North American Barbarians Ready For Dubai

The North American Barbarians are the second of two North American select sides to play in the Dubai 7s Boys Premier tournament.

Going along with the North American Lions, the Barbarians, a spinoff of Canadian-based Celtic Barbarians, will be in Pool B of the top boys HS event in Dubai.

With less than three weeks before departure, Head Coach Cam Wilton still has some questions to answer about what kind of team he has. It's a talented squad and many have Olympic aspirations.

“It’s the first time a North American Youth team has been invited to Dubai and I have been spoiled with the talent afforded me by our scouts and coaches across the continent,” Wilton told Canadian Rugby news. “I am thrilled with the pool of talent in the US colleges and academies and the support we have been given while assembling this All-Star team.” 

Wilton has an impressive supporting coaching staff including Atavus founder and King of 7s, Waisale Serevi, as well as recent Canada Youth Commonwealth Games coach and former National 7s player, Robin MacDowell.  MacDowell will also be coaching Mexico's women's team.

“I’m excited to work with Cam and Serevi on such a grand stage," McDowell told CRN. "It will be an exciting challenge to create a team from such a group of ambitious young athletes” says MacDowell."

Several players are still scrambling to raise their fees.  Please visit our team GoFundMe Page which has been converted into a raffle: 

https://www.gofundme.com/NA-Boys-Rugby-7s-to-Dubai

The Celtic Barbarians have called on the talent of American players many times during the program's 27 tours, and this trip will be no different.  Nick Taylor (Lindenwood), and Keiran Marrett-Hitch (Haverford College) are Canadians going to college in the USA. Meanwhile, HS All American Joe Rusert-Cuddy, now a freshman at Colorado State, Daniel Trump, a standout at Fort Hunt before also joining CSU, and Brendan Curle, an all-star for Union in Rugby Oregon and now playing for Grand Canyon, are all suiting up for the Barbarians.  Ty Carlson, the MVP for the West Valley Warriors in the Rock Mountain Challenge, is a non-traveling reserve.

Here's the full list: