All-Time American List: Chris Wyles
Chris Wyles did everything the USA men's national team asked of him.
A professional in England with top-notch credentials, the Connecticut-born Wyles didn't balk at having to try out for the team, and never balked at being there for the Eagles. He was central to the resurgence of the USA 7s team in the late 2000s, and ended up scoring an impressive 44 tries in only 56 games for the Olympic version of the USA team.
UCLA Adds International Experience To Coaching Staff
The UCLA men's rugby program has signed on two high-profile assistant coaches to help the program going forward.
After bringing in new Head Coach Dave Clancy in 2020—New UCLA Coach Ready To Build On Past—the Bruins are bolstering their coaching staff with former England and British & Irish Lion Alex Corbisiero and former Scotland 15s and 7s player Adam Ashe.
ASU at LIfe Called Off Due To Ice
The Life University vs Arkansas State game scheduled for February 13 was called off due to ice storms.
No immediate news is available on a makeup date.
Iosefo, Williams Lead USA Men To Madrid
The USA Men's 7s team Head Coach Mike Friday has picked 16 players to travel for the USA Men’s Sevens National Team’s first international competition of 2021.
The event takes place in Madrid, Spain from Feb 20 to 21 and 27 to 28 with six senior national men’s and women’s sides competing across both weekends. A LIVE stream location will be announced by tournament organizers this week.
The squad will compete internationally for the first time in nearly a year following strong scrimmage performances in the Golden Eagles Showdown last December. Martin Iosefo will lead the group as Captain with Kevon Williams serving as Vice Captain. Starting lineups picked in the days before each weekend.
Top Draft Pick Finds New Home In Austin
Former Life University center Connor Mooneyham was all smiles when he was drafted #1 overall in the first Major League Rugby Draft, but when his team, the Dallas Jackals, decided not to compete this 2021 season, he was left adrift—until now.
In a move ov overwhelming logic, Mooneyham has signed with the Austin Gilgronis just a few hours south on I-35 from Dallas. Mooneyham played his high school rugby in Texas, and said he had thought Dallas a good fit. But with the Jackals announcing they would defer their inaugural season, the players had to find somewhere else to go. Mooneyham, along with the three other Dallas picks who picked up their lives planning to move to Texas, had to find another way.
“I’m excited to be able to stay in Texas and I’m excited about the AGs – this is a team that’s really starting to put it together,” says Mooneyham. “I’m just excited man.”
Mizell Reportedly To Take Arkansas State Post
Iowa Central Community College Rugby has announced that assistant coach Jake Mizell will be leaving to become Head Coach at Arkansas State.
Mizell joined the Tritons in 2018 as the team's forwards and lineout coach and also was a key recruiter—something ASU was looking for.
"It is a wonderful thing that we are able to have someone come in as an assistant coach and move on to a program like Arkansas State," Nelson said in Iowa Central's release about Mizell's move. "But this speaks more about Jake than Iowa Central. He is an incredible coach and a great fit at Arkansas State. Even before he joined our program, Jake showed interest in Iowa Central rugby and he has been a dedicated and integral part in helping build this program. We are going to miss him dearly and wish nothing but the best for Jake and his family as they take on this new challenge."
Life Men Open Season This Weekend
Life University’s men’s team kicks off its 2021 rugby season and of course there are all kinds of questions to answer.
The team that won the D1A National Championship in 2018 and 2019 is rebuilding a little bit.
“We’ve had a bit of a changing of the guard,” said Head Coach Colton Cariaga. “We have some new faces, but we also have some good leadership.”
George Phelan will step in as captain and experienced players such as Chase Schor Haskin and brothers Nike and Jamie Roberts provide some key leadership. but there is also some young talent coming in.
“It will be an interesting year,” added Cariaga.
Postseason In D1A? Yes, But Expect Changes
D1A rugby has plans for a postseason this spring, but it’s going to look a little different from previous seasons.
