The Massachusetts MIAA rugby championships will be held at Curry College on Saturday June 15th. It promises to be a great day, so go out to catch some of the new rising stars of the high school game.
At noon, the Boy’s Division 1 final between Xaverian and Boston College High School will kick off, followed by the Girl’ss title game between Belmont and Weymouth at 2PM.
At 4PM, the Boy’s Division 2 game between Weymouth and Hanover will take place to close out the day’s festivities.
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June 6th, 2024
The Free Jacks got back on the winning track on Sunday by getting past Dallas 26-24. It didn’t seem that close as the Free Jacks blew the game early in the second half, scoring three quick tries.
Some late conceding of points might be a concern, as the Free Jacks again gave up late tries, but at least it was good to see the likes of Jason Potroz and Reece Macdonald get through a full workload.
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May 20, 2024
We had to wait quite a while to get some good news from the local teams competing on the national stage this weekend. Both The Boston Irish Wolfhounds and Charles River lost in the USA semifinals of the Division 2 and 3 playoffs respectively in pretty close games in the Texas heat. Both winning teams went on to lose heavily in the Championship round.
So it was Sunday evening that provided us with late scoring drama as the San Diego Legion fought back from a late deficit to almost snatch the game away from the visiting New England Free Jacks.
Indeed it was a bizarre ending to the game, as the scoreboard recorded a successful conversion kick from the Legion as time counted down to the last couple of minutes of regulation. At the time, I rewound the tape and it was obvious the quickly taken drop kick attempt was well off the mark.
I wondering if a penalty try and an automatic seven pointer had been granted, so I rewound the tape again to see if that was the case but I didn’t see any evidence of that.
But it seemed like the players on the field knew the correct score, and they knew that the conversion for the try scored in the 86th minute was to be the game decider. So the narrow miss was greeted appropriately by the respective players.
You have to wonder how the Legion managed to botch the late comeback attempt. The Legion scrum was completely ascendant and had forced consecutive penalties. Two Free Jacks were already in the bin, and surely another scrum would have a third in the bin and a penalty try was on the cards. Inexplicably, the Legion moved the ball wide, and while they scored, it was in the corner and required a difficult kick to win. Strange tactics indeed.
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May 17th, 2024
This is it for Men’s and Women’s club competition in the national playoffs, with all amateur competitions coming to a close in Round Rock, TX.
First up for New England representatives will Charles River, taking on Colusa in the Men’s D3 competition at noon, followed by the Boston Irish Wolfhounds joust with Oceanside Chiefs in the Men’s D2 semifinal at 3PM.
And yeah, it will be hot, with 90 degree temperatures forecast, and 60% humidity. If successful on Saturday, 11AM and 2PM will be the championship game for D3 and D2 respectively.
Full brackets, etc., can be found here:
The Rugby Network will be carrying the games live.
Not to be forgotten, the Free Jacks will be on the road against San Diego at 4PM on Sunday, that should be entertaining. Hope the Free Jacks come home injury free from that. It’s been a rough few weeks for the home team in that category. This will also be on the Rugby Network.
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May 17, 2024
A huge win for the USA Women’s Eagles overnight, as they defeated world #5 by a score of 32-25 in Melbourne, Australia.
Trailing 8-20 at the half, the Eagles’ pack put in a big performance in the second half to eventually notch the win.
The stunning performance lifted the USA out of fourth place in the Pacific Four table. Now in the fourth position, the Australians will likely need a bonus point win against New Zealand to reclaim third place.
Third place is important in that it secures a place in the Rugby World Cup 2025, as well as entry into WXV1 which will take place in Canada later this year. Slipping to WXV2 would mean having to travel to South Africa. WXV1 will be much tougher competition, but it would be closer to home and will provide solid exposure ahead of the World Cup next year.
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May 15, 2024
Early in the Pacific Four game between the USA and New Zealand, with the Black Ferns racking up points at a two per minute pace, you might be excused for reaching for a calculator to see how bad it could get. One hundred points? More? Yikes, it was possible.
Six tries were conceded in the fist half, with fullback Mererangi Paul scoring three in the opening eleven minutes.
But to the Eagles’ credit, the onslaught slowed and the USA came slowly into the game. Freda Tafuna scored the Eagles’ lone try on the day, to limit the loss at 57-5.
Next up will be Australia, on May 17 at 2AM. This may be the best possibility of a result for the Eagles, as the Australians dropped their opening game against Canada 33-14, while the Eagles lost their bout with Canada 50-7 so it might be a closer game than the previous two for the Eagles.
Again, RugbyPass.TV is the place to watch streaming of the game.
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May 10, 2024
Another mixed weekend for the local teams in the books. Beantown suffered another big defeat, this time on the road against Berkeley by a score of 40-5.
Mystic River fell in the Division 1 playoffs to NOVA by 34-12, while the Boston Irish Wolfhounds booked another trip to the Division 2 Final Four after scoring a close win over New York Rugby 31-22.
In Men’s Division 3, Charles River continued its run of excellent results by knocking off Old Blue NY D3 side by a score of 30-24. In D4, Seacoast’s run ended at the hands of Rockaway 41-5.
Next up for Beantown in the WPL will be New York, this game scheduled for May 18th at the Irish Cultural Center.
Also on the 18th, The Wolfhounds will take on Oceanside on the semifinals of the D2 Championship, while Charles River will take on another California side Colusa Rugby.
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May 10, 2024
There are some changes, mostly minor, to the USA Eagles lineup for the game against New Zealand later today. Kick off is scheduled for about 10PM on Friday May 10th.
This should be a major challenge for the Eagles, taking on the World Cup holders in their back yard of Hamilton New Zealand. The Eagles had a solid defensive effort against Canada last week before falling off the pace in the second half. A repeat performance could be problematic against the Black Ferns, so an eighty minute effort will be required.
Lineup for the Eagles can be found here:
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May 03, 2024
Catching up on last week’s action:
Tough start for Beantown against Colorado in the Women’s Premier League first week of the season, with Beantown falling 36-12 to the reigning champs.
Beantown will have another tough game in week 2, on the road against Berkeley on May 4th.
Staying with Women’s rugby, it was also a tough outing for the USA national team against Canada in the first game of the Pacific Four tournament.
The Eagles tackled furiously and kept the scores close early, trailing at half time 17-7, but really failed to find the key to unlocking the pressure defense exhibited by the Canadian side. The second half was all Canada, who racked up half a dozen more tries to close out the game winning 50-7 before what seemed to be a vocal but smallish crowd.
It does not get any easier for the Eagles, with New Zealand and then Australia May 10th and 17th, respectively, as the Eagles drop to # 10 in the world rankings. Peacock should be carrying the games, or RugbyPass.TV.
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April 25, 2024
Decidedly mixed results on the local rugby scene this past weekend. In the MidAtlantic playoffs, Boston Women fell short in their Division 1 game, as did Providence. Albany , New Haven and South Shore Sirens will not progress any further in their respective Women’s divisions.
On the men’s side, the Boston Irish Wolfhounds had a big win in their Division 2 Men game, defeating Old Gaelic 41-11. Charles River took care of Lehigh Valley 34-12 to move on to the next round in men’s D3, while Seacoast won its Division 4 playoff round.
Tough matchups await in the next round, as the Wolfhounds will play New York Rugby, while Charles River will face off against Old Blue New York. Seacoast will have Rockaway as their opponent. These Atlantic Super Regional games are scheduled for May 4th. Also featured at this location will be Mystic River against NOVA in a Division 1 encounter.
Over in Quincy, the Free Jacks looked doomed early in the second half against league leaders Seattle. A valiant comeback effort had the potential to salvage two bonus points, or even a win, but the effort fell short and the Free Jacks did not come away with any points from the game. Overall the Free Jacks fall to fourth place, but the club keeps hold of the first place in the Eastern Conference.
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April 19, 2024
Lots of rugby this weekend, it’s hard to know where to turn to. An embarrassment of riches indeed.
At the Cultural Center in Canton, the NERFU/EPRU playoffs continue, with Boston Women playing Philadelphia at 1030AM, to be followed by the Boston Irish Wolfhounds hosting Old Gaelic in the Division 2 Men’s playoffs at 1PM, and that will be followed by the Division 2 Women’s clash between Albany and Phoenixville.
The South Shore Sirens D3 playoff game against North Bay is expected to be played at Marshfield High School, while the men’s D3 clash between Charles River and Lehigh Valley will be played at UNH. Check your local listings, as the weather has forced some rescheduling on these.
All of the above games are part of the Atlantic Super Regionals. And of course there are several other club games that are being played Saturday also.
Also on the schedule is a Division 1 Men’s encounter between Mystic River and Old Blue New York.
The main event will be the Free Jacks taking on Seattle Seawolves in Quincy at 2PM. Fresh off perhaps their best effort of the season when taking down previously undefeated Houston Sabercats by a score of 47-35, the Free Jacks will have a strong challenge from the Western Conference leading Seawolves. 2PM Eastern is the kickoff time for this one, and this should be a fun time.
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April 15, 2024
In the USA Rugby playoffs held at the Irish Cultural Center in Canton this past weekend, the Boston Irish Wolfhounds captured the Men’s NERFU Division 2 Championship by defeating Portland 29-15.
The two teams have faced off several times over the last few years, so a close game was expected. After some tight early exchanges, the Wolfhounds broke the game open with two tries from winger Jack Kiernan to take a solid lead in the game and left Portland chasing the game.
Mid way through the second half, Wolfhounds veteran Alex Verdaguer dotted down to essentially put the game out of reach for Portland.
The Wolfhounds will move on to face EPRU champions Old Gaelic in the Atlantic Super Regional semifinal. This is also scheduled for the Irish Cultural Center in Canton on Saturday April 20.
In earlier action, Charles River captured the Division 3 crown, defeating the Wolfhounds’ D3 side by a score of 24-22.
Also in Canton, Albany captured the Women’s Division 2 title, defeating Worcester 31-12. Albany will move on to the Super Regional on April 20th.
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April 12, 2024
The NERFU playoffs continue this weekend, with the Boston Irish Wolfhounds hosting the hosting the Division 2 and Division 3 Championships at the Irish Cultural Center in Canton, MA.
In Division 3, with kickoff listed at 11.30, the Wolfhounds Division 3 team will take on Charles River. The Hounds gave Charles River their only loss in the Fall, so it promises to be a tight game.
In the Division 2 decider at 2PM, the Wolfhounds Division 2 team will face Portland. The visitors will be looking to go one better than the last time these two met in a decider, as the Hounds edged the men from the North in a nail-biter that was anyone’s game right down to the final whistle.
On the Women’s side, the South Shore Sirens entertain Amoskeag Women.
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April 12, 2024
Excellent profile of some Gaelic football players trying trying to make it to the NFL as placekickers, courtesy mainly due to the efforts of Tadhg Leader (former Free Jack, Wolfhound, and USA Eagle).
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April 5, 2024
The USA Women Eagles saw off a strong challenge from South Africa in a warm up game played in Ealing in England. After getting off to a dream start with flanker Georgie Parris-Redding scoring the first of her three tries of the day within seconds of the kickoff, the Eagles had to withstand twenty minutes of serious pressure from the South Africans.
But the line held and the Eagles went into the half leading 14-0. Directly upon the restart, the Eagles scored again and gradually took control of the game to win 38-17.
