Nine teams will participate in the Florida Youth Rugby boys preseason tournament.

 

Two other teams - Tampa Krewe and the Cape Pirates - are kicking off their league season early and are playing each other.

 

Meanwhile, with the tournament being held in Pompano Beach, teams from the northern part of Florida won't be making the trip.

 

The Naples Bears, considered one of the top teams in the region, will field two teams, while the up-and-coming Key Biscayne team could surprise. Starting their first season is St. Thomas Aquinas, a longtime national football power (national champs twice and state champs eight times, including 2014). The Fort Lauderdale school decided to start rugby this year, and already has well over 40 players on its roster. Some of those are current football players, but nowhere near all.

 

Below are the teams participating and the schedule:

 

Okapi Wanderers (JV) 

Naples Bears (JV) 

Naples Bears (Varsity)

Miami RFC (Varsity) 

Cardinal Gibbons HS (Varsity) 

Boca Raton Junior Bucks (Varsity) 

Key Biscayne Rats (Varsity) 

St Thomas Aquinas (Varsity) 

Weston RFC (Varsity)