Uruguay in Glendale Readying of RWC Qualifier
The USA and Uruguay face off in Denver this coming weekend in Leg #1 of the two-game Rugby World Cup Qualifier series.
Normally the USA plays their first game away (that seems to be how it's been done the past several years and even earlier this summer). But this time there's a twist as the Eagles host Uruguay in Glendale, Colo. on Saturday at 6PM local time (tickets available).
While the overseas pros for the USA should be made available, that doesn't always make it easy for the Eagles, as those players need time off from a league game on Saturday and they also have to travel. Several of the USA overseas pros were not in their team's lineup this past week, but AJ MacGinty was, scoring a try and working his magic in a tie with London Irish.
Americas Pacific Challenge Reportedly Set for Montevideo in October
The 2021 World Rugby Americas Pacific Challenge is reportedly set for October 22-30 in Montevideo, Uruguay.
After a forced break due to the COVID pandemic, the Americas Pacific Challenge returns with teams from both North and South America. Argentina XV, Brazil A, Chile A, Paraguay A, Uruguay A, and USA Selects will compete in three rounds at the Estadio Charrúa.
The tournament, funded and supported by World Rugby and hosted by the Uruguayan Rugby Union, will focus on the development of future rugby stars. Teams are supposed to select up-and-comers. Sometimes, though, when there's been a dearth of international competition, these games end up being non-test-matches in name only.
There is a rule, though, now in place that 23 of the 28 players on each roster must be 23 or younger.
Hall of Fame Weekend Still On Despite Test Match Cancellation
Despite the news that the October 30 test match between the USA and Ireland in Las Vegas has had to be called off, the US Rugby Foundation Hall of Fame Weekend will go on as planned.
USA vs Ireland in Las Vegas Call Off Due to COVID Travel Restrictions
The Foundation issued this statement: In case you have not heard the news: the USA Men's Eagles v Ireland match has been canceled. However, the US Rugby Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place as scheduled.
Please join us in honoring this year’s Hall of Fame inductees. There is plenty to do in Las Vegas on Halloween weekend. See you there!!
USA Women Make One Change for Fast Four Edmonton
EDMONTON, Alb.—Alena Olsen replaces Nia Toliver as the USA Women’s Sevens compete in Fast Four Edmonton, a four-team invitational held alongside the men’s HSBC Canada Sevens.
The competition runs Saturday, September 24 to Sunday, September 25 at Commonwealth Stadium.
Army-Navy to Raise Curtain for USA vs All Blacks—Details
Washington, DC (September 23, 2012) – One of the country’s most spirited and respected rivalries will take center stage when the Army Black Knights of West Point face the US Naval Academy Midshipmen in men’s collegiate rugby at 1:00 pm EDT on Saturday, Oct. 23 at FedExField.
This will serve as a curtain-raiser for the 1874 Cup featuring the Team USA Eagles vs. New Zealand All Blacks match set for 3:00 pm EDT, also at FedEx Field.
“We’re thrilled and grateful to be a part of this historic event in a phenomenal venue. We also very much appreciate the opportunity to share the fierce Army-Navy rivalry with a broader rugby fan base in an event that will attract global attention,” said Matt Sherman, Army Head Coach
Positives for USA 7s Men, But Things to Fix Too
The USA Men's finish at the Vancouver 7s was undone by a couple of silly errors and one poor refereeing decision, but overall, still, the young Eagles did well.
Finishing 5-1 and 5th after losing their quarterfinal to Kenya, the Eagles won games they were supposed to win in Pool Play, and did the same after the loss to Kenya, beating a pretty strong Hong Kong team 24-10, and then an always worrisome Canada team 26-7.
(Hong Kong featured former Cal standout Russell Webb and played quite well until he was injured.)
Positive Steps for USA Women 7s Team in Vancouver
The USA Women's 7s outing in Vancouver was small, but a baby step toward the next chapter.
The Eagles beat Canada twice, by the same 22-12 score in fact, and slammed Mexico (who, unfortunately weren't able to score a point all weekend), but could not get past Great Britain, losing 41-12 in Pool Play and 34-12 in the final.
Those four teams were the only women's teams in competition, which is why it was called a Fast Four.
This USA team is a mixture of experienced and new players, but even the veterans haven't been around too long. The purpose is to get them more experience in international 7s and to see who rises to the top. Overall the performances were encouraging. Jaz Gray and Nia Toliver found the tryline consistently—both scored at least once in four of the five games— they started to find ways to work together, and they didn't buckle.
New-Look USA Men Impressive at Vancouver 7s Day One
The HSBC Sevens World Series has started in a slightly different form, and a new-look USA men's team is looking fairly good.
With various countries able or not able to travel due to COVID fears, the tournament this weekend in Vancouver has 12 men's teams, including Great Britain (usually represented by three separate national teams) Germany, Chile, Hong Kong, Jamaica, and Mexico.
The Eagles team has a number of uncapped players, including Colorado XO David Still, who played football at Saginaw Valley State, former USA U20 Adam Channel, Scholz Award finalist Jack Wendling and Santa Rosa standout Jerome Nale.