Notable local contributors included Beantown’s Jenny Kronish who enjoyed a solid day in the lineout. Off the bench came Cass Bargell for her first cap in the Eagles side, a remarkable achievement for the Harvard product given some recent health struggles.
You should be able to catch the replay of the game on RugbyPass at the link here https://rugbypass.tv/login?from=/video/603197
On April 28, the Eagles return to home soil for the Pacific Four game against Canada, which will be played in Los Angeles.
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March 28, 2024
The Free Jacks secured win number three on the season to stay on top of the Eastern Division rankings, taking the win against the Chicago Hounds by a score of 22-17 last weekend.
It may be unfair to say the Free Jacks were lucky to come away with the win, but for sure the Hounds butchered at least two try scoring opportunities that would have made things much more interesting. Regardless, the Free Jacks have a week off and will entertain Miami on Saturday April 6th.
Houston leads the overall standings, having gone into Seattle and secured a victory by a score of 42-40.
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March 22, 2024
Week 4 of the Major League Rugby season kicks off this weekend with a few interesting matchups. Your local New England Free Jacks are on the road against the Chicago Hounds. The Hounds have had an interesting first three weeks of the season. All three games were on the road, and resulted in a tie, a loss and one win.
The Free Jacks will escape the bad weather in New England for the 2PM EDT Sunday kickoff in Chicago. It should be an entertaining game, as the Hounds have the backs to run it around a little.
In other games, Houston and Seattle meet on Saturday, with both teams unbeaten, that should be fun. And San Diego traveling to take on Old Glory in what should be an interesting game, as both teams will want to keep pace in their respective divisions.
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March 8, 2024
After dispatching of a young Anthem Rugby side in Charlotte last weekend, the Free Jacks field a very similar line up in the season opener against Old Glory DC. Two changes in the pack, with Kyle Ciquera coming in at prop for Forster DeWitt, Kyle Baille in at second row in place of injured Conor Keys, while both wings Mitch Wilson and Paula Balekana see their first start of the young season.
2PM will be the kickoff in Veterans Memorial Stadium in Quincy.
NBC Sports Boston and The Rugby Network will be carrying the game, in what will be a rematch of the Eastern Conference game from last season.
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March 1, 2024
A new season in Major League Rugby kicks off this weekend, with three games on Saturday and three on Sunday. The featured game on Saturday has Utah Warriors taking the trip to Houston to take on the Sabercats in the featured game. Catch that game on Fox Sports 2 at 8PM.
Titleholders the New England Free Jacks are in action on Sunday against league debutants Anthem RC. It is difficult to know what to expect from World Rugby funded Anthem RC. One bonus for fans is the likelihood that Anthem will focus on a heavily USA eligible roster, in a bid to boost a player pool in advance of the World Cup.
MSNBC will carry the Free Jacks game on a two hour delay, while the Rugby Network should be carrying it live.
There are no starting lineups available at the moment. From looking at the Free Jacks’ roster, have fun picking out a starting lineup from that talent pool, especially in the forwards!
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Jan 02, 2024
One of the legends of New England rugby, Peter Watson will be sorely missed. Recently and deservedly inducted in the USA Rugby Foundation Hall of Fame, Peter’s dedication to furthering the game as a player and administrator was unsurpassed.
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Nov 22, 2023
A frigid breeze was blowing on Saturday night at Mignone Field as the NIRA Women’s Championship games culminated in the Division 1 tussle between Harvard University and Dartmouth College.
Earlier in the day, Bowdoin won the Division 3, downing Adrian College 51-17, while in Division 2, Davenport cruised to a 91-5 win over Lander University. It was Bowdoin’s fourth straight title in Division 3. Given the lop-sidedness of the records and scores, hopefully Bowdoin and Davenport will be able to ride the bureaucracy to compete in higher divisions soon.
Anyways, back to the main event, as Harvard and Dartmouth served up some excellent rugby despite the conditions. Playing against the strong wind, Harvard was first on the board, playing an expansive game to take advantage of an early yellow card in the Dartmouth backs and move into a five point lead.
Dartmouth responded with a try to take the lead, and then laid siege to the Harvard line as the first half closed. But the Harvard line impressively held and Harvard pushed down field to score again to take a 10-7 lead.
It felt like Dartmouth had an insurmountable task in the second half, while facing into the wind. The task grew harder with Harvard extending the lead to 17-7. Harvard looked likely to extend the lead, but repeatedly Dartmouth’s defense held strong, and impressively so.
With just a couple of minutes to go, Harvard slotted a penalty to go up 20-7, and it was basically over at that point. Dartmouth closed the game out with an unconverted try for a final score of 20-12 in favor of Harvard for the 2023 NIRA crown.
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Nov 22, 2023
We were fortunate to catch the Men’s Small Colleges playoff game this weekend, as Babson got by a serious challenge from Endicott College to make it to the next round in Houston……
http://www.nerugby.com/?p=2259
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Nov 17, 2023
Harvard’s Mignone Field is the place to be to see top college women’s Varsity rugby on Saturday, Nov 18th, as the 2023 NIRA Championships will take place. The Division 3 Championship will be at 11AM, the Division 2 at 1.30 and the Division 1 at 4PM.
The Division 1 championship will be a rematch of last year’s final, with Harvard and Dartmouth facing off once again. Harvard is 8-0 on the season, with Dartmouth at 6-2, with the only losses coming against non-NIRA opponent Lindenwood and a two point loss to Harvard.
Division 2 will have Lander v Davenport, while the Division 3 matchup will be Adrian against Bowdoin.
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Nov 17, 2023
USA Eagles to take on Spain, Nov 18, 2023
The final game of 2023 for the men’s USA Eagles is set for November 18, with the Eagles taking on Spain at 2PM EST in the Vila International Rugby Cup.
Massachusetts’ own Nate Brakeley will serve as captain in what will be his 34th and final game for the Eagles, as he has announced his retirement from international rugby.
The Eagles had a comfortable win over Brazil in the previous round, while Spain was impressive in taking Canada down by a score of 42-20.
USA and Spain are close in the international rankings with the USA one spot ahead of Spain at # 18.
You should be able to catch the game live on RugbyPass TV.
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Oct 13, 2023
Lots of rugby on this weekend, and it promises to be a legendary weekend in the men’s World Cup in France.
On the women’s side the Eagles take on Samoa on Saturday in the WXV2 tournament in South Africa. The Eagles feature five Beantown players on the squad for the inaugural USA game of the tournament (incidentally Beantown fell at the semi-final stage of the WPL last week while missing the Eagles). Here’s hoping the Eagles got off to a good start in the tournament.
RugbyPass will be streaming the USA games.
Women Eagles Roster for the Samoa game.
In other local news, an exciting clash seems to be in store in Canton on Saturday at 2PM, as the top of the table clash between the Boston Irish Wolfhounds and Mystic’s D2 team takes place. Some great fall rugby on the grass should be entertaining.
So Eagles at 8AM, Wales v Argentina at 11, Wolfhounds and Mystic at 2PM, and Ireland v New Zealand at 3PM. That should be a great way to spend a Saturday, right?
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Oct 6, 2023
In the semifinals of the WPL, # 4 Beantown travel to California to take on # 1 Berkeley in one semifinal, while Colorado and New York battle it out in the other. The Oct 7th semis will lead to the WPL Championship the following week in Colorado.
Beantown have lost to Berkeley twice this year, most recently just last week, although Beantown was missing several plays on national duty. A close game at halftime opened up for Berkeley in the second half, as Berkeley pulled away to win 38-17.
From the WPL website:
https://wplrugby.org/rugby-xplorer-wpl/
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August 18, 2023
After the disappointing score line against Portugal last week, a tough challenge awaits the Eagles in Tbilisi on Saturday.
Once again, the weather will be hot with the temperature in the 90’s. The Eagles have made a number of changes from the side that took on Portugal last week, as coach Scott Lawrence continues to bring on newer players.
Keep an eye open for 19 year old Dominic Besag who may come off the bench to earn his first cap in the #22 shirt.
The Rugby Network will once again carry the game, at 11AM on Saturday August 19th.
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August 11, 2023
The announcement last week of the Eagles squad to take on Romania referenced the possible debuts of as many as nine new caps. That seemed like a lot, especially as Romania should be finalizing their preparations for the World Cup and should be in good form. There is no good time to put that many new players on the field, but since the Eagles did not qualify for the World Cup, I guess that game is as good as any.
And then you look at the names, and you see that some have been tearing it up on the MLR circuit this year, such as back rows Sam Golla and Luke White, while other debutants such as Nick McCarthy and Tommaso Boni have obviously been playing in competitive environments at Leinster and Zebra.
So it was an impressive effort that was rewarded with the 31-17 win. If you were to pick a flaw, it might be the latter portions of the game, where the opponents scored three tries late, this following on the heels of late missteps in the qualifying campaign against Chile and Portugal which prevented qualifying for France 2023. You can catch replays of the game on the Rugby Network.
The Eagles have an opportunity to have another crack at Portugal tomorrow, Aug 12. With the temperature forecasted to be near triple digits during the day so it should be toasty at game time.
New York Ironworker Kaleb Geiger gets his first start for the USA, packing down in the front row alongside fellow Ironworker Dylan Fawsitt and Jack Iscaro who will get his fourth cap.
Free Jack Mitch Wilson gets his fifth cap, again at full back.
Game time is 4PM Eastern, and you can follow the action again on the Rugby Network.
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July 26, 2023
A rare opportunity to watch some top quality international rugby presents itself in Quincy, as the USA Women’s U-23 Eagles take on their Canadian counterparts in a two game series, with the first game listed for 7PM on Wednesday July 26 and the second on Sunday July 30th at noon.
The series against Canada follows the squad’s successful South American tour, where the team tied with Brazil and defeated Columbia.
Being billed as the “Border Battle”, the series is being held at the home of the MLR’s Champion New England Free Jacks.
Lots of local talent should be on display, with Dartmouth’s Kristin Bitter and Lauren Ferridge, Harvard’s Malia Isaacs and Tiahna Padilla, Quinnipiac’s Anna Van Dyk among those named on the squad by legendary coach Katie Dowty.
7PM on Wednesday is the kickoff time of the first game, and will be shown on the rugby Network for those who cannot make it to Quincy.
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July 25, 2026
(Graphic borrowed from scrumhalfconnection, hope they don’t mind). By the way, you should be following that site, it is indispensable for all things rugby related in the USA and for women’s game in particular.
Anyways, after the Pacific Four series, and despite putting a scare in the New Zealand Black Ferns, the USA Eagles will compete in WXV2. Italy secured the final spot with a win over Spain last weekend. Despite the near miss against New Zealand, perhaps it is a good landing spot for the Eagles, as being competitive in WXV2 is better than facing some lean times in WXV1, in my opinion.
Check out scrumhalf connection’s WXV primer here:
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July 14, 2023
A big challenge awaits the USA Eagles this afternoon at 4PM, as they take on the best in the world, the New Zealand Black Ferns in the final round of the Pacific Four series.
Even if the Eagles pull off a shocking upset of the Black Ferns, the Eagles will compete in WXV2 in the fall. TD Place in Ottawa will again be the place to be to see if the Eagles can rebound from the 58-17 loss to the Australians last week. FLO rugby for viewing.
