All-Time Americans List: Kort Schubert
All-Time Americans List: Kort Schubert
Kort Schubert earned his first cap at the age of 20, and was one of the many players to go from Jesuit in Sacramento to Cal to the Eagles.
He was a talent and wide-ranging openside flanker for the USA and was capped 49 times over a nine-year career.
While Schubert was a good runner, he wasn't known as a scorer or really a flashy player, as he performed more readily as a ball-winner, defender, and poacher in the rucks. His pace and understanding of the game made him especially good at that.
But then came 2003. In 45 games outside of the 2003 Rugby World Cup, Schubert scored exactly one try—one of two USA tries against Samoa nine days before his 21st birthday in a 19-12 loss. But in the World Cup in '03 he exploded for three tries, which remains the most any USA players has scored in a single World Cup.
The first was with no time left against Fiji. After working their way down into Fijian territory, the Eagles found some space and Schubert was able to go over in the corner to make it Fiji 19, USA 18. The conversion attempt went wide to preserve the Fiji victory, but it was still a clutch score.
His second came from bursting onto an inside ball from Mike Hercus to start it all in a 39-26 defeat of Japan. He then capped if off with one of two USA tries against France in Wollongong. Schubert's performance set him up to be captain of the USA team later, and for for a pro career, most of which was spent with the Cardiff Blues in Wales. He proved himself the same with them as with the USA—durable, versatile, athletic, and always ready to do more work.
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