Summer 7s is back in Oregon and the Valley Rams and Eastside Tsunami have started strong.

Both teams went through the opening tournament of the summer 3-0, with Valley edging Three Rivers 24-21, beating Clark County 26-12, and hammering Lincoln HS 45-7.

Eastside Three Rivers 22-12, Reynolds HS 10-5, and Lincoln HS 12-5.

“We’ve absolutely eager to play tackle rugby,” said Valley Rams Head Coach Trevor DaSilva. “The players and the coaches felt the same way.”

The Valley team played against their alumni last week and that was the team’s first tackle game in more than a year.

“It was spectacular,” said DaSilva. “Some guys finally got a taste of what actual rugby is. Some of the guys who played had had three preseason games [in 2020] under their belt and that was it.”

Rugby Oregon ran a spring season that was entirely touch rugby, and DaSilva said the Touch Rugby league that plays in Portland was very generous in its time teaching players how to play that game. But what that also meant was shifting to tackle rugby was also an adjustment. 

DaSilva said the plan was to have the right attitude, a less serious attitude. Many teams were struggling with numbers and in fact Valley had to borrow a couple of players last week. Only Eastside has boasted big numbers and they’ve loaned players to several other teams. 

“It’s all about ‘let’s play some rugby,’” said DaSilva. “This is a chance to get kids exposed to the tackle game.”

Players like Dawson Tarron and Aaron Resendez have performed well in the early going for the Valley Rams, but there is plenty of rugby left this summer.

Which is a good thing.

Games Scheduled for Rugby Oregon HS Summer 7s Boys Week 2:
Eastside Tsunami vs Reynolds HS
Valley Rams vs Lincoln HS
Central Oregon vs Clark County
Three Rivers vs Lincoln HS
Central Oregon vs Three Rivers
Valley Rams vs Eastside Tsunami
Eastside Tsunami vs Central Oregon
Three Rivers vs Reynolds HS
Central Oregon vs Lincoln HS
Valley Rams vs Clark County