I was wondering last week if the USA were 30 points behind the top teams such as New Zealand and England. Recent results suggest this list now solidly includes Australia and Canada also. Still, a valuably run out against the best will be worthwhile.
The other game should be entertaining also, with Canada taking on Australia. Winner will take second place in the competition. Canada improved after a sluggish first half against NZ to be competitive, while Australia had the comfortable win against the USA in the last round.
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July 14, 2023
Watching some of the MLR Championship game provides moments of sweet enjoyment for Free Jacks fans. It is also encouraging to see so many replays of the game on FS2. Ratings seem to be down, year over year, but the content seems to be perfectly fine for the network, which has re-aired the game at least two times that I saw, and probably more.
Replaying the final fifteen minutes or so again brought home how close this game was, and how it could have gone in any direction. Both sides were playing with a high intensity with a refusal to accept defeat, and referee Joe James seemed determined to not be put in a position to have to make a game deciding decision.
Pivotal moments in the last fifteen minutes included the Will Hooley injury, an epic multi phase assault by the Free Jacks, highlighted by critical line breaks by Sam Fischli and Le Roux Malan, a critical clean out by Jason Potroz on an attempted poach by Josh Henderson, failure to secure the resulting kickoff after the go ahead score, three collapsed scrums in the New England 22, Henderson not being able to get a potential winning drop goal set up. Exciting stuff, which will be talked about for a long time in New England.
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July 7, 2023
Here we go, one more time for all the marbles. FOX will be the required viewing location, unless you are making the trek to Chicago for the clash against San Diego.
There is also a viewing party being thrown by the city of Quincy at Kilroy Square, which should be fun.
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July 7, 2023
Huge weekend in Canada as the Pacific Four Series continues with the USA Eagles, Canada, New Zealand and Australia playing in Ottawa, Canada at the TD Place arena.
First up is the Eagles and Australia clash at 4PM on July 8th, with the host Canada against the reigning World Champion New Zealand Black Ferns at 7PM. 8000 (and counting) tickets are already sold for the glamour fixture.
Two games are already in the books. Canada defeated the Eagles 50-17 back in April and New Zealand demolished the Australians 50-0 recently. With three teams qualifying for the WXV1 tournament to join England, Wales and France, recent form suggests the winner of the USA and Australia game will be the team to join the top tier.
Australia has a slight advantage in the world rankings, being listed at #5 to the USA’s #7.
The Eagles team selection can be found here, and it features a blend of new and experienced players, being led by the incomparable Kate Zackary.
So this begs the question…where would you rather be? Competing against the top teams in WXV1 (NZ, Canada, England, France and Wales), with the potential for some very lean years and weak results as the next World Cup beckons, or being competitive in WXV2 with possible pool members Japan, South Africa, Scotland, Italy or Fiji?
Catch the USA game on FLO Rugby.
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June 30, 2023
After a week of rest, the Free Jacks named the lineup for the Eastern Conference Final against Old Glory DC. The 5.30pm game on Saturday July 1st is at the Veteran’s Memorial Stadium in Quincy.
With a strong roster, there were bound to be some people left out. Mitch Wilson is officially listed as injured, but no spots could be found for Slade McDowall, (deleted) or Beaudein Waaka, among others.
The coaching staff has also gone with a 5-3 split on the bench, reducing the possibility that Joe Johnston will have to perform more heroics on the right wing, as he had to do in the regular season finale.
FS1 on July 1 at 5.30pm if you can’t make it to Fort Quincy, as the local fans have come to refer to it.
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June 23, 2023
Mixed results for the region’s premier rugby teams this past weekend, as the Free Jacks rolled into the playoffs, while Beantown stumbled.
At Harvard’s stadium, Berkeley and Beantown braved the conditions on Saturday and it was Berkeley who had the better of the contest, coming away with the victory, using an up tempo attack to put pressure on the Beantown defense.
Check out Jackie Finlan’s write up of the game, or check out the video on youtube. The WPL standings don’t seem to have been updated at the moment, but Berkeley should be top of the pile at 6-1 as the league approached its summer break.
In Quincy, the Free Jacks romped home against a Houston SaberCats side that was missing some starters. 47-24 was the final score in the game that was attended by a record breaking crowd of 4,758. The Free Jacks took advantage of some sloppy defending in mid-field, with Le Roux Malan taking full advantage to notch three tries in the win.
In an occasionally feisty game, the Free Jacks built on a half time lead of 19-10 to gradually pull away in the second half.
It wasn’t all perfect for the Free Jacks, as early injuries forced the departure of Mitch Wilson and Beaudein Waaka. The 6-2 split on the reserves bench forced back rower Joe Johnston to play much of the game on the wing. He performed admirably there, but you wonder if the Free Jacks will go with that split again.
But a well deserved rest weekend awaits the Free Jacks, as elimination weekend will determine if it will be Old Glory or the New York Ironworkers making the trip to Quincy for the Eastern Championship game next weekend.
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June 16, 2023
After a very strong performance on the road against the second ranked Western Conference Seattle Seawolves last weekend, the New England Free Jacks return home for the final game of the regular season against the third ranked Western opponent, the Houston SaberCats.
On paper, there is little to play for, as the Free Jacks have sewn up top place in the East while Houston cannot improve on their third place position in the West. But since the Free Jacks will have a bye week leading up to the Eastern Conference Championship, against either New York Ironworker or Old Glory DC, the locals franchise will want to keep their collective foot on the gas and not ease up. Plus. with a very strong panel, there will be lots of competition for starting spots in the championship game and very few opportunities remaining to claim that spot.
The Free Jacks are expecting a large crowd for the game, with multiple sections sold out.
Sunday June 18th with a 1.30 kickoff for those attending in Quincy.
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June 16, 2023
In Women’s Premier League action on Saturday, Beantown got the win over Chicago North Shore in a game played in Malden MA. The score was 64 to nothing in Beantown’s favor, after a short weather related delay. It was excellent preparation for Beantown, which hosts Berkeley in the upcoming pivotal matchup. That game is scheduled for Harvard’s Mignone field on Saturday June 17th and will be the last game of the first part of the split season.
In the North Shore game, the visitors were competitive throughout, despite what the score line may say. A committed defense and some strong offensive running, especially in the centers, gave North Shore hope, but eventually the Beantown rush defense and a relentlessly up-tempo pace proved too much for Chicago.
Check out the game video here
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June 15, 2023
(UPDATE: GAMES MOVED TO SUNDAY)
It is time to show your support for high school rugby, as the MIAA rugby season has its championships this weekend.
As always, Alex Goff has his pulse on the scene. Check out his essential details on the run up to the finals at the link here.
Curry College in Milton will host three games on Saturday June 17th. Belmont High will attempt another sweep of the boy’s and girl’s Division 1 titles, while Weymouth and Algonquin will contest the Division 2 boy’s title. Admission is $15.
(UPDATE: GAMES MOVED TO SUNDAY)
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June 8, 2023
The USA Club Championships were held in St. Charles MO June 2-June 4 for Division 1, 2 and 3 for the Men’s and Women’s clubs.
On the women’s side, San Diego Surfers claimed the Division 1 title, defeating NOVA in the final. In Division 2, Knoxville knocked off Severn River for the Championship.
In the men’s Division 3, Austin Blacks defeated Colorado Springs in a close title game by a score of 18-14. Austin defeated Tucson in the semi the previous day, while Colorado held off North Bay. Shockingly, the three games were decided by a total of eight points, showing how competitive the games were. Austin deserve a lot of credit, as reportedly about half the squad would have been eligible to play in an Old Boy’s tournament.
In the men’s Division 2, the Denver Barbarians overcame a deficit to beat New England’s last remaining competitor in the semi, outscoring the Boston Irish Wolfhounds 15-12. Denver overcame Boise United in the final, Boise having overtaken Miami Tridents in the other semifinal the previous day.
In the men’s Division 1, Austin Blacks completed the Division 1 and Division 3 double, defeating New York Old Blue 38-14 in the final. In the semifinal, Austin looked like they were going to cruise easily through to the final, scoring early and often against Seattle, racking up points at a point per minute pace. However, Seattle responded and made it a close game, only to lose by a score of 55-50.
In the other semifinal, there was no shortage of drama, but it was mostly off the field. Chicago Griffins had the better of the on-field activities, but as I understand it, Chicago played under a cloud regarding the eligibility of one player. Apparently Chicago won a favorable ruling on the eligibility question, however the ruling came down during the game and only applied to future games, so the player was not eligible for the semifinal. Thus the game was forfeited by Chicago and Old Blue went on to play in the final, where Austin prevailed to claim the historic double with the Division 3 title to go along with the Division 1 honors.
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June 2, 2023
A rare Friday night game is in store as the Free Jacks travel to Silverbacks Park in Atlanta to take on Atlanta ATL at 7PM. The Free Jacks are comfortably in first position in the East, and have already secured home seeding for the conference championship.
Atlanta is a game behind the second and third place teams, Old Glory and New York, so ATL needs a win to try to keep pace and have a chance to knock off one o those two teams. Fortunately for ATL, they play New York next week and then Old Glory in the last week of the season.
As for the Free Jacks, there is no Beaudein Waaka in the squad for tonight, which I believe means he would have to play in the final two games to meet playoff eligibility. The Free Jacks only have two backs on the bench for tonight’s game, possibly expecting a big contest from the strong ATL pack. The Free Jacks have a tough schedule to end the season, with an away game in Seattle and a home fixture against Houston. That might be a game Houston needs to make the post season.
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June 2, 2023
The Club Division 1, 2 and 3 playoffs are under way in St. Charles, MO this weekend. Lots of familiar names in the men’s Division 1 semifinals, which has New York Old Blue competing against the Chicago Griffins, while Seattle takes on Austin. Incidentally Austin also has a squad in the men’s Division 3 semifinal, which is a testament to the depth of the Austin program.
On Saturday the sole New England remaining competitor is the Boston Irish Wolfhounds, who play the Denver Barbarians in one semi at noon, while Boise takes on Miami Tridents in the other semi.
Catch the action at the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2FADeJNk4O-fX-_YHj_n-Pqlqe8NW72N
The championship games will begin at noon on Sunday, with the Men’s Division 1 closing out the weekend’s festivities at 4PM.
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Yeah, I think Sunday’s agenda is complete for many of you, as Quincy beckons with a complete day’s worth of activities. Upcoming players to watch early as the Independents take on Mystic River, followed by what promises to be a cracker of a contest between Beantown and Colorado in the Women’s Premier League, then the main even with the Free Jacks taking on NOLA at 3PM.
NOLA needs a win to keep pace for a possible playoff slot, and gain some measure of revenge for a comprehensive defeat in the earlier clash between the two sides.
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I could write up a report on the Free Jacks game against Old Glory. Or I could just let the Boston Globe do the work:
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It promises to be another legendary weekend in Rhode Island, as more than thirty New England teams will compete for the annual NERFU Cup, to be played in Fort Adams State Park May 6th and 7th. Bring the sunscreen for the annual extravaganza which will award the local bragging rights to the victors across five divisions.
