Eagles v Wallabies Sept. 5
USA Rugby Announcement CHICAGO – USA Rugby CEO Nigel Melville announced today that the USA Rugby Eagles will make their return to Soldier Field against the Australian Wallabies in a Saturday, September 5 test match, presented by Astellas. The country v. country match will be the final test for both organizations prior to their to departure for the Rugby World Cup in England.
For the second time in less than 12 months the Eagles will play a top-tier international Rugby Union in the Windy City. In a November 2014 fall test, the Eagles took on the reigning world champions the New Zealand All Blacks in front of a sold out, standing-room only crowd.
Details to Come on Next Soldier Field Game
USA Rugby and the Australian Rugby Union will be holding a press conference Tuesday, May 12 at Soldier Field in Chicago.
The meeting is expected to discuss a test match planned between the Eagles and the Wallabies in Chicago's iconic stadium. Last November, the Eagles sold out Soldier Field in a game against New Zealand. Now, with teams looking for warmup games before the 2015 Rugby World Cup, there's an opportunity for Australia and the USA to get an extra game in. This likely would not be a capped test match, as World Rugby limits test matches just before the World Cup, but it could still be a big event.
Rugby Webcasts Saturday
Watch live rugby Saturday ... there are choices for everyone:
Men's Sevens World Series, Glasgow
The first game is at 10:30am local time, 5:30am ET, 2:30am PT and it's USA v Canada. USA also plays at 8:58am ET v Japan and 11:47am ET v Argentina.
Go here to see the link to view: http://universalsports.com/rugby/
Men's DIAA College Final
Central Florida v UC Davis at Noon ET, 9am PT http://usarugbytv.com/
Men's DIA College Final
Life v St. Mary's at 4pm ET, 1pm PT http://espn.go.com/watchespn/index
Women's DII College Final
USA Rugby Expands Tryout Camps
USA Rugby will hold a series of All American tracking camps throughout the USA as the Eagles brain trust, under the play identification guidance of Alex Magleby, looks for more players.
The camps will be for players who want to make the Collegiate All Americans, or the Junior All Americans (U20s), as well as the USA MNT 7s and 15s. Players have to apply to attend the camps, but you don’t have to have any rugby-playing experience. If you are a good enough athlete, you can get invited.
“Outside of dominating in one’s respective competition, setting the pace at a National Tracking Camp streamlines an athlete’s inclusion into the national team radar,” USA Rugby Director of Performance Alex Magleby said.
RuggaMatrix America Podcast - A Friendly Wager?
Pat is back and Bruce is back and they join Alex to talk Eagles, USA Selects, and the College playoffs, with a few interesting predictions thrown in.
Click here to listen now or right-click to download for later.
USA Part of New Pan-Am Competition
MIAMI, Fla. – Executive members of the top-6 ranked rugby nations spanning North and South America met in Miami, FLa. this week to discuss the creation of a new annual International Championship set to begin in 2016. The tournament, which has yet to be named, would be a groundbreaking endeavor strengthening rugby competition across the two continents.
This tournament is something that has been discussed and asked for by various observers for years. It builds on the old Pan-Am Series, and perhaps is best related to the 2002 Rugby World Cup Qualifiers, in which the USA, Canada, Uruguay, and Chile competed, playing each other twice. This event would include Argentina and Brazil, as well.
RuggaMatrix America Podcast - That RWC Feeling
In this latest edition of the RuggaMatrix America podcast, Alex Goff looks at the USA Selects team going to South America, and welcomes squad captain Phil Thiel who talks Eagles, World Cup Preparation, domestic competition, and where it all started in Traverse City, Mich.
To listen, click on the link below or right-click to download
Tickets for Sacramento International to Go On Sale
USA Rugby has announced that tickets for the Pacific Nations Cup doubleheader at Bonney Field Friday, July 24, will be released to the general public Wednesday, April 22, at 10 a.m. PT.
Host of last year’s Pacific Nations Cup match between the Men’s Eagles and Canada, an upgradedBonney Field will see Fiji in a battle with Samoa before the Eagles’ matchup against Rugby World Cup pool mate Japan. Match times have not yet been announced.
