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NAI 7s Set for This Weekend

irish rugby tours

NAI 7s Set for This Weekend

Salt Lake City plays host to the North American Invitational 7s this weekend, with 45 teams expected in five different brackets.

The Salt Lake Regional Athletic Complex will play host to U14 boys, U18 Boys Open and Girls Open, and U18 Boys Elite and Girls Elite. The event is sponsored in part by Atavus and Canterbury, and supports Operation Underground Railroad, an organization that combats human trafficking. 

The event will have five food trucks and ten other vendors, and will feature some of the best HS-age 7s teams in the country.

The key job for tournament organizer Michael Cressler is to attend to player welfare. Utah is hot and dry in any summer weekend, but this coming weekend promises to be hotter than normal, and so hydration and keeping players cool is a huge part of the plan.

Teams have their own tent in a special tent city set up by the tournament. 

“We have a whole heat management plan,” said Cressler.

In addition, the tournament has flown in some high-level referees to make sure that a) the games are officiated well, and b) ensure there are enough officials so they don’t get worn out by the end of the weekend.

The players and coaches get some perks, too, including huge discounts the entry fee to a local water park and a local amusement park. The coaches get a break from one of the big time commitments during tournament time - laundry - as tournament hotels will be doing teams’ laundry.

All games at the tournament will be filmed, with the main field live-streamed. Check back with Goff Rugby Report for the stream link when it is active.

Here is the Friday, July 29 schedule:

Boys U14        
10:00a RAC Field 2 SLC Rhinos v Rhino Jr Rugby
10:20a RAC Field 1 Snow Canyon v Rhino Jr Rugby 2
10:40a RAC Field 1 Hunter Jr 7s v Celtic Barbarians
12:20p RAC Field 4 Rhino Jr Rugby v Celtic Barbarians
12:40p RAC Field 4 Rhino Jr Rugby 2 v Hunter Jr 7s
1:00p RAC Field 4 Snow Canyon v SLC Rhinos
2:40p RAC Field 4 Rhino Jr Rugby 2 v Celtic Barbarians
3:00p RAC Field 4 Snow Canyon v Rhino Jr Rugby
3:20p RAC Field 4 SLC Rhinos v Hunter Jr 7s
         
Boys U18 Elite        
9:00a RAC Field 1 Atlantis II v Atavus Selects
9:00a RAC Field 2 Rhino Academy v Utah Lions Elite
9:20a RAC Field 1 Herriman Rugby v Play Rugby
9:20a RAC Field 2 Upright Rugby Rogues v EIRA
11:20a RAC Field 2 Play Rugby v Atavus Selects
11:40a RAC Field 2 Herriman Rugby v Atlantis II
12:00p RAC Field 1 Celtic Barbarians v Atlantis
12:20p RAC Field 1 Upright Rugby Rogues v Utah Lions Elite
12:40p RAC Field 1 Rhino Academy v EIRA
1:40p RAC Field 1 Herriman Rugby v Atavus Selects
2:00p RAC Field 2 Rocky Mountain Rebels v Celtic Barbarians
2:00p RAC Field 1 Play Rugby v Atlantis II
2:20p RAC Field 2 Upright Rugby Rogues v Rhino Academy
2:40p RAC Field 1 EIRA v Utah Lions Elite
3:20p RAC Field 1 Rocky Mountain Rebels v Atlantis
         
         
Boys U18 Open        
9:00a RAC Field 15 Triumph Academy v Rhino Academy U16
9:20a RAC Field 15 Mambas v Cedar Park Warlords
9:40a RAC Field 2 Utah Lions Open v Rhino Academy
10:40a RAC Field 2 Rigby Royals v Rhino Academy U16
11:20a RAC Field 1 Rhino Academy v Cedar Park Warlords
11:20a RAC Field 15 Triumph Academy v Mambas
12:20p RAC Field 15 Rigby Royals v Utah Lions Open
1:00p RAC Field 15 Triumph Academy v Rhino Academy
1:20p RAC Field 15 Rhino Academy U16 v Mambas
2:40p RAC Field 2 Utah Lions Open v Cedar Park Warlords
2:40p RAC Field 15 Rigby Royals v Triumph Academy
         
Girls U18 Elite        
9:40a RAC Field 1 Upright Rugby Rogues v Rocky Mountain Rebels
10:00a RAC Field 1 Atlantis v Atavus Selects
10:20a RAC Field 2 Rhino Academy Girls Elite v Play Rugby USA
11:40a RAC Field 1 Utah Lions Girls Elite v Rocky Mountain Rebels
12:20p RAC Field 2 Play Rugby USA v Atavus Selects
12:40p RAC Field 2 Rhino Academy Girls Elite v Atlantis
1:00p RAC Field 1 Utah Lions Girls Elite v Upright Rugby Rogues
2:20p RAC Field 1 Rhino Academy Girls Elite v Atavus Selects
3:00p RAC Field 1 Utah Lions Girls Elite v Atlantis
3:40p RAC Field 1 Upright Rugby Rogues v Play Rugby USA
3:40p RAC Field 2 Rocky Mountain Rebels v Rhino Academy Girls Elite
         
Girls U18 Open        
10:00a RAC Field 15 Fullerton Lady Lions v Coastal Dragons
10:20a RAC Field 15 Utah Barbarians v Idaho Grey Wolves
10:40a RAC Field 15 Mambas v Furies Rugby
12:00p RAC Field 2 Furies Rugby v Coastal Dragons
12:40p RAC Field 15 Utah Barbarians v Mambas
1:00p RAC Field 2 Idaho Grey Wolves v Fullerton Lady Lions
2:20p RAC Field 15 Mambas v Coastal Dragons
3:00p RAC Field 2 Utah Barbarians v Fullerton Lady Lions
3:20p RAC Field 2 Idaho Grey Wolves v Furies Rugby