If you can’t make it down to Rhode Island, Union Point in Weymouth is the place to be, as Beantown hosts rivals New York in Week 3 Women’s Premier League action. 4PM is the time to be there. New York is 1-1 on the season with six points, and Beantown is coming off an early bye week and stands at five points from the big win over Chicago in week 1.
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Big winners in the 2023 Atlantic Super Regional were the South Shore Sirens, the Boston Irish Wolfhounds, and Burlington. The Sirens captured the Women’s Division 3 crown, outscoring rivals 78 points to 22 over the two days, while Burlington took the Men’s Division 4 title, defeating South Buffalo 47-0.
At the Division 2 level, the Wolfhounds knocked off powerhouse Buffalo 29-17 on Day 1, and then took down Philadelphia-Whitemarsh 23-5.
The Wolfhounds will compete in the National Championships June 3-4. The opponents will be determined over the next two weeks, at the Gulf Coast Super Regional in Orlando this weekend (San Antonio, Miami ,Charlotte and NOLA contending), the Pacific Super Regional in Las Vegas next weekend and the Northern Super Regional May 20-21.
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April 28, 2023
A big weekend of club playoff action beckons near Richmond VA, as the 2023 Atlantic Super Regional event takes place April 29th and 30th.
On the women’s side, Boston Women, who had to jump through a few hoops to get there, take on Raleigh Venom in one semifinal, while Providence take on NOVA in the other. Providence stepped up to D1 after some years as a strong D2 team, culmination in securing the 2022 title, and they will face the perennial powerhouse NOVA.
In D2 Women, New Haven and Worcester are the New England representatives, and they will take on Severn River and Phoenixville respectively on Saturday.
In D3 Women, South Shore Sirens is the sole New England representative and they play against South Jersey in one D3 semifinal.
On the men’s side, there is no New England team in the reckoning in Division 1. But a mouth watering fixture is scheduled as New York Old Blue play Rocky Gorge in a single game championship. That should be a fun game.
In D2 Men, The Boston Irish Wolfhounds made it to the regionals as a result of winning an exciting New England Championship game against Portland (ME). The Hounds will take on Buffalo, which is a team with consistently excellent performance at the D2 level.
In the other D2 semi, former Super League outfit Philadelphia Whitemarsh take on James River.
At the D3 men’s level, Providence will fly the New England flag against Maryland’s North Bay in one semi, while Monmouth take on Lehigh Valley in the other.
The men’s D4 rounds out the men’s brackets, as Burlington of Vermont take on Prince William County Owls, while South Buffalo and Happy Valley pack down on the other side of the bracket.
Championships and consolation games will be played on Sunday.
Good luck to all.
According to the organizers, some games will be streamed at the link here:
2023 Atlantic Super Regional (ASR)Or maybe this one: https://rvav.com/capitalrugby/ ******************************************************************** The big scoring team from last weekend takes the field in Quincy on Saturday April 22nd. And we don’t mean the Free Jacks. Well, we do, but they aren’t the only ones. Beantown had a huge win in the opening weekend of the Women’s Premier League, racking up 62 points on the road against Chicago North Shore. Center Amanda Schweitzer had herself a nice day, notching 22 points on six conversions and two tries. While enjoying a week off from WPL duties, Beantown will play Boston Women in a curtain raiser for the Free Jacks, with kickoff scheduled for noon. This will be Boston Women’s final competitive run out before the Atlantic Super Regional playoffs the following weekend. Women’s teams from Portland, Worcester, Hartford and Burlington will also participate in earlier games at the Quincy facility before the Free Jacks take on Rugby ATL. Depending on this and other results, it is possible the Free Jacks will be three games ahead in the standings at the end of the day. ******************************************************************** Free Jacks take care of Chicago under sunny skies in Quincy for another win. April 12, 2023. The Free Jacks are sitting pretty atop the Eastern Conference as we approach the half way mark of the season. The team enjoys a five point advantage over the New York Ironworkers in the standings, with a further game advantage over the NOLA, Old Glory and ATL entrants, who ……………….. *************************************************************** Big game for the USA Women’s Eagles in their first game of the Pacific Four series, where the Eagles take on Canada in Spain. A bunch of Eagles made their debut in last weeks close win over a willing and eager Spanish team (see here for a recap of that game) . Veteran Hope Rogers scored the vital go-ahead score against Spain, powering over from short range. The Eagles displayed interesting tactics late in the game. As the clock hit 80 and beyond, the Eagles continued to play a wide game, repeatedly going the open side and once spinning the ball wide. With the ball hitting the floor, anything could have happened. Not sure why they did not play it safe and close out the game when ahead. Six of that team starts again against powerhouse Canada, with another three from the win on the bench. It is kinda wild that this is happening with the USA 7s team in Hong Kong securing qualification for the 2024 Olympics. Lots of high level competition for an expanding roster, for sure. *************************************** Here is a nice write up from the Maine Monitor which focuses on college club teams, including Colby’s Women’s Rugby team:
Far from the varsity arena, college club teams toil to exist, and love every minute**************************************** ________________________________________________________________ OLDER ARTICLES HAVE BEEN MOVED TO THE MEN”S RUGBY TAB Nov 17, 2022 OK, this is your last chance. And we mean it this time! As expected, the winner of the USA v Portugal game tomorrow , FRIDAY at 9.30AM, will qualify for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France. Both teams had similar scores against Hong Kong and Kenya, so on paper there is not much difference. Winning would be a huge victory for Portugal, who last played in the World Cup in 2007. And on the flip side, losing would be a huge blow to the USA, ahead of hosting the tournament in 2031. And if it is a tie? Who knows, presumably Portugal will go through based on superior points differential in the final qualifying tournament. Check the link here to the starting USA lineup. ******************** Nov 4, 2022 Repechage, here we come!
Repechage – the final opportunity to make the World Cup Game 1
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Nov 3, 2022
The USA Eagles fell at the quarter final stage to second seed Canada last weekend. The final score was 32-11, in a score line similar to the 29-14 pool win by the Canadians the previous week.
The Eagles enjoyed a long period of heavy pressure to open the game, but received scant reward as a single try, courtesy of Joanna Kitlinski was not going to be enough reward for the pressure.
Canada replied quickly, taking advantage of Eagle miscues to put pressure on the defense and notching two tries in the opening twenty minutes.
A potential try by Hope Rogers was overruled by the TMO, who declared a knock on had occurred. However, trailing 12-8 at the half, the Eagles were still in the game and were as competitive as in any game in the tournament.
An early try to the Canadians to start the second half spelt trouble, and once influential USA center Alev Kelter was banished to the sin bin for a high tackle, it was increasingly unlikely the Eagles could claw back into the game. The Canadians stretched the lead to 22-11 after the sin bin, and went on to add two more ties to close out the game 32-11.
Next up for the Canadian side is the very strong England team. Canada will have to continue to be mistake free to be in the game and have a chance to end England’s impressive 29 game consecutive win streak. The other semi final looks fabulous also, with hosts New Zealand taking on France. Both games look to be super competitive and entertaining.
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Oct 28, 2022
USA v Canada (again), this time in the 2021 Rugby World Cup quarterfinals. After a tight game in the pool stage, can the USA continue to improve enough to overcome Canada’s relentless pressure game? Does either side have some tricks kept under wraps for this game, since both knew this was the likely quarter-final pairing? As the clock inches close to midnight on Saturday night, we will find out….
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Oct 20, 2022
As we await the USA and Canada final pool game this weekend, we have some good news. There is no need to burn some brain cells figuring out the potential quarter final matchups in the 2021 World Cup, as old friend Alex Goff has done all the hard work for us.
https://www.goffrugbyreport.com/news/can-eagle-women-make-quarterfinals-yes-and-heres-why
Unfortunately for the Eagles, Canada is currently second in the overall standings and a bonus point win for the Canadians is needed to keep that ranking. Slipping to third would mean having to play a second place team rather than a third place team for the Canadians. However if the US were to win, it may not make much difference to the Eagles due to the superior points differential of Italy and Canada.
So most likely a third place finish in the group would be enough to get through, as long as you get a bonus point or two to make it safe. And since the Australia v Wales game is first up this weekend, we will know what the US needs before the game, most likely. It may be all the Eagles need to do is score four tries and not care about anything else!
There is a potential to finish as seventh seed and the opponent in the quarters would be….Canada. There is some re-seeding to be done but back to back games against the same pool opponent is not out of the question, I believe.
In order, the seedings may be: NZ, CAN, ENG, FRA, ITA, AUS, USA and WAL.
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Oct 10, 2022
It was not a great start to the World Cup, losing to Italy 22-10 in the first game. After a very bright start, the USA Eagles took a lead after just three minutes from a close range effort by second row Haillie Taufoou, but the Eagles did not expand on that lead in the first half despite having abundant possession and territorial advantage.
Misfiring on at least three attacking lineouts contributed to not adding points in the first half. Indeed Italy came slowly back into the game, and took the lead with a try as the half closed, the corner try converted brilliantly by Michaela Sillari.
Prospects brightened for the USA in the second half, despite conceding an early second try. Pressure on the Italian line forced a yellow card and the USA notched a try from the other second rower Jenny Kronish. However failure to add the conversion meant the USA was trailing by two points, but with the extra back you could feel confident of the Eagles’ prospects.
However Italy would have none of that. With flyhalf Veronica Madia and center Beatrice Rigoni repeatedly carving up the wide Eagles defense, Italy would add two more tries to close out the game 22-10.
The Eagles have an opportunity to work out a few kinks against Japan on Oct 15. Nothing other than a bonus point win will be the goal for the Eagles in order to have a chance to have a chance at one of the automatic qualifying quarter final places.
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Oct 7, 2022
The (one year delayed) 2021 World Cup kicks off this weekend in New Zealand and we are spoiled to have every game available to us on Peacock, with a selection of games repeated on CNBC.
Here is the listing of live and rebroadcast coverage for the women’s 2021 Rugby World Cup. Every match will be on Peacock live, and a selection of matches will be available on CNBC. All USA games will be on CNBC.
https://nbcsportsgrouppressbox.com/2022/10/05/peacock-to-present-live-coverage-of-womens-rugby-world-cup-beginning-this-week-from-new-zealand/
Six games are on tap for this weekend:
| Date | Matchup | Time (ET) | Platform |
| Fri., Oct. 7 | South Africa vs. France | 9:15-11:15 p.m. | Peacock |
| Fri., Oct. 7 | Fiji vs. England | 11:45 p.m.-1:45 a.m. | Peacock |
| Fri., Oct. 7 | Australia vs. New Zealand | 2:15-4:15 a.m. | Peacock |
| Sat., Oct. 8 | United States vs. Italy | 7:45-9:45 p.m. | Peacock |
| Sat., Oct. 8 | Japan vs. Canada | 10:15 p.m.-12:15 a.m. | Peacock |
| Sat., Oct. 8 | Wales vs. Scotland | 12:45-2:45 a.m. | Peacock |
| Sun., Oct. 9 | United States vs. Italy | 1-3 p.m. | CNBC* |
- A remarkable thirteen of the fifteen starters ply their trade in England. This surely bodes well for the upcoming World Cup, as the players will have higher levels of competition than they would receive in the domestic game.
