only to be dropped out of the Top-20 altogether in response.

Maybe the voters just don’t believe in Iona. When Army beat the Gaels in week one 16 – 5, they tumbled in the rankings too, though only from 8th to 10th. They jumped back to 7th a week later, on the strength of a 76 point win over WVU, but fell again this week (back to 8th) despite pulling double victories in under 24 hours (against St. Bonaventure: 67-12 and U. Buffalo: 50-0).

Such is the fickle world of ranking and predicting though. There are a lot of things currently happening in the Big Ten, West and Red River conferences, which also affect the rankings, of course. At least we know the rankings aren’t just a one person opinion piece. In email exchange this week, Solomon said the Top-20 voting committee is 11 members strong and comprised of all seven D1A conference commissioners, three highly esteemed national rugby correspondents and the D1A head commissioner, Kevin Battle.

In all honesty, we at the Rugby East Drop don’t mean to complain, only to note. It’s a tricky game for the commissioners and writers who are a part of that 11 person committee. Until we have more non-conference crossover opportunities (and one official season for all) the Top-20 will remain a moody beast. The same issues plague the ranking systems in the BCS and NCAA Basketball as well.

Still, it will be interesting to see what result the Wheeling v West Virginia match this weekend has on those rankings for week-five. Wheeling wants their spot and they know Army and Kutztown both improved their standing in the list after blowing out the Mountaineers. Just, seems odd to pick on WVU as a measuring stick when teams like Iona are currently more competitive within the conference.

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Rugby East Drop on Penn State’s Bona-Buffalo Double

September 29, 2016, 4:00 pm
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by Ryan J. Trost
This is American Rugby – Rugby East


Much like Army’s schedule demanded last week, Penn State will be taking on the Buffalo area double header in week-four. The schedule is slightly different for the Nittany Lions. They will host St. Bonaventure on Friday night before travelling to Buffalo for UB on Saturday. It is only a slight wrinkle of difference and Blake Burdette’s team will approach the logistics in much the same fashion. The Friday night tilt with Tui Osborne and the Bonnies will see more of the team’s upper classmen in action, while a separate travel team for Saturday will be comprised of more of the Lions’ younger athletes.

That doesn’t necessarily mean an easier match for Mike Hodgins and the UB Bulls. Penn State has a very deep talent drop. Players like Mike Dabulas, Jack McLean (both sophomores), Kyle Crawford and Jordan Croft (both freshmen) have a wealth of experience already under their belts with the Nittany Lions.

Dabulas is the guy Burdette highlighted this week as perhaps the best overall player among his halfback pairings, which is saying something. Both Jimmy Ronan and Thomas Del Pino are potential All-Americans at #9 and #10 who have been noted by peers across D1A over the years.

Take the jump to read more.

For Buffalo and St. Bonaventure, the story remains the same a week after facing Army. Build on the improvements, cut down on the errors. Though things have certainly not gone their way in recent weeks, conversations with both coaches indicate that no hanging of heads in their home camps.

Both programs are committed to their plans for long term growth. “We’re not ‘happy’ until we are successful in Rugby East. We do have improvement though,” said Hodgins. “We’re trying to focus on what we do well, especially with teams like Penn State. Our scrum and lineout were again strong against Army, but we need to improve our 9 – 10 transition.”

As for Osborne at SBU, he said, “Morale is good. They’re willing to learn and take on what we’re coaching. The only way to improve is through work.”

Improvement is indeed the name of the game at this stage of the season, and that goes for Penn State too. “We’re not a finished product,” said Burdette. “You’re probably not going to like this answer, but I am really worried about St. Bonaventure. These are both good teams and we need to be focused on them.”

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Opening Kick

September 30, 2016, 8:00 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/PRO Rugby/ODAs:

The Eagles 7s have named their first training squad of the season. There are a lot of new faces with many returning ones. However, there are a couple of noticeable absences.

The latest Red, White, and Black Eye  podcast is out talking all things American rugby.

Club/College:

Analyst, coach, and fan Rob Chudzik put together a map of every rugby team in the country.

Rugby East correspondent Ryan Trost looks at the DI-A Top 20 rankings as well as Penn State's upcoming double.

Martin Pengelly has a great article on Atavus helping Rutgers learn how to tackle.

Doug Coil reports on Notre Dame College's win over Life.

Staying with Life, they are getting set for a Penn State rematch.

Take the jump to read more.

Evan Lappen previews the Shea Cup match between Air Force and Navy.

Alex Goff has more on Illinois State, Southern Conference, and the Empire.

Matoko Noudehou previews the Big Ten for this week while Dan Flek is the DI-A Player of the Week.

The St. Bonaventure student paper looks at foreign players making the trip to the U.S. to play rugby.

World:

England have named their training squad for the November Internationals. It includes seven uncapped players.

Argentina have named their squad for this weekend's match.

Aaron Cruden has a million dollar offer to play in France.
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