HS Boys

HS All Americans Enjoying Assembly In BC

The Boys HS All Americans are cooling off in the chilly waters around Vancouver Island—think the world’s most Orca-dense ice bath—after two solid outings in the team’s assembly in Canada.

Head coach Brendan Keane and his staff have assembled 29 players to training in British Columbia. Several days’ work was followed by residency at Brentwood College prep school, whey they and their Canadian counterparts stayed in dorm houses just 20 yards from the rugby field.

The dorms allowed the players to relax, stay in close proximity, and socialize in a way that’s difficult at a hotel. As a result, they bonded quickly and got to work on developing their rugby. (See photos including the walk from the front door and the back door.)

Former Eagle Basauri Running Clinics In Maryland

Former USA flanker Inaki Basauri is back in his home area working with players in a series of sessions in Burtonsville, MD.

USA Eagle #378, Basauri played for the Maryland Exiles U19 team and also the USA U19s before going on to play professionally in Europe and make the full Eagles squad. He played in the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France.

Currently a professional coach in France, he is also coaching with the Denmark national team and continuing his coaching education.

This week, he is back in Maryland and ran a session at Fairland Recreation Park in Burtonsville, and will do another at 7PM on Thursday, July 11.

All players and coaches in the area are invited to attend.

Despite his long professional and international rugby history, Basauri demurred when discussing what knowledge he had to impart.

USA Rugby South Picks Squad For RAN Men's U19s

The USA Rugby South Panthers have named their squad to play in the Rugby Americas North Men's U19 championship to be held in Barbados this month.

The tournament is held among U19 national teams in North American and the Caribbean. However, for many years now USA Rugby has sent a USA South team to this event, reasoning (correctly), that many competitors would struggle against a full USA team. This compromise has worked superbly, with the South program providing important international competition for players who have gone on to succeed in the game as they grow older. 

What's Up With These Regional Cup Tournaments?

So here's a relatively unscientific analysis of Regional Cup Tournament popularity.

In 2016, as in 2019, there were five official Regional Cup Tournaments—aka High School Select Side tournaments.

That year, 49 Boys Varsity teams and 45 Boys JV teams participated. There were 26 Girls Varsity teams and 13 JV teams. At the time, I wrote that the low number of girls JV teams was a direct result of a USA Rugby rule that prevented young players from playing up in the varsity level, and older players who might not be especially experienced or who needed some developing from playing on JV.

But it's not going away.

Fort Hunt Downs Select-Sides To Win South RCT Tier 2

Fort Hunt put in a team at the South RCT in Tenessee and took the Tier 2 bracket against some well-regarded select sides.

The Tennessee Regional Cup Tournament in Murfreesboro was an outstanding success for teams from as from as far away as Florida to Ohio to Virginia. Held on the Campus of Middle Tennessee State University, the athletic facilities were top-notch and the tournament was well organized by the local Tennessee rugby community. In the Tier 2 tournament teams competed in pool play on Saturday. 

In their first match Fort Hunt defeated South Carolina showing speed and power. In the second match Fort Hunt played a physical Ohio side but won through excellent tactical kicking from, #10 Hunter White, and by sticking to its defensive and offensive structures. 

Rugby NJ Names Honorary State Players

In 2014 Rugby New Jersey established our first class of Honorary All State Players. 

These selected student athletes played rugby during their High School years in New Jersey and went on to play in College. 

We surveyed college coaches across the country and obtained nominees for our honorary all state collegiate team. These students have shown leadership on and off the pitch, have mentored teammates and peers, showed dedication to their school and team. 

This is a very honorable achievement. 

To date we have inducted 36 student athletes who been inducted into the Rugby NJ Honorary All State Team. 

At our Awards Dinner on June 17, 2019 we announced our 2019 Class of Honorary All State Players. You can review the 2019 Class below. 

Woodlands Youth Win Third Tournament In A Row

The Woodlands Boys HS team won the Boy's High School Elite Division at Bloodfest in the Austin, TX area over the weekend; the win was notable in part because Woodlands was the only non-select-side in the bracket, and took home the trophy regardless.

This follows on the Woodlands sweeping two previous 7s tournaments, making this the third tournament win this summer.

In Bloodfest (so named because it is associated with a blood drive),Woodlands actually lost a game in pool play, the first loss of the 7s season.

Woodlands shut out Gorilla Rugby 26-0 and edged Rock Rugby Elite 10-7. But they fell 14-7 to Rebel Rugby Academy to finish 2nd in the Pool B.

In Pool A, Stars came out the strongest in a group that included Oklahoma Selects, Rock Rugby Academy, and Falcons Rugby.

Belmont HS Takes Two At MIAA Finals

Belmont HS swept the Massachusetts state championships in D1 with wins for both the boys and girls teams this past weekend.

Belmont HS boys beat Lincoln-Sudbury 31-10 in the semifinals, while St. John’s Prep beat Boston College HS in an almost identical score, 31-14.

Six Bracket Winners In Dragons Breath 7s

The Dragon's Breath 7s tournament was held this past weekend in Doylestown, PA, welcoming 40 teams from six states in six HS and youth brackets.