- One excellent sequence by the Eagles culminated in the try by Hope Rogers about 15 minutes in. Good passing and effective running, excellent ball security at the breakdown, great service from scrumhalf Olivia Ortiz (the sole USA based player on the starting lineup). The sequence was defended well by Scotland, which shows how effective the attack was, except for the final play when the Scottish defense went missing along Rogers to crash over from close range. If nothing else, check out that sequence at the Rugby Network website.
- Rugby Network link
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There are a few big games on tap locally for this weekend, culminating in the RSL Eastern Conference Championship between the New England Free Jacks and Rugby New York on Sunday.
But before that, there is some local talent to be checked out, as the MIAA Championships are taking place at Corry College in Milton, MA. First up is the Boy’s Division 2, with Weymouth taking on Hanover at noon. Following that, at 2PM, is the Girl’s Division 1 with Lincoln Sudbury and Belmont renewing their rivalry.
Following this at 4PM is the Boy’s Division 1 Final with BC High taking on Belmont in what promises to be another close game between the two teams. Weather conditions look good for the games, so check them out if you are in the area.
https://www.nerugby.com/2022-miaa-finals-games/
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And it is official. 2031 and 2033 Rugby World Cup coming to the USA. Wow! Just…wow.
https://www.rugbyworldcup.com/news/714742/rugby-world-cup-host-locations-confirmed-through-to-2033
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Rugby World Cup musings (Part 2)
Having a conversation with myself while waiting for the Free Jacks to lock up the top seed in the east.
Glass Full: “Won’t it be awesome if World Rugby awards the USA the 2031 and 2033 World Cups?”
Hell no: “What, are you serious?”
GF: “Yeah, we should have the decision tomorrow. The US is the only remaining host to be considered in the running, so unless some other countries or group of countries object, it might be ours.”
HN: “I have objections!”
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Rugby World Cup musings (Part 1)
I have been ignoring the decision as to where the Rugby World Cup 2029 (women’s) and 2031 (men’s) will be played, but I don’t think I can ignore it any longer. On May 12, World Rugby is having a conference call to discuss the 2029 and 2031 decision, along with the decision on the 2027 (men’s) and 2025 (women’s) cups.
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April 29, 2022
Some scheduling conflicts are to be expected, but this one is particularly disappointing. @beantownrfc hosts Berkeley All Blues at Harvard’s Mignone Field at 4PM in the WPL, while the @nefreejacks kick off at 430PM against Utah Warriors in Quincy, barely a dozen miles away. Too late for a double header?
For the Free Jacks, the new faces in the backs look to make an immediate impact, with recent signings Zach Short and Isaac Olsen on the bench. Also good to see Justin Johnson on the 23, hopefully he can get some quality minutes.
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New England lineup against New York this Sunday features some changes:
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Beantown suffers narrow loss in its first game of the the 2022 Women’s Premier League season, losing 17-10 to Life West Gladiatrix on the West Coast
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Beantown RFC has its first game in the Women’s Premier League 2022 season this weekend, as the team travels out to take on Life West….
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After the much too close for comfort win over NOLA last weekend, the Free Jacks play host to the visiting Seattle Seawolves on Saturday April 9th in Quincy.
What to expect from the two time defending champion? A solid pack, boasting the likes of Ben Landry and Samu Manoa in the second row, with Riekert Hattingh packing down at number 8, all USA capped Eagles. The Seawolves employed a solid defense to their championship titles so will be hard to break down.
Martin Iosefo, Tai Enosa might be seen in the backs, along with the exciting up and coming Tavite Lopeti in the centers.
Seattle holds a 4-4 record, generally playing in tight games, with the exception of the last couple, which were a double digit win over struggling Dallas and a 19 point loss to a resurgent LA Giltinis side.
The Free Jacks can counter with Joe Johnston and new re-signing Wian Conradie coming off the bench, as the Free Jacks continue to put up big defensive and tackle numbers.
4.30PM in Quincy is the expected kick off time on Saturday, April 9.
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Another week, another win, this time against one of the top teams in the league, Rugby ATL. As for the game, let’s face it, would you have kicked the points in the second half, trailing by six with twenty minutes to go?
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Free Jacks improve to 5-1 with win over Austin
March 23, 2022
It may have been somewhat of a head-scratching starting roster to some, but the Free Jacks delivered on Saturday, winning 25-17 to hand the Austin team a second consecutive defeat……
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Free Jacks over Toronto Arrows 21-15 in frigid Quincy MA
It certainly was not a spectacle of running rugby last weekend, as the Free Jacks ground their way to a 21-15 win over the Toronto Arrows. As the rain gave way to sleet and eventually snow, the Free ……
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Instant Analysis following the Free Jacks win over Rugby New York March 6, 2022.
A solid win over local rivals New York by a score of 38-29, to get back on track following a close loss to the LA Giltinis last week.
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Here we go again, another big win for the Free Jacks, this time on the road against Old Glory DC:
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Solid win for the Free Jacks, to kick off the opening weekend of the MLR 2022 season
It was a successful start to the 2022 season for the Free Jacks, going down to New Orleans and coming away with the 24-13 win.
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Welcome to 2022!
It seem a little strange to talk about the impending start of the Major League Rugby season, as we dig out from the latest snowstorm which dropped upwards of two feet of snow on Eastern Massachusetts, and a reported 30” in Quincy. But here we go again, as MLR season kicks off for the New England Free Jacks on Saturday Feb 5rd with a trip to New Orleans to take on NOLA Gold.
New England lost both tilts against NOLA in the 2021 season, losing in a high scoring event on the road when it looked like whoever had the ball last would win, and losing a much closer game in the return fixture in New England. NOLA finished marginally ahead of the Free Jacks in the final standings.
With the departure of some key players and the addition of several promising players, it is hard to know what to expect from the Free Jacks. Add in a new coach in Scott Mathie and a very limited pre-season, who knows what we are going to get?
The season kicks off with four road games, which will give the snow time to melt before the return to the new headquarters in Quincy. After NOLA, two weeks later the Free Jacks will travel to Old Glory, then off to LA to face the champions and finally a trip to New York, before the first home game against Toronto on March 12th.
The game is listed on Sat Feb 5th at 9PM on FS2 and The Rugby Network.
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First reaction the the USA v All Blacks game. What can you say, really? 104 points conceded to the All Blacks. Gave up a try in the first minute in each half. But… never gave up, scored a couple of tries , for the first time ever. Had some good patches, started making the tackles they were falling off on in the first half, and competed until the end, despite conceding tries at a rapid clip.
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Lineups announced for the USA Eagles v New Zealand All Blacks Oct 23rd clash.
The USA Eagles team to face the New Zealand All Blacks has been named for this weekend’s clash at FedEx Field in Washington DC.
https://www.usa.rugby/2021/10/usa-eagles-announce-match-day-roster-to-face-all-blacks-at-fedexfield-in-washington-dc/
In a first, all players are affiliated with MLR clubs. RUNY boasts five starters in the forwards, while NOLA, San Diego Legion and Utah Warriors are well represented in the squad.
Meanwhile, the All Blacks have listed what is being called an experimental lineup:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/rugby-all-blacks-name-experimental-team-to-face-usa/DOT5L3XVOMHTEM3NOJP6ZW3WEI/
Other than Sam Whitelock (127 appearances) and Richie Mo’unga (how does he only have 27 appearances?) and Damian McKenzie (37 appearances), the lineup features a number of single digit caps, while keeping a huge reservoir of experience on the bench to be called upon if necessary.
As for the US bench, a different approach is taken, with a total of just 34 appearances between them, compared to almost 400 for the visitors. Also, there are just two reserve backs on the bench for the US, #9 Michael Baska and #10 Mike Dabulas. It would be a shock if the US finished the game with players in their preferred positions. Flexibility will be essential for the squad as it seeks to rebound from the World Cup qualifier disappointment against Uruguay.
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Random local news postings for October:
* I caught the end of the Life University game against Mystic River last weekend. The level of rugby was immense, with quality players sprinkled throughout both sides.
Life lead from wire to wire, taking a 21-0 lead before Mystic started clawing back to leave the half time score at 21-10. Life turned up the heat in the second half, and aided with a man advantage in the last quarter really turned up the heat to finish the scoring at 47-10.
Next up for Mystic will be a trip to White Plains at the end of the month.
* The officiating crew for the Life and Mystic ARP game featured with Amelia Luciano taking the whistle, aided by Briget Tannian and Jenny Liu as assistants. Hugely talented all female crew. We expect Amelia to get the an MLR game in the very near future for sure.
* After a Spring of almost too many games on TV, with the Six Nations, English Premiership and various other international games readily available, followed by high quality MLR games either live or on demand, it has to be frustrating to have the recent USA Eagles games available only on the internet on a pay per view basis. Sure, there are reasons why this is so, but you are not going to entice many casual viewers to log in and watch when there is a vast universe of available free sports programs to choose from. Even the hard core Eagles supporters might think twice about shelling out on a game by game basis if not a monthly subscriber.
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July 20, 2021
The Free Jacks end the season in style, defeating Rugby ATL 22-19 in the new home field of Quincy’s Veterans Memorial Stadium.
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July 16, 2021
Random end of regular season musings:
- The Free Jacks were in the mix right up to the final few weeks. If one more result had gone in the team’s favor, there might be something to play for this weekend. That would have been nice and a great reward for the many close wins the team managed to pull out this year.
- Wonder if the Free Jacks will empty the bench, and give significant time to players who have not seen much or any time lately?
- First game in Quincy, should be fun. It is on public transportation (half mile walk from the Red line), with some better facilities. Parking may be trickier unfortunately.
- Wian Conradie will be leaving the Free Jacks, moving to England to play with Gloucester in the Premiership. Coradie, who generally played # 8 for the Jacks, will be missed. Interesting to see Gloucester refer to him as a “prospect”.
- Big congratulations to Kat Roche, youngest ref to take the whistle in an MLR game. (OK, I am not sure about that stat) . Oh, and she is also the first woman to officiate an MLR game. Phenomenal achievement, congratulations!
- NOLA Gold, having done the apparently hard work and defeated LA, just needed a win against Seattle to set up a last game winner takes all against RUNY for the second playoff spot. Instead the loss in Seattle left NOLA with a very large hill to climb in the last week. NOLA needs a win, score four or more tries, deny RUNY any bonus points, and overcome a 26 point differential. That’s a tough task, on the road.
- Toronto Arrows finally ended the long, long road trip. 118 days, as the team played in Atlanta for the season. Impressive the team managed to keep it together, it can’t have been easy, to make a vast understatement. Was it worth it?
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What to expect from the Austin Gilgronis – May 7, 2021
Don’t look now, but it it were not for the LA Giltinis, the Austin Gilgronis would be top of the standings. With a 4-2 record, the Gilgronis have rebounded from a slow start to win four straight games and they will present a big challenge to the Free Jacks this weekend.
Interestingly, the Gilgronis have had a number of very close games, with four games decided by three points or fewer, in which the team went 2-2. Other than their large wins over Houston and Seattle (26 points and 27 points respectively), the team’s point differential would be zero.
The Gilgronis boast a number of players with international honors. Players likely to be influential for the visitors will be second row Isaac Ross, outhalf Mack Mason, center and captain Bryce Campbell, and fullback Will Magie.
With a bench that includes Kurt Morath, Paddy Ryan and Jamie Mackintosh, it is difficult to see where the team’s weaknesses may be. However, all of the Free Jacks wins have been against Western Conference teams, so that is a good omen for the home side.
