Serevi Relaunches as Atavus
SEATTLE (Press Release) – Today, Serevi Rugby re-launched as ATAVUS (atavus.com), a company relentlessly driven to breed character, develop skills and champion Rugby in the USA and beyond. Building on the success of Serevi Rugby, ATAVUS will deliver sustained, progression-based programming that provides coaching inclusive of any age, skill set or gender. Entering the company’s fifth year, founders – including Waisale Serevi – recognized the need to broaden and refocus the brand to better align with the future of American Rugby, providing developmental and competitive training opportunities for men and women in both the 15s and 7s games.
Super Series Rosters: Eng, Can, NZ
In just two-and-a-half weeks (June 27-July 5), four of the top six women's 15s teams will convene in Alberta, Canada. The USA has announced its 26-player roster (read more), and so have reigning Women's World Cup champ England, runner-up Canada, and #5 New Zealand.
Pan-Am Games 7s Schedule Set
Once the qualification tournament for the 2016 Olympics is done, top 7s teams in North America will face off with top 7s teams in South America in the 2015 Pan-Am Games in Toronto.
The Men’s Rugby 7s event at the Pan-Am Games returns for the second time, while the women get rugby for the first time.
Reigning men’s champions Argentina will be looking to win gold again, with 2011 silver medalists Canada in their pool. Argentina beat Canada 26-24 in the Gold Medal match in Guadalajara, Mexico four years ago.
The USA, which won Bronze over Uruguay thanks to a late try from Zack Test in 2011, will join their nemesis again this time around. In fact, the pools for 2015 are virtually identical to those in 2011, with only Brazil and Mexico in different pools from last time.
Canada Names NACRA Travel Squad
LANGFORD, BC – Canada Men’s Sevens Team’s head coach Liam Middleton has named 14 players to his traveling squad for the NACRA 7s Championships this coming weekend in Cary, NC.
Canada is looking to rebound from an up-and-down season to win qualification to the 2016 Olympic Games. To that end, Middleston has added three Europe-based pros to the team - Jeff Hassler, Tyler Ardron, and Taylor Paris. Also coming back to the squad is Phil Mack, who was sorely missed during the season after his injury layoff.
RuggaMatrix America Podcast - Wiley Veteran
USA and Saracens star Chris Wyles visits with Alex Goff in this 150th episode of RuggaMatrix America. They talk about being old, winning the Premiership, the World Cup preparation, and what the heck he's thinking trying to play 7s again.
It's all here. Click to listen, or right-click to download for later.
Listen to the Podcast Here.
No USAR Sanction, Tigers-Rough Riders Game is Off
The August 8 game between the Leicester Tigers and the NRFL Rough Riders has reportedly been called off after USA Rugby refused to sanction the game.
Already the accusations have flown as Leicester chief Simon Cohen saying USA Rugby refused to sanction because they weren't part of the action. But USA Rugby is expected to release a statement saying, in part, that they, as the National Governing Body, can only sanction a match if the teams are in good standing with their respective NGBs. The Tigers are, of course, in good standing with the RFU. But the Rough Riders don't really exist yet, and neither the team nor the players have registered with USA Rugby. So, they won't sanction the game.
NACRA 7s Schedule Set
The schedule for the North American Caribbean Rugby Association (NACRA) 7s championships in Cary, NC has been released.
The men’s and women’s tournaments both will send the winner to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The tournament runs June 13-14 at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, NC. The games will be streamed live on http://usarugbytv.com/, and Goff Rugby Report Editor Alex Goff will be part of the broadcast team.
Canada will not participate in the women’s competition, because the Canadians already earned Olympic qualification by finishing in the top four in the World Rugby Women’s World Series. The USA lost out on a top four spot in the final game, a 15-14 loss to England.
USA Shows Interest in RWC 2023
London, June 5 (World Rugby) - Potential Rugby World Cup 2023 hosts gathered in London this week for two days of briefings and information-sharing as the race to host rugby’s showcase event gathers momentum.
With the process formally having kicked off on 14 May, representatives from Ireland, Italy, South Africa and France, who have previously publicly announced their hosting interest, were joined by USA representatives, who are also considering making a bid.
The briefing was the first step in the expression of interest phase of the process, which over the course of the next year will provide potential candidates with an opportunity to participate in the Rugby World Cup 2015 observer and comprehensive knowledge transfer programs.
