An unusual entrant in the Serevi RugbyTown 7s in Glendale, Colorado is the Ramblin’ Jesters, a well-known Barabrians’ style rugby sevens team from London. 

Jesters has some great pedigree having won the high quality Rugby Rocks and Rosslyn Park tournaments this year (beating the likes of Aviva Premiership sides Harlequins and London Irish along the way). Jesters is co-owned by David Barry, father of UCLA Bruins Niall and Cian, and he was keen for Jesters to make their US debut this year, but with an American twist.

In Glendale, the Jesters’  makeup will have a distinctively USA flare, with Niall Barry, Cian Barry, and Zach Bonte, all of UCLA, plus former HS All American Mike Reid (currently playing in the PRO Rugby North America league), Central Washington wing Seth Halliman (who also has been capped by the Eagles at 7s), and at least one other US-based college player still to be selected. To these young US players will be added some overseas talent to glue it all together.

Barry said the mixture of experienced overseas players with the US collegiate players and an excellent coach (Dave Mobbs Smith) will be a good chance for the youngsters to build their skills, and maybe make a splash at the tournament.

Barry said the mixture of experienced overseas players with the US collegiate players will be a good chance for the youngsters to build their skills, and maybe make a splash at the tournament.

The Jesters are drawn in Pool D with Negro y Azul, an all-star team out of Texas that frequently draws from the college ranks, Stars Rugby, which brings in players from all over the world but has a solid US foundation, Tiger Rugby, which is part of the Tiger Development Academy that has helped players such as Perry Baker get to the highest levels, and Canada’s multi-level Upright Rugby Rogues.

Pool A will be the military championship, with Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard senior 7s teams facing off. Pool B includes the Bermuda national team, Black Dragon out of Shanghai, China, hosts Glendale Raptors, the British Royal Air Force team, and the official all-star team from Southern California, the Griffins.

And in Pool C it’s the Atavus All-Stars, with plenty of players (including some college players) drawn from their Academy; Atlantis Rugby, which has been the gold standard of international development in the USA for decades; the British Army, Denver 7s, which usually includes college players from around the West, and Rugby Utah’s National Development Academy team.

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