What the Eagles Did Right
The improvement of the USA Men's 15s team from one week to the next was actually not that much of a surprise.
We were at the game and talking to fans going into the game they all seemed to be confident that the USA would win and win by a sufficient margin to win the World Cup Qualifier series. Even, if you look at what Canada Head Coach Kingsley Jones said, the opposition expected the Eagles to be better.
But how? Well, we outlined the things we wanted to see and by and large we saw a better performance. We saw fewer silly penalties. We saw a lot more adventurous play, much of that fueled by very quick ball out of the ruck. That certainly was crucial in helping the Eagles get the ball wider and find gaps.
Eagles Smack Canada 38-16, Win Qualifier Series
The USA started with the clear intention of attacking wide, with both wings, Christian Dyer and Ryan Matyas getting the ball early. They used prop Joe Taufete’e to crash up the middle, too, and eventually forced Canada to infringe, giving captain AJ MacGinty an easy penalty attempt, which he converted.
After that, the old frustrating Eagles reared their heads again, giving up a very ill-advised penalty at midfield. Fullback Cooper Coats slammed the kick over for Canada and it was 3-3. Moments later it was 6-3 after Coats smartly used the 50-ss rule to get his team a lineout. Peter Nelson slotted an easy penalty and Canada had a lead.
And it seemed it would get worse for the Americans when Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz was penalized for a dangerous clearout. He got a yellow card and that seemed to energize the USA.
Eagles: How Do You Respond?
Going into this weekend’s second leg of the Rugby World Cup qualifying series with Canada, the USA team is certainly feeling chastened.
Captain AJ MacGinty, who was critical of his own performance, remembered the Monday team meeting after the loss.
“There was silence in the room,” MacGinty recalled. “We got smacked in the face. It was humbling, but maybe we deserved it as a group.”
The Eagles found themselves making it easier for Canada to get points. Two converted tries and two penalty goals came directly from avoidable USA penalties, and another converted try came from an interception served up by MacGinty himself.
Major Changes for Eagles as they Prepare to Face Canada
Glendale, Colo. — USA Men's 15s Head Coach Gary Gold has made seven changes to his match roster from last week as the USA faces Canada this Saturday.
The game will kick off at 7PM Mountain Time September 11 at Infinity Park in Glendale, Colo. The match marks the finale of a home and away series within the Rugby World Cup qualification process. Tickets are available at www.usarug.by/RWCQ with a LIVE stream on FloRugby.com.
AJ MacGinty returns to this regular flyhalf position and will captain the side. MacGinty was on the bench last week because his visa to get into Canada was delayed. Similarly, some other overseas-based pros were on the bench in part because the domestic USA players had been together longer.
Analysis: How the Eagles Can Regain the Momentum
With the USA set to face Canada September 11 in the second leg of the Rugby World Cup Qualifier series, the Eagles are looking at a 13-point deficit.
It could, of course, have been larger were it not for Tavite Lopeti's try and AJ MacGinty's conversion right at the end of the first game.
The Eagles are certainly capable of overcoming that 13-point deficit, but need to change some things to do so.
1. Expand the options off the maul. The penalty-lineout-maul cycle is a popular one in world rugby, but you can't get too caught up in it. As we outlined in our hastily-produced video, just going for the straight drive-over can backfire. The USA got a penalty try in their first attempt, but were stopped in another (where scrumhalf Ruben de Haas was ready to spin it and had the ball snatched away back into the maul), and held up in another.
Missed Scoring Chances See USA Fall to Canada 34-21
Canada exploded for 24 points in the second half of Saturday's Rugby World Cup qualifier to overcome a 14-10 deficit and ultimately beat the USA 34-21 in the 1st leg of the two-game series.
Players at Swilers Rugby Club in St. John’s, Nfl., the game gives Canada a 13-point advantage going into next weekend's second game in Glendale, Colo.
The Eagles had a dream start in the game, taking a lineout five meters from the Canadian line and seeing Canada give up a penalty try when they collapsed the maul. That put the USA up 7-0 but they struggled to maintain precision and clarity in their game in the first half, even with Matt Heaton in the sin bin after the penalty try.
New Faces in USA Men's 7s Fall Camp
USA Men's 7s Head Coach Mike Friday has named his camp attendees for the upcoming Sevens World Series tournaments in Edmonton and Vancouver.
With Captain Madison Hughes announcing that he is taking time away from the team, and with the COVID shutdown (sort of) behind us as are the Olympics, there's space for new blood.
Eight up-and-comers have been named to join the squad following the RugbyTown 7s.
New Camp Attendees:
Adam Channel | Hooker. Former HS All American. Giltinis (RugbyTown 7s), Belmont Shore (Club 7s)
Shawn Clark | Forward, USA U23s (RugbyTown 7s), Colorado XOs.
Aaron Cummings | Forward, Houston (RugbyTown 7s), Chicago Lions (Club 7s). Grand Haven HS (Mich.), Davenport University.
Jerome Nale | Halfback, Santa Rosa (RugbyTown 7s)