Top US Players Ranked
The Rugby Net, which tracks rugby stats and ranks players using a mathematical algorithm based on those stats, has ranked the top USA players based on the top-level games they have played.
Here is the link to the ranking, along with a review of the rankings from Goff Rugby Report Editor Alex Goff:
http://www.rugby.net/s/wdd9lx6ZKRr
RuggaMatrix America Podcast - Friday Luck
In the 149th edition of RuggaMatrix America, Alex, Bruce, and Pat welcome USA Men's 7s Coach Mike Friday to talk about the Eagles' win in London, how they got to that point, and what's next. We call this episode Friday Luck not because the USA was lucky, but because the day Friday is traditionally thought to be unlucky by the superstitious. Clearly Friday brings his good luck to the table.
There's not much singing, but everyone reminisces about the biggest loss he's ever experienced. One of them is not like the others.
To listen, click here. To download for later, right-click.
Best Two Weeks Ever?
Best two weeks ever for USA Rugby?
Well, maybe. Hard to argue against it.
Consider:
1. USA Rugby rescues their college 7s plan with a well-organized, entertaining, and all-inclusive championship in Denver, that was covered effectively on two of the three fields, with the final games on ESPN3. No, it wasn’t the CRC at PPL Park - fewer fans, no network TV, a little too much lightning - but there were some aspects of the tournament that compare very favorably with the CRC coming up this weekend, such as nicer rest and warmup areas for the players, a nice neighborhood around the venue, and equal treatment for all brackets.
Nault, Germishuys to Durban on Scholarship
Two star USA age-grade players have been awarded Graham Downes scholarships to train at a rugby academy in South Africa.
Hanco Germishuys and Brian Nault will spend a month at the Sharks Academy in Durban, South Africa courtesy of the scholarship fund named after the former USA and OMBAC prop.
"Basher" Graham Downes was a hugely well-respected player and later as a successful architect in the San Diego area. He was murdered in 2013, and an employee, Higinio Salgado, was found guilty of the crime and sentenced to 15 years in prison.
ARPTC Hosts Men's High Performance Camp
LITTLE ROCK, Ark., American Rugby Pro Training Center (ARPTC) Head Coach Julia McCoy announced today that the June 5th through 8th High Performance would be the first Men’s High Performance Camp at the Little Rock training facility.
“This is our fourth High Performance Camp and the first in which we’ll be welcoming some of the top men’s athletes in the country to participated as well,” McCoy said. “We’re looking forward to finding some new talent that we can take to Eagles Coach Mike Friday."
The summer training camp will also be bringing in guest coach Chris Ryan as part of the training center’s Guest Coach Program. Ryan is the current Head Coach of Princeton University Women's Rugby, Atlantis Rugby Elite Men's 7s, Schuylkill River Rugby 7s, and the Philadelphia side entered into Elite City 7s.
USA v Australia - The Business Decision
Special reporting by Beth Werge and Alex Keshishian
CHICAGO - It appears as if the USA v a Tier I nation will be an annual event now that Australia has confirmed a match with the USA for September 5 in Chicago.
The announcement on Tuesday, May 12 confirmed that the Wallabies will face the Eagles at Soldier Field, with the sincere hope by all concerned that they will replicate success of the USA v New Zealand game November 1, 2014. That game was a sellout, everyone’s hoping the same for September.
In addition, though, this game will be part of the Rugby World Cup buildup for both teams, and in fact the Wallabies will spend a good part of their World Cup preparation in the Chicago area.
USA to Host 2018 7s RWC
BOULDER, Co. – World Rugby announced today that the United States has won the bid for the 2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens. World Rugby accepted a bid put forth by USA Rugby to host the tournament, with matches to be played in both San Francisco and San Jose, California.
World Rugby Chairman Bernard Lapasset said: “Rugby Sevens continues to go from strength to strength, proving a hit with fans, broadcasters and sponsors around the globe with its winning blend of compelling and competitive action, global destinations and festival atmosphere.
“Rugby World Cup Sevens is at the heart of the success story and we are delighted to be awarding these prestigious hosting rights to USA Rugby after a competitive process.
“I am sure that San Francisco, with its major event experience and passion for sport, will be a popular and spectacular Rugby World Cup Sevens host.”