4PM is the scheduled kickoff time in Weymouth at the Free Jacks home facility on May 8th.
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May 4, 2021
Maximum points for the Free Jacks from trip out west against the San Diego Legion
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April 29, 2021
It is back to the West coast and the LA Coliseum for the New England Free Jacks, but instead of the LA Giltinis, it is the San Diego Legion that will be the opponent. The game is part of a double header that will also feature the Giltinis play host to Old Glory later that even……
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April 16, 2021
Free Jacks roster to play NOLA Gold has been released. Consistency is the key with the Free Jacks, with only a couple of changes from the team that defeated the Utah Warriors in the home opener.
Joe Johnston is out, serving a suspension, and Conor Kindregan comes into the second row, allowing Josh Larsen to move to the back row.
Notable on the bench is Tera Mtembu, the long time Sharks player and captain who joined the Free Jacks in the off-season.
4PM kick off in New Orleans, and catch the action on NESN+.
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April 4, 2021
It was an important and milestone win for the New England Free Jacks in week 3 competition, defeating the Utah Warriors 22-21 at Union Point in Weymouth, MA.
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April 1, 2021
Fresh from the big win over the Houston SaberCats, the Free Jacks have the long awaited home opener this weekend. No roster available right now.
Game time is listed as 4.30 PM on Saturday April 3. The Utah Warriors are off to a flying start, with maximum points from the first two games. Can the Free Jacks continue the excellent defensive work? CBSSN has the game coverage if you can’t be there in person.
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March 26, 2021
The Free Jacks roster to take on the Houston SaberCats has been announced. There is one starting change in the pack, with Wian Conradie coming in at number 8. The Namibian’s entry into the lineup has Justin Johnson moving to the blind side in the scrum.
In the backs, the injury loss of Beaudein Waaka allows Dougie Fife to roam from the fullback position, with Harry Barlow coming in on the wing and Danny Collins gaining a slot on the reserves.
Interestingly, John Poland’s red card from last week was reduced to a yellow on appeal, so he will retain his starting scrumhalf shirt.
8PM is the kickoff time in Houston, with temperatures in the 80’s and a chance of rain.
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March 22, 2021
The Free Jacks lost the season opener to the Los Angeles Giltinis over the weekend, falling 42-27 at the Los Angeles Coliseum.
It looked ominous for the Free Ja….
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March 19, 2021
Too much rugby this weekend? Well, never say “too much”, but with the start of MLR , plus the (almost) final weekend of the Six Nations, Premiership, and maybe more, you may have to choose wisely.
Having rugby on NBCSN (Six Nations, Premiership), Peacock (Six Nations), FS2 (Various), NESN+ (MLR – Freejacks!), live broadcast in many cases, it is an embarrassment of riches we are privileged to enjoy. Oh, and free apps also, if you can’t be inside on a spring weekend.
For New Englanders, NESN+ at 6.30 on Saturday night will be the preferred channel, with the Freejacks travelling to Los Angeles to take on the LA Giltinis. (Giltinis? What’s that? Don’t ask.)
Anyway, check out the game squad at various outlets, such as freejacks.com. Nice to have the game roster a couple of days ahead. It has been a year since the last game, and there are lots of changes, as you might expect. Thirteen newcomers in the squad of 23, so continuity will likely be difficulty. Of course, LA will be in the same boat, or worse. No predictions, due to lack of a preseason, but certainly excited to see professional rugby on TV.
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*Slowly awakening from hibernation in time for local rugby to kick off*
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The USA Women’s invitees to the spring Daily Training Environment were named this week, and as usual, New England is well represented. Cassidy Bargell and Erica Jarrell from Harvard University are named to the squad. Cassidy, from Colorado, and Erica, from Lincoln, who are both uncapped, will join the Beantown duo Kathryn Treder (two caps) and Stacey Bridges, who is the the most experienced on the list with 40 caps to her credit.
https://www.usa.rugby/2021/03/usa-womens-xvs-national-team-names-roster-for-spring-daily-training-environment-in-colorado/
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March 12, 2020
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UPDATE: Free Jacks game is OFF. Per Free Jacks website and MRL website, the season has been suspended for 30 days due to COVID-19 concerns. The suspension of the season takes effect immediately (March 12th) and will last for 30 days.
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March 10, 2020
The Free Jacks host the Houston SaberCats March 14 at 4PM in Weymouth. Technically not a home game, as the season opener against Rugby United New York in Las Vegas was considered a home game.
The Free Jacks own a 1-4 record, dropping four straight after the impressive season opener against RUNY. After dominating the first game in the forwards, it was Utah who did the dominating in the second game, preventing the Free Jacks gaining any consistency. in a narrow loss.
Another close loss against San Diego followed, and this was followed by close losses against Seattle and New Orleans. All of these game were close and with a bit of luck the Free Jacks might have had better outcomes.
Interestingly Houston has the same 1-4 record as the Free Jacks. The only common opponent was RUNY, which defeated Houston 31-23.
Game starts at 4PM and apparently there are some tickets still available.
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March 10, 2020
Have we ever had this much rugby available to watch without leaving the comfort of your couch? Gone are the days when you had to get up early to go to some bar in the city to watch a Six Nations match and maybe pay $20 for the privilege.
This past weekend, there was Six Nations on NBCSN, Premiership rugby also on NBCSN, Major League Rugby on NESN+, Sevens also on (if sevens is your thing), and college rugby on 11Sports and at least one other channel. How is a DVR supposed to keep up? Not a bad problem to have!
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Oct 2, 2019
Boy, that was a mix of emotions…resignation, anticipation, belief, and disappointment. Seemed like it was long to be a long day after France’s early try, but despite the early lead, France couldn’t put the game away early. USA doggedness coupled with poor French execution kept the game within reach.
Would a penalty try against France for infractions in the first half have been a harsh penalty? Perhaps, but you could easily see a ref give it against the USA or any other Tier 2 country.
Generally, I prefer to take the three points when they are being offered rather than having to dig deep to get the five pointer. Into the last quarter and playing well, trailing 12-6, I would have gone for the try rather than taking the three. France were substituting fresh legs and the Eagles were tiring from the huge effort, but one big effort and it might have paid off.
Instead France responded to the threat of the narrowing lead and finished the game much more strongly, scoring 21 points in the last fifteen minutes to put a shine on the score that France scarcely deserved. Great effort from the USA but unfortunately little to show for it.
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Oct 1, 2019
OK, here we go again. It doesn’t get any easier for the USA, with France up next. Or does it? France (7th) is ranked much lower than England (3rd), with the US ranked 13th in the updated rankings, so theoretically is should be an easier game for the US.
Beating France would be as much of a seismic shift as Japan defeating Ireland last week. It’s not impossible, and the US hung in there for much of the game against England, and may be able to keep France to a tighter score than England, which was 45-7 if you needed reminding.
What would the Eagles have to do to pull an upset? Not have the scrum demolished, be able to defend a rolling maul, not kick away possession, reduce penalty count (11), not miss so many tackles (53). Easy, right?
Still there were bright spots. The Eagles never gave up, and did not wilt in the hot and humid conditions, and finished stronger that a team of just a few years ago might have against the highly ranked opposition. And who knows which French side shows up. Some of the more recognizable names are on the French bench, so maybe they are taking the USA too lightly with their starters? In the forwards at least.
https://www.rugbyworldcup.com/match/france-usa
Anyway, set the clocks, kickoff at 3.45 AM EST.
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Finally, the wait is over, and on Thursday at 6.45 Eastern, USA and England kick off in the World Cup. It’s England’s second game, USA’s first.
England has made ten changes from its first game, a 35-3 win over Tonga. Before you think England might be ripe for an upset with so many changes, think about the caliber of the players at England’s disposal. Then factor in that these players will be trying to impress and get selected in England’s later (more important) games. Not a good recipe.
However, the Eagles continue to improve and could make life difficult for England. Is a win unrealistic? Yeah, probably, but who knows, it would make for fun viewing!
https://www.rugbyworldcup.com/match/england-usa
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Sept 20, 2019
Wait, it costs HOW MUCH?!! to watch the World Cup?!
It’s an incomprehensible decision by NBC to charge so much to watch the Rugby World Cup.
With Rugby 7’s in the Olympics, you might think NBC would want to expand the audience for rugby in general, so it’s hard to imagine NBC will accomplish this by getting a casual viewer to pony up $200 for the tournament, or $30 per individual game.
Consider the Olympics are on NBC, and are generally free unless you want to watch some events that don’t get on the various channels NBC offers.
Weren’t we always told that live sports is the king of broadcast TV? Somehow I don’t think say Italy v Namibia will get a large number of subscribers (no disrespect to Italy or Namibia, by the way).
At least the USA games are on NBCSN, if you get that channel. And some other games also….Japan v Russia, England v Tonga, Ireland v Scotland are some of the initial games on tap which should draw some viewers, especially Ireland v Scotland, which should likely decide the Pool A winner. Let’s hope NBC continues to add high quality games.
http://nbcsportsgrouppressbox.com/2019/08/20/nbc-sports-to-provide-most-comprehensive-u-s-coverage-ever-for-rugby-world-cup/
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September 18, 2019
The Rugby World Cup 2019 is almost here!
It’s probably the most experienced and prepared group ever to travel to a World Cup. Unfortunately the Eagles are in a very difficult group, facing England, France, Argentina and Tonga. All except Tonga are ranked higher than the USA in the men’s world rankings.
The full roster can be found here. It’s disturbingly hard to find on the USA website. Any surprises/omissions?
http://www.usa.rugby/2019/09/usa-mens-national-team-announce-31-player-squad-for-rugby-world-cup-japan-2019/
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May 31, 2019
The final exhibition game of the season for the New England Free Jacks will feature the Free Jacks taking on Lansdowne RFC in Canton at the Irish Cultural Center at 3.30 PM on June 1st.
Lansdowne is currently near the top of the AIL standings, the top level of Irish club rugby. Should be an entertaining matchup, with sunny skies making it a good day for spectators.
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April 5, 2019
Munster A Defeat Free Jacks 38-19 in Cara Cup action:
http://www.nerugby.com/munster-defeat-new-england-free-jacks-38-19/
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April 2, 2019
Free Jacks fall to Ulster A in latest game of Cara Cup:
In the Free Jacks’ second game of Cara Cup action, the local team fell to the visitors by a score of 43-15 in Weymouth MA on March 24th…..
http://www.nerugby.com/free-jacks-fall-ulster-43-15/
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March 22, 2019
http://www.nerugby.com/connacht-rugby-defeat-free-jacks-first-round-cara-cup/
On a windy and chilly day in Weymouth, a sizeable crowd of up to a thousand people watched Connacht defeat the Free Jacks by a score of 38-7.
The early exchanges were fairly even as the Free Jacks enjoyed some good attacking platform, but a 70m intercept by center Sean O’Brien put Connacht ahead midway through the first half. Kicking was a problem for both teams, but especially the home side, as several times ground was lost with kicks directly into touch.
Connacht added a second try before the half to lead at half-time by 12-0….
