College And HS Products Still Signing In MLR Despite the COVID-19 problems and the very real concern that things won't be cleared up anytime soon, Major League Rugby teams are still making deals. College players are still getting signed, although we're seeing more re-signings and signings from overseas. This, of course, spells out the truth that with 13 teams in the league there are only about 500-600 spots. If all of those are filled the previous season, you've got to hope for 10-20% to retire or be released. A 10% attrition rate would be high, and would open up about 50 spots, at least half of which would be taken up by overseas players. So of the hundreds of graduating seniors in college rugby, only a few dozen will get signed. And it's still a process where other players produced in the USA can sign.
Might Service Academies Pitch-Up This Fall? The US Service Academies may possibly play in a series of games this fall. While most universities will not be holding fall games of any kinds in rugby, the Service Academies are in a unique position to compete. The incoming students started quarantine early and are basically in their own bubble already. They are not allowed to leave base, thus also reducing the chance of catching or spreading the COVID-19 virus, and sports is recognized within the academies as a key part of the student's development. So, according to the rugby coaches at the US Military Academy at West Point, US Naval Academy in Annapolis, and US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, both men and women, the door remains open to compete.
DIA Stat Leaders 2019-2020
Yes the DIA season was cut short, but we got through most of the regular season for everyone, and so here are the top statistical leaders in every conferece.
We could have also included the leaders including all D1A games (conference and non-conference) but in fact the leaders wouldn't change, with Andrew Pearl and Connor Robinson still having the most points and tries, respectively. Of course, there were no playoffs this season.
Top 150 DII College Players: Outside Backs
We wrap up our list of the top 150 Men's DII College players for the fall 2019 season with the threequarters, the outside backs.
Check out our other lists.
Top 150 DII College Players: Halfbacks
Top 150 DII College Players: Loose Forwards
Top 150 DII College Players: Tight Five
Back For More: Saint Mary's Returns To The Field
Saint Mary’s has one of the weirdest schedules in DIA, but that’s OK.
The Gaels will bounce out of Christmas with a game this weekend, which is one thing, but the other thing is, it’s not as if they’re easing into it. Instead they’re playing PRP men’s club champion Life West.
Head Coach Tim O’Brien doesn’t care. His team has already logged a conference game, and is always looking to make it tougher on his roster. That’s why the team is going to Japan, and that’s why the Gaels play BYU twice every year and will play Army and Navy this year.
Goff Rugby Report checked in with O’Brien after the Gales beat Santa Clara 93-0 in the fall. Here’s what he had to say.
Top 150 DII College Players: Halfbacks
It's part three of our list of 150 top players in Men's DII College rugby, this is our list of halfbacks.
Players listed in alphabetical order.
See our other lists:
Top 150 DII College Players: Outside Backs
Top 150 DII College Players: Loose Forwards
Top 150 DII College Players: Tight Five
Player SpotlightL Connor Robinson, Boston College
At Goff Rugby Report we're bring back the Player Spotlight.
At least every month, hey, maybe more frequent than that, we will highlight a college or high school player who has done something special.
So we end 2019 with our player spotlight on Connor Robinson, hooker for Boston College. Robinson played at St. John's Prep in Massachusetts and while there he played a lot of No. 8. But as he progressed his high school coaches told him he'd probably want to make the move to the front row, and in college at BC, he did.
"I started out at prop but then they asked me to fill in at hooker," Robinson told Goff Rugby Report. "I was lucky because I spent some time working out with guys from the New England Free Jacks, and especially Steven Hinshaw, and they helped me a lot in understanding the position."
Robinson blossomed.
Top 150 DII College Players: Loose Forwards
It's installment #2 of our Goff Rugby Report Top Men's DII College rugby players.
Today it's the loose forwards, and we've got a lot, 42 players listed.
See our other lists:
Top 150 DII College Players: Outside Backs
Top 150 DII College Players: Halfbacks
Top 150 DII College Players: Tight Five
Here they are in alphabetical order. Congratulations to everyone.