Single tickets starting at $20 will be available via Ticketmaster April 22 at 10 a.m. PT and group tickets (minimum of 20 per order) will be available by calling the Sacramento Republic FC box office. Tickets for the doubleheader will also grant entry to the California State Fair Friday, July 24, as Bonney Field is part of CalExpo, home of the California State Fair.
Some Notes and Thoughts from 7s World Series
Some notes from the USA men’s 7s team trip to Hong Kong and Tokyo, in now particular order.
In Hong Kong the Eagles made the top eight for the fourth tournament in a row in Hong Kong, but then missed the top eight in Tokyo for the first time since Dubai.
The USA beat Canada, who ended up beating New Zealand and finished 4th, while missed the top four for the second time this season an almost unheard-of event.
It wasn’t that long ago that the same four or five teams were making the semis every time in the World Series. This year, ten different teams have made the semis, with only South Africa getting there in all seven tournaments. The USA (in Las Vegas) is one of those ten.
RuggaMatrix America Podcast - Drop and Give me 20
In this latest RuggaMatrix America podcast, Bruce and Alex welcome USA U20 captain Christian Wiessing, a well-traveled young talent who has some observations on the USA U20 series with Canada.
Then Bruce and Alex break down what broke down with the U20s, and what lessons can be learned.
To listen, click here, or right-click to download for later.
RuggaMatrix America is brought to you by Aircraft Charter Solutions.
Overseas: Wyles Stars
The week in pros overseas probably belonged to USA fullback Chris Wyles, as he scored two tries as Saracens defeated Harlequins 42-14 before 84,000 at Wembley Stadium in London.
Wyles got the team going in the 10th minute and then scored the club's fourth of the game to secure the bonus point, as well. He has been in outstanding form for Saracens, scoring some key tries and, as usual, lining up at a variety of positions in the backline. The USA player (born in Connecticut, learned his rugby in England), also set up Chris Ashton for one of his two tries. The victory bumps Saracens to 2nd in the Aviva Premiership.
Still in 1st in Northampton, which won big with Samu Manoa starting at No. 8.
Rugby Dates for Rio 2016 Selected
Rugby sevens will make its Olympic Games debut on 6 August, 2016 after the Rio 2016 Organizing Committee released the daily competition schedule to mark 500 days to go.
The rugby sevens competitions at the Deodoro Sports Complex will be played over six days between 6-11 August with two sessions per day. The session times will be announced in due course.
The world’s top women will be the first rugby players to compete for an Olympic Games medal for 92 years with 12 teams competing over three days with the 12-team men's competition following over the next three days.
Scully to Move from Leicester to Cardiff
The Cardiff Blues have announced the signing of USA wing/fullback Blaine Scully.
The former Cal All American has signed a long-term deal to move to BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park from Leicester Tigers ahead of the 2015/16 campaign. Scully, 27, has been capped 21 times for the Eagles and is a big, physical presence on the outside. With Leicester he gained a reputation as a hard-working, unselfish back who put his body on the line for the team.
Smith, Lamositele Help Saracens to Title
Two USA players were part of the Saracens team that won the LV= Cup in England Sunday.
Hayden Smith started at lock for Saracens and played about 50 minutes as Saracens built a small lead. Former Chuckanut prop Titi Lamositele came on late, and made a couple of key plays, including overpowering the Exeter scrum, producing a penalty. Exeter tied the game late 20-20 before a penalty kick at the death won it for Saracens.
Saracens are also the Premiership A-league champions, helped along by Smith and Thretton Palamo in that final. In the full Premiership, Smith has seen some action, but the USA player who usually plays is Chris Wyles, who has unleashed some outstanding plays of late (including a sublime try in a win against Wasps).
Toulouse Reportedly Interested in Cima
Reports around France are that USA U20 and University of Maryland flyhalf Ben Cima has been in talks with Stade Toulouse in the French Top 14.
Cima is in assembly with the U20s right now, but could be brought in at Toulouse as an emergency medical replacement following Clemente Poitrenaud suffering a broken ankle that has ended his season.
Cima’s Argentinian roots could help him skirt the foreigner limitations for the club. The former Gonzaga star has not been capped at the senior level, but if he is, his chances of getting a major pro contract increase significantly.