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Dec 6, 2018
The first game in what promises to be a good rivalry between the New England Free Jacks and Rugby United New York ended with a victory for New York in a game played in Weymouth, near Boston on Saturday. The game was billed as the first professional game in the region, as both teams prepare for entry into Major League Rugby with the New York franchise entering in 2019 and the New England Free Jacks entering the league in 2020.
The Free Jacks jumped out quickly from the start of the game and had the better of exchanges for the first fifteen minutes, however it was New York center Seimou Smith who etched his name into the history books with the first try of the rivalry. The new RUNY signing Cathal Marsh notched the conversion, the first of a perfect kicking day as he hit all five conversions and also the go ahead penalty winner as time expired.
Also perfect with the kicking duties was Marsh’s opposite number Tadhg Leader, who also hit all five of his conversions, including a couple of tries from Peter Lupton in the first half which ensured the half time score was tied at 14-14.
RUNY’s scrum started to assert its dominance, but the Free Jacks brought some of the biggest cheers of the afternoon with a solid defensive effort, with hooker Diego Maquieira and fullback Danny Collins putting in big open field stops.
Two quick tries helped push RUNY out to a 28-14 lead early in the second half and left New England with a mountain to climb. But with a resilience that has become a hallmark of Josh Smith coached teams, the Free Jacks fought its way back into the contest and Christian Adams and Collins notching tries to tie the game.
In the last fifteen minutes, RUNY’s Derek Lipscomb and Free Jacks’ Ahmad Harajily each had a try to bring the game to 35 points each before March ended it with the only three pointer of the day.
The crowd – I would guess 500 – enjoyed the cool conditions and the effort put forward by both sides.
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Nov 30, 2018
FREE JACKS v Rugby United New York
Professional rugby comes to New England when the Free Jacks play host to Rugby United New York at the Union Point Sports Complex in Weymouth, MA at 1PM Saturday December 1. This game serves as a warm up for RUNY, which joins the MLR competition in 2019, and will form a good test of the Free Jacks’ recent recruiting class.
Expect to see several local teams represented, including Mystic River, Boston Irish Wolfhounds, Boston, etc., as the Free Jacks take on a talent loaded New York outfit.
RUNY will also feature Tiffany Faaee as an assistant coach, blazing a trail as a female coach of a men’s professional team.
Standing room only at the facility. The weather should cooperate for spectators for this historic day.
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Mystic River wins USA Rugby Division 1 Championship with dramatic one point win over Belmont Shore, winning 25-24.
In what will rank as one of the greatest achievements by a local team, Mystic River overcame numerous obstacles in a dramatic second half to take the trophy. Despite being in control of the game early, Belmont Shore kept hanging around and managed to evade Mystic’s efforts to wrap it up earlier. A late try put Belmont within a point of winning, but a missed conversion kept Mystic in front for good.
Hugely exciting and a well deserved Championship for Mystic River.
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March 31, 2018
In what was billed as the first professional rugby game played in the Boston area, Rugby United emerged the victors after an entertaining exhibition game at Harvard University’s Mignone Field, defeating Mystic River 42-24.
Billed as Round Two by the locals, after the first clash ended in a fifty point win in New York last weekend, this was a much closer affair. Mystic was rewarded for playing an enterprising expansive game before the appreciate home audience of perhaps a thousand spectators.
Mystic opened the scoring with a drop goal by outhalf Santiago Bertanou before New York scrumhalf Mike Petri faked a pass from a ruck and scampered in untouched. Enjoying a numerical advantage due to a yellow card fo a Mystic flanker for a clumsy tackle, New York notched a close range try. Shortly before half time, Mystic winger Steve Dazzo set off on a bruising run, shrugging off would be tacklers to score a try for Mystic. With the conversion, Mystic trailed b three points at half time.
The first twenty minutes of the second half had some sparks for Mystic, but it was New York that was finding the try zone, with a second try by Perti followed by one for Seamus Kelly. Kelly’s try was converted for New York’s first two pointer of the day and New York was out to a 25-10 lead and seemingly in control, with an increasingly dominant scrum and superior lineout play. However Mystic responded with a long run involving several players, culminated with Bertanou scoring near the posts, a try he converted himself.
New York countered with an unconverted try from hooker Dylan Fawsitt who found himself unmarked out on the wing. Minutes later, another long attack from Mystic was finished off impressively by Dazzo to bring the score the 30-24 with less than ten minutes left. But New York would finish stronger, scoring two late tries, aided by another yellow to Mystic and pressuring the home side into making mistakes and finishing the scoring at 42-24.
Next Posting – comments from New York head coach Mike Tolkin after the game..
http://www.nerugby.com/rugby-united-new-york-boston-mystic-42-24/
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March 24, 2018
There are many encouraging signs for local men’s top level rugby in 2018 and beyond.
We have seen the solidification of the Major League Rugby’s upcoming plans, with the schedule for 2018 published, addition of top notch broadcast outlets, and, more important for us in New England, the announcement of the New York franchise, called Rugby United New York.
After a down year locally in 2017, with the ongoing struggles of Boston and Boston Irish, coupled with a difficult Fall campaign for Mystic River, the top D1 team in the region, we needed some good news on the club scene. The establishment of the New York franchise will naturally mean looking for potential expansion sites and Boston would presumably make the short list.
In the meantime, RUNY is playing Mystic River in an exhibition series, with the first game in New York Saturday March 24th, with a return fixture the following week in Pine Banks in Malden. The New York side will be a formidable challenge for Mystic. New York is coached by former USA Eagles coach Mike Tolkin and the squad boasts several names you will recognize from the recent rosters of Old Blue and NYAC.
However Mystic has done some rebuilding of its own, with several high profile players joining the squad as well as an influx of local post college talent. Coach Josh Smith hopes to expand the talent pool even more once the weather conditions make outdoor activities more productive.
Best of luck to both teams in the exhibition series.
http://www.nerugby.com/exciting-developments-top-level-rugby/
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September 5th, 2017
Beantown make a triumphant return to the WPL, securing a bonus point win against Atlanta:
http://www.nerugby.com/sept-5-2017-beantown-return-wpl-win/
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For years, the Boston Globe has published their All-Scholastics page as a special section in the Sunday newspaper. With the ascension of rugby as an MIAA sport, recognition follows and we see rugby standing alongside football, baseball, track, etc., in all its glory.
There are probably countless people who worked tirelessly to make this happen over the years, but I would guess Bill Good deserves more than a fair share of the credit. Take a bow, Bill et al.
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First thoughts from the USA v Ireland game today:
If you just look at the score in the paper, 55 points to 19 comes across as a pretty comprehensive win. And while it was, that probably doesn’t tell the whole story. Giving up nine tries is never good, and the score-line could have been worse if the Irish kickers had been more accurate with the conversions in the first half.
But for long periods, the Eagles competed decently, even scoring three tries and with a bit of luck could have grabbed one or two more. But you don’t beat a top five ranked team like Ireland relying on luck, and little things are punished ruthlessly. Two of the first half tries each came from a single missed tackle. Two were from set plays, and one was from the old scrumhalf blind side break from the scrum. Those are tough to give up and those aspects will have to be improved.
The Eagles competed ferociously, and in old days might have collapsed completely. You could argue that giving up six tries might be considered a bit of a collapse, but it didn’t feel that was the way it did in the past. Indeed the Eagles showed initiative with the ball in the second half, two Mike Te’o breaks were crown pleasers and were instrumental in adding some self-belief to the squad.
There are positives to be taken from this. Perhaps the big one is that the USA is disappointed, coach Mitchell noted afterwards “We never gave up and tried to put tempo on the game…the start surprised us, we expected a better result (there), ….but we will become better connected over the coming weeks”.
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It is an intriguing lineup for the USA against Ireland Test game near New York on Saturday. With Ireland missing eleven players on duty with the British and Irish Lions on the New Zealand tour, you might think the USA might sneak an upset. Until you realize the US is also missing some key players
The lineups suggest the respective coaches are using the game as a prelude to more important games later. Ireland has chosen several young players and they will all be eager to show they should be in the mix going forward as the next World Cup cycle continues. And the Eagles, of course, have the all important World Cup qualifying games ahead
World Rugby currently has Ireland ranked fourth, and the USA Eagles in seventeenth place, which is quite a gap. The Eagles ran the boys in green very close in Houston four years ago and are capable of doing so again. The Eagles continue to have players operating in professional environments which elevates the quality of play, but so do the Irish, and they start earlier and are more steeped in the nuances of the game and that should start them off with the advantage.
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Expected lineups for the USA V Ireland Test Saturday June 10th:
1. Ben Tarr (Glendale Raptors)
2. Peter Malcolm (Austin Huns)
3. Chris Baumann (Austin Blacks)
4. Nate Brakeley (New York Athletic Club)
5. Nick Civetta (Newcastle Falcons)
6. John Quill (Glendale Raptors)
7. Tony Lamborn (Hawke’s Bay)
8. David Tameilau (RC Narbonne)
9. Nate Augspurger (Old Blue of New York) (capt)
10. AJ MacGinty (Sale Sharks)
11. Martin Iosefo (University of Montana/USA Eagles Sevens)
12. Marcel Brache (Western Force)
13. Ryan Matyas (Old Blue of New York)
14. Mike Te’o (Unattached)
15. Ben Cima (Rocky Gorge RFC)
Ireland:
15. Tiernan O’Halloran
14. Keith Earls
13. Garry Ringrose
12. Luke Marshall
11. Jacob Stockdale
10. Joey Carbery
9. Kieran Marmion
1. Cian Healy
2. Niall Scannell
3. John Ryan
4. Quinn Roux
5. Devin Toner
6. Rhys Ruddock
7. Josh van der Flier
8. Jack Conan
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Big weekend ahead, with the USA v Ireland game in Red Bull Arena in Harrison NJ on Saturday June 10th. A special recognition will happen in the 5th minute, as explained below. Consider joining in (or more importantly, break out the checkbook and send a donation). While we are at it, send one to Michael Jones in Albany NY too. Jonesy was injured in a game six years ago, and he was hoping to attend this weekend but has had a setback and can’t travel. Get donation info at: http://michaeljonestrust.org/index.html
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University of California’s Robert Paylor is currently at Colorado’s Craig Hospital, where he is undergoing rehab for an injury sustained on the field of play May 6.
Over the past month, Robert and his family have received the generous offerings of support from the American rugby community in multiple forms. This Saturday, at the USA Men’s Eagles vs. Ireland match at Red Bull Arena, USA Rugby would like Robert to feel the energy, support, and recognition of his inspiring efforts from the 20,000-plus fans in attendance.
In the 5th minute of the June 10 clash, a message of support for Robert, #5, will be displayed on the jumbotron and fans will stand, cheer, and applaud the tremendous effort and courage Robert has and continues to display.
“We want to send the energy from the stadium through to Robert and show him we’re all cheering on his inspiring display of courage and resilience,” USA Rugby CEO Dan Payne said. “Twenty thousand fans cheering for 60 seconds, recognizing and acknowledging the tremendous effort and spirit Robert has and continues to display.”
A GoFundMe campaign with a goal of $1 million has been created. #TryForPaylor wrist bands, with proceeds benefitting the campaign, are also available via the GoFundMe page.