Teams throughout the top level within the College Rugby Association of America have discussed where they are in terms of being ready to play, and what kind of season any type of play would look like.
Lindenwood Pulls Away From Arkansas State In 2021 Opener
In the first D1A game of the 2021 Lindenwood University rode a solid second half to beat Arkansas State 31-8 in Jonesboro, Ark.
The game was a Mid-South conference game and was a decent start for the Lions in what promises to be a season full of questions.
Arkansas State has been without a head coach since Blake White left last year. COVID hasn't made it easy to find a replacement and a huge amount of the responsibility for getting the team ready. They looked pretty ready on Saturday, keeping possession for long periods and putting Lindenwood under pressure.
Lindenwood, Arkansas State Name Lineups
Arkansas State and Lindenwood have named their matchday 23s for the first major college clash of 2021.
The two will face off in a Mid-South Conference game Saturday in Jonesboro, Ark. Lindenwood will run out two first-time players on the starting 15 (Stephin Alberts and Shiven Dukande) plus four more on the bench.
More here: It's So Happening: Lindenwood at Arkansas State
Here are the lineups:
Arkansas State
All-Time American List: Tim O'Brien
Yet another in a list of All-Time Americans who are well-known for something other than their play on the field, longtime Saint Mary's College Head Coach Tim O'Brien was in his day a top-shelf flyhalf.
O'Brien started playing rugby before he had turned 18, which was a rarity for American players in the 1970s. Having gained that experience he continued on at the University of California, helping the team (pictured above) to national titles in 1980 and 1981. He captained Cal and then went on to play in New Zealand and was quickly called up to the USA team.
He He played three games for the USA, against New Zealand, Canada, and Australia, and he also played for the Rugby Club of the Americas and the Pacific Coast Grizzlies, touring Argentina and South Africa with those teams.
It's So Happening: Lindenwood at Arkansas State
There is going to be a major college rugby game this weekend.
That in and of itself is news, but the matchup is newsworthy for other reasons.
This is a conference game, the first one in almost 11 months. The teams involved, Lindenwood and Arkansas State, were ranked in the Top Ten of the D1A rankings (and also in GRR’s own ranking, which contributes to D1A’s Top 20).
Coming into the game, Arkansas State is still in coaching limbo. With previous Head Coach Blake White having moved to Memphis and having stepped down, ASU is yet to announce a permanent replacement, and will be leaning on Matt Huckaby. A former All American at ASU, Huckaby ran the rugby program before taking a position in the ASU administration. He will be patrolling the sidelines for the Red Wolves, but the search is on for a new Head Coach—a search that was delayed because of COVID.
Men's College Schedule This Spring—So Far
The men's D1A and D1AA college season will likely have some games, and we could see an entire conference season or two.
With several programs having instituted stringent COVID safety protocols, and having avoided any major outbreaks, these teams appear ready to compete. However, there is an overarching caveat to the plan, namely, that plans can change. Every coach we've contacted has said that they remain hopeful and are planning to play, but understand that things could stop the games at any time.
All-Time American List: Stephen Tomasin
Plucked out of almost obscurity into the US national 7s team, Stephen Tomasin may have been a little lucky, but he turned that sliver of good fortune into an impressive career with the Eagles.
Tomasin might not have been elevated quite so quickly if his coach at San Diego State, Matt Hawkins, hadn't also been the coach with the USA team. Tomasin wasn't big or super fast, but what Hawkins saw in him quickly became apparent. He is an excellent athlete, a smart player who continued to learn, and he was, and is, very versatile.
All-Time American List: Lou Stanfill
A direct and honest rugby player and person, Lou Stanfill was a bruising lock, flanker, and No. 8 who played over 50 times for the USA.
Stanfill was one of the many players who followed the pathway from Jesuit of Sacramento to Cal to the USA. Jesuit was a perennial national title contender while Stanfill was there, and Cal won national championships every year he was at Berkeley. NYAC won a Super League title his one year with them and Seattle was a top club when he moved west.
