Spring breaks are over for some and starting for others in HS rugby.
But we do have a couple of tournament that make this end of March especially interesting.
Fairfield
For many the Fairfield Tournament is really a preseason warmup, and as such the teams will run unlimited subs. But this is still a stern early test for a number of Northeast teams.
Hosts Fairfield Prep are in a pool with Canisius from the Buffalo area and Simsbury from Connecticut. Boston College High, McQuaid Jesuit (Rochester, NY) and the Fairfield (Conn.) Pegasus club. Fordham Prep, a very tough Trumbull HS out of Connecticut, and BC High's 2nds are in Pool C, and there's a JV pool, also.
Teams play shortened pool matches on Saturday and then the 1st-through-4th play semis and finals. 5th through 8th do the same. The 9th-placed team will play Fairfield Prep's D2 side.
Friendship
The power of Friendship comes in the form of the Friendship Cup, which features the Charlotte Cardinals (GRR HS Club #1), The Woodlands (#2), Cavemen (#12), Pendleton (#25), Raptor #23), and Greer (#36). That's a pretty imposing lineup of games and there are no easy games. We've got teams from North Carolina, Texas, South Carolina, Indiana, and Utah as well as Tennessee. The matches will be live streamed from Tennessee Rugby Park in Knoxville, Tenn.
Keep An Eye On ...
St. Edward plays St. Martin Kingfishers and Notre Dame de la Salette over two days in Illinois. This is obviously a dress rehearsal for the rigors of the National Championship, with two very tough, fit, educated teams in two days. La Salette is also at Nationals, so they are doing the same thing, and the match with Ed's could be a key seedings result.
In Colorado Regis Jesuit, under new coach Ben Pinkelman, is putting together some good results and faces a very useful Valor side that might be the strongest in the state. Staples at Rye is a rankings-heavy game in the Northeast. Brother Ma
Further west Scottsdale vs Tempe is a big game in Arizona, All of the RugbyPA D1 games have heft to them, NorCal hinges. on Danville vs Granite Bay and Jesuit at Marin is an important one for both. KC Jr. Blues and Brother Martin are traveling.
