Manoa Key for USA This June
With the USA v Scotland clash coming up, much will be needed from the USA's massive lock/flanker, Samu Manoa.
Manoa, who got his start with SFGG's U19 program before moving on to star for their men's team, is just back from leading the Northampton Saints to the Aviva Premiership championship over Chris Wyles and Saracens. He was a finalist for Premiership Player of the Year, and is one of the most feared defenders and runners of the ball in pro rugby.
He usually gets more room to run with the Saints, but in the March World Cup Qualifiers againt Uruguay, he was used as a defender, rucker, and a big body in tight. Still, he also got a chance for a 50-meter try against Lost Teros in the first game.
Eagle Men's Camp - HS Provides the PlayersForty players enter camp for the USA Men's National team, and as usual this team comes from a variety of sources. There are crossovers who came to rugby from football (Miles Craigwell), and basketball (Hayden Smith); there are players who learned the game overseas and moved to the USA (Luke Hume), and players who learned the game overseas but through USA parentage (Tom Coolican), or birth (Chris Wyles), qualify for the USA. But the most common nursery for Eagles, at least in this group, is through high school rugby. Of the 40 in camp, 23 got their start playing rugby in American high school programs.
HS Experience Still Elusive in WNTOf the 47 players who were named to the USA WNT camp starting May 24 with the hopes of making the USA Women's World Cup squad, only seven played high school rugby. The vast majority of the players (37/47) got their first taste of rugby in college, with only three of the players waiting until after college to take up the game.
Most would hope that this changes over time. Girls HS rugby has been active for 20 years, but it has been difficult for players who were successful as high-schoolers to break into teams at the higher levels. As more and more girls high school teams play at a higher level, we might see more Eagles who started playing rugby while in high school.
USA WNT May 24 Camp players with their high school or college team listed.
Most would hope that this changes over time. Girls HS rugby has been active for 20 years, but it has been difficult for players who were successful as high-schoolers to break into teams at the higher levels. As more and more girls high school teams play at a higher level, we might see more Eagles who started playing rugby while in high school.
USA WNT May 24 Camp players with their high school or college team listed.
LaValla Hails Budd Bay Purchase
USA flanker Scott LaValla got a chance to give a nod back to the club that got it all started recently.
LaValla is from Olympia, Wash., and started playing rugby as a young high-schooler with the Budd Bay Barbarians. He led the team to the national championships and also ended his career there as captain of the USA U19s. LaValla and his family have been active with the team. Scott LaValla helped coach the Budd Bay Steelheads girls team during his senior year, helping run drills and giving the players pointers on how to succeed in rucks and lineouts. His brother, Patrick, also played for Budd Bay, and his parents, Rick and Cindy, do much for the club, including hosting the annual fundraiser dinner.
The event helps support all four Budd Bay teams - their men's and women's team, and their boys and girls teams.
USA v New Zealand Press Conference
Dignitaries from USA RUGBY, the NZRFU, and the City of Chicago announce the USA v New Zealand test match.
USA Women Win Plate at Amsterdam 7s
The USA Women’s 7s team won the Plate at the Amsterdam 7s, defeating Russia 27-12 in the Plate Final, and recording one of their better tournaments for the season.
Braces from Hannah Lopez and Victoria Folayan had earlier seen the overpower Brazil 34-0, while Russia ran out 28-0 winners over France in the other semi-final with Ekaterina Kazakova and Nadezda Kudinova both touching down twice.
The USA lost to New Zealand and to Canada (in a close one), but shut out Spain, Ireland, and Brazil during the tournament. The Eagles end the 2013-2014 IRB World Series season in 7th.