Top 150 DII College Players: Tight Five
Goff Rugby Report has selected a list of Men's DII College rugby players who are worthy of recognition as our Top 150.
We have selected 150 players divided into ten position groups: Prop, Hooker, Lock, Flanker, No. 8, Scrumhalf, Flyhalf, Center, Wing, and Fullback.
See our other lists:
Top 150 DII College Players: Outside Backs
Top 150 DII College Players: Halfbacks
Top 150 DII College Players: Loose Forwards
NSCRO Makes Move In Wake Of New USA Rugby Plan
Steve Cohen, President of the National Small College Rugby Organization, issued a statement to members Monday in response to USA Rugby's planned restructuring.
NSCRO is owed money from USA Rugby, as are several other organizations, many of which are unable to pay administrators or others because USA Rugby hasn't forwarded dues monies owed them.
Cohen said NSCRO the new approach at USA Rugby, which emphasized decentralizing governance of the game in the United States, "allows rugby organizations, such as NSCRO, to better control their membership and outcomes."
The NSCRO announcement continued to say that NSCRO is basically separating itself from USA Rugby, taking over its dues and registration, and taking control of its own liability insurance needs.
Quoting from the NSCRO announcement:
Belmont Abbey College Starting Rugby Program
Belmont Abbey College in Belmont, NC, is adding Men's Rugby as its 41st intercollegiate sport, Director of Athletics Stephen Miss has announced; Nick Whitrow has been hired as Head Coach.
Whitrow has been Head Coach at Charlotte Catholic High School.
Marian University Starts Rugby, Hires Coach
Marian University has announced that it will add rugby as a varsity sport for the 2020-21 school year, and has hired John Harley as the head coach.
"Rugby is a fast-growing sport, especially in Indiana," said Marian athletic director Steve Downing in a press release. "We're excited to open up this opportunity for student-athletes to compete at a high level in the sport of rugby, while receiving an outstanding education at Marian University. John Harley has proven himself as a great coach and he is well-known throughout the Indianapolis area. We're excited to watch this program grow under his leadership."
Harley is a veteran rugby coach from Fishers, Ind., and comes to Marian with nearly a decade of experience. He spent the last six years as the head coach of the Fishers program in Ruby Indiana's boys HS Super League.
Loyola Maryland Nabs NSCRO Final Four Spot
This past weekend Loyola of Maryland defeated Spring Hill College 59-38 and Christendom College 48-30 to advance to the National Small College Rugby Organization final four weekend in April.
Danny Giannascoli put in an MVP performance in the win over Spring Hill.
"Our offense moved fast as we were able to score often by attacking the empty space by foot and beating Spring Hill on the edge with our wing play," said Head Coach Matthew Cipriano. "The forwards were extremely successful on set-pieces, our maul was too much for SHC to handle, by doing so we kept the back-line on their back foot which allowed us to run downhill."
On Sunday it was a clash with top-ranked Christendom. Anthony McGrath had a superb game and was MVP of the game.
SCRC Names All-Conference Teams
The Southeastern Collegiate Rugby Conference has announced the selections to the 2019 All Conference Teams.
This year, the conference has selected an all-conference team from the D1AA competition, an all-conference team from the DII competition, and an overall first 15 Dream Team. Each team was given the opportunity to nominate players from their own team plus identify players from the fall competition that they then could also nominate.
The D1AA All-Conference team is lead by a very talented group of men, including Kennesaw State’s Ben Dorsey at center, Kentucky’s Brendon Esson at flyhalf and Tennessee’s Ben Schwartz at fullback. Forward standouts include locks Greg Janowick (Tennessee) and Campbell Robinson (KSU), and Alabama’s Ethan Miner at Flanker.
Gamebreakers Fall College Finals Weekend
With the playoffs capping off the weekend, and the fall, we’re lumping in various divisions and levels this week for our top performers.
Queens Take Men's DII College Throne
There It Is: Iowa Central Wins Fall DIAA