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No joy for Mystic River, as NYAC knocks off the 2016 Division 1 Champions in the quarter finals in Pittsburgh 32-14. It appears these two teams were significantly better than the other bracket, as NYAC won the semi final 27-5 over the Chicago Lions, while Mystic rolled over Rocky Gorge easily in the consolation game. Mystic’s game report liked to below:
https://www.mysticrugby.com/2017/05/mystics-fall-national-quarterfinals/#more-2628
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http://www.nerugby.com/wolfhounds-boston-women-take-top-honors-nerfu-tournament/
Wolfhounds, Boston Women win top honors at the annual NERFU Tournament
The Boston Irish Wolfhounds took top honors at the annual NERFU Tournament this past weekend, while Boston Women’s RFC won the women’s top bracket. The tournament is separate from the USA Rugby playoff systems, but is a popular event on the spring calendar, with more than thirty teams competing in five divisions in beautiful Newport, RI.
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October 8, 2016: ARP Week 5 NYAC and Old Blue both win on the road, NYAC defeating Mystic 27-22, Old Blue downing Boston 96-0
http://www.nerugby.com/arp-week-5-nyac-old-blue-win/
_____________________________________________________________________ October 1, 2016: ARP Week 4 Week 4 in the ARP had NYAC getting the better of Old Blue 19-13, and Mystic River defeating the Boston Irish Wolfhounds 28-11. http://www.nerugby.com/october-1-2016-arp-week-4/ _____________________________________________________________________ September 24, 2016: ARP Week 3 http://www.nerugby.com/sept-24-2016-arp-week-3-nyac-mystic-cruise-wins/ NYAC and Mystic River were the big winners in Week 3, with Mystic rebounding from a narrow loss to Old Blue with a resounding 86-0 win over Boston RFC, while NYAC enjoyed a solid 44-7 outing on the road against the Boston Irish Wolfhounds…. ___________________________________________________________________ September 10, 1016: ARP Week 1 Old Blue and NYAC cruise to opening day wins http://www.nerugby.com/arp-week-1-sept-10-2016-old-blue-nyac-cruise-wins/ _______________________________________________________________________ September 5th, 2016: PRO Rugby players to appear in the Atlantic Rugby Premiership http://www.nerugby.com/influx-pro-rugby-players-elevate-standard-play-arp/ ________________________________________________________________ August 29, 2016: Life University officially out of the ARP, Mystic River is in http://www.nerugby.com/life-university-officially-arp/ _________________________________________________________________ http://www.nerugby.com/arp-2015-2016-spring-season-well-underway/ With two weeks of the (apparently final) Spring season of the ARP underway, the pattern of the fall has continued in the early results. The New York teams show the way, Mystic River continues to impress, and the other two Boston teams are struggling. ____________________________________________________________________ ARP 2015-2016 Life with two wins on the weekend road trip against Boston and the Boston Irish Wolfhounds, plus Old Blue defeats NYAC to round off the fall season: http://www.nerugby.com/arp-2015-2016-week-7-life-92-boston-3-old-blue-35-nyac-28-life-57-boston-irish-wolfhounds-22/ _________________________________________________________________________ ARP 2015-2016 Week 6 Boston Irish Wolfhounds 32 Boston 22; Old Blue NY 24 Mystic 20 Boston Irish Wolfhounds downs Boston 32-22 and Old Blue upends Mystic River 24-20 http://www.nerugby.com/arp-2015-2016-week-6-wolfhounds-boston-mystic-fall-old-blue/ ______________________________________________________________ ARP 2015-2016 Week 5 Mystic River 42 NYAC 5 Another week, another big win for Mystic River, this time against national powerhouse and defending Division 1 Champion NYAC. http://www.nerugby.com/arp-week-5-mystic-river-42-nyac-5/ _______________________________________________________________ ARP 2015-2016 Week 4 Big scores in the ARP this week, with Mystic over Boston, NYAC over Boston Irish and Life over Old Blue. http://www.nerugby.com/arp-2015-2016-week-4-mystic-boston-nyac-boston-irish/ _____________________________________________________________________ ARP 2015-2016 Week 3 Mystic over Boston Irish 63-0 Mystic River continued to build its hugely successful year, demolishing local rivals the Boston Irish Wolfhounds this weekend by a score of 63-0 in the APR. Mystic is the most recent entry into the APR, playing a modified ARP schedule which involves playing all teams except Life University. http://www.nerugby.com/2015-2016-apr-mystic-river-big-boston-irish-wolfhounds-63-0/ ____________________________________________________________________ ARP 2015-2016 Week 1, September 12th, NYAC downs Boston 43-3 http://www.nerugby.com/2015-2016-arp-week-1-nyac-win-boston/ ____________________________________________________________________ USA falls to Harlequins 24-19 in PPL Park in Philadelphia. With most of the possession, most of the line breaks, playing a more physical game, being more used to the conditions, against a team playing in its first action of the season, you wonder how the Eagles lost this game. A more charitable explanation might be that the Eagles had a good run, used lots of subs, played cohesively, used lots of combinations and have nothing to fear…full report to follow….. _________________________________________________________________ ARP Select side falls to Ontario An ARP select side took on the Ontario Blues as part of a double header in Ottawa along with the USA v Canada International fixture. http://www.nerugby.com/arp-select-side-falls-Ontario/ _________________________________________________________ August 23, 2015 In case you haven’t been paying attention, the USA Eagles have gone and had themselves a decent set of results in the run up to the World Cup, which starts in September. A 2-2 run in the Pacific Nations Cup 2015 (competitive losses to higher ranked Samoa and Tonga, plus wins over Japan and Canada) was encouraging, then followed that tournament with another win over Canada on August 22 2015, this time by a 41-23 score-line. Even more interesting challenges await the Eagles, with an August 30th fixture against English club side Harlequins, followed by the high profile clash with the Australians September 5th in Chicago. Harlequins can boast several internationals in the squad, but they will be in the middle of a long pre-season, so it will be interesting to see what kind of a team they will put out. We will find out soon, with the game scheduled for Sunday the 30th at 3PM EST. _____________________________________________________________________ In yet another impressive showing in Mystic River’s tremendous 2015 season, the 7’s squad took third place in the National Championships, losing to eventual winners Seattle Saracens in the semi-final. Two semi-final appearances within a couple of months, one in 15’s and one in 7’s is definitely something to write home about. Fortunately Mystic’s Dale du Preez did just that, see link below for the story: https://www.mysticrugby.com/2015/08/mystics-take-third-at-nationals/#more-1843 ______________________________________________________________________ May 31, 2015: One day after last minute heroics propelled Mystic River over Kansas City Blues and into the USA Division 1 semi- final, the dream run ended at the hands of New York Athletic Club (NYAC) by a score of 38-32…. http://www.nerugby.com/nyac-defeats-mystic-river-usa-rugby-division-1-semi-final/ ________________________________________________________________________ May 30, 2015 Last minute heroics from Mystic River sees the team through to the semi finals of the USA Division 1 Championship. Mystic appeared to be in trouble as Kansas City Blues scored two quick tries to start the second half and open up a 14 point lead. But Mystic fought back and in the dying moments of the game, Evin O’Driscoll slipped over for a try. Mike Armstrong calmly hit the conversion for the one point win as time was close to expiring for the comeback win, in a game dubbed “epic” by Mystic River’s coach Josh Smith. In the other Eastern region quarter final, NYAC easily dispatched Potomac Exiles, winning 50-17, with NYAC crossing for eight tries. Mystic River and NYAC will face off at 4pm Sunday with a place in the Championship game at stake. It will be the first competitive meeting between the two sides since they met two years ago in the Northeast Division 1. ______________________________________________________ May 29th, 2015 In the Division 1 Quarter finals (Easter Region) this weekend, local entrants Mystic River face off against Kansas City Blues in Charlotte, NC, aiming for a place in the National Semi Finals. If successful against Kansas City Blues, Mystic would play the winners of the tilt between NYAC and the Potomac Exiles. http://www.nerugby.com/division-1-playoffs-preview-eastern-region-may-29-2016/ __________________________________________________________________ May 21, 2015 Those among us who were eagerly anticipating a showdown between Life University, winners of the Atlantic Rugby Premiership, and Glendale Raptors, recently crowned Champions of the Pacific Rugby Premiership, will be disappointed to hear the game will not take place this year…. http://www.nerugby.com/game-arp-prp-winners/ ____________________________________________________________________ May16, 2015 May 16, 2015: Mystic River cruised into the last eight in Division 1 Men’s Club Rugby with a comprehensive 48-5 win over White Plains on Saturday in the Division 1 playoff game played at Mystic’s home field…. http://www.nerugby.com/division-1-mens-playoffs-mystic-river-cruises-last-eight/ ____________________________________________________________________ May 13, 2015 Two of New England’s top sides, the Boston RFC and the Boston Irish Wolfhounds RFC, join forces on Saturday May 16th to take on the touring British Police Rugby team in the tourists’ first game of the USA tour. The game will be held at the Irish Cultural Center in Canton MA, 3PM the expected kickoff with a $10 general admission…. http://www.nerugby.com/boston-rfc-boston-irish-wolfhounds-join-forces-day/ _______________________________________________________________________ April 9, 2015 In the last week of the 2014/2015 APR regular season, the top two teams in New England squared off under sunny skies in Amesbury, MA. Boston would prove to be the victor in an entertaining matchup, riding a four try burst in the first twenty minutes of the second half to turn a seven point halftime deficit into a fifteen point lead, then keeping the lead for a 39-31 win. In New York, NYAC defeated Old Blue 35-24 to secure second place in the competition and gain the right to enter the Division 1 playoff rounds. http://www.nerugby.com/april-9th-2015final-week-apr-action-boston-wolfhounds-nyac-old-blue/ _________________________________________________________________ Worcester, Beantown take the top prize at the 2015 New England’s in Newport The 2015 NERFU Cup in Newport RI was held May 2nd and 3rd in Newport RI. On the men’s side Worcester RFC bridged a long gap to take the top prize, and on the Women’s side, Beantown captured yet another crown, dropping local rivals Boston Women in the final….. http://www.nerugby.com/worcester-beantown-take-top-prize-2015-new-englands-newport/ ____________________________________________________________________ There was little joy for the local entrants in the ARP this weekend, with both local entrants losing on the road in the APR, Boston losing to Life 38-7 and BIW losing to Old Blue New York by 52-28, while back in New England, Mystic River continues a successful season. http://www.nerugby.com/boston-boston-irish-wolfhounds-fall-apr-mystic-rising-new-England/ _______________________________________________________________________ There was little joy for the New England teams playing in the top regional competition this weekend, with Life University defeating the Boston Irish Wolfhounds 39-13, and Boston falling to NYAC 30-12 down in New York. http://www.nerugby.com/arp-life-university-boston-irish-wolfhounds-39-13-nyac-boston-30-12/ ___________________________________________________________________ April 16th, 2015 The big game in New England club rugby this weekend is undoubtedly the visit of Life University to Canton to take on the Boston Irish Wolfhounds. Life has been a juggernaut the last few years and show no signs of slowing down. Life is expected to be without Colton Cariaga, AJ MacGinty and Phil Thiel due to expected participation in the USA Selects camp, but as it turns out two of the three they might not have been available anyways. It will be the Wolfhounds’ first big test of the Spring, and despite some recent good results, it would be a major shocker if the Wolfhounds pulled an upset here. Kickoff in Canton is a 3pm. Perhaps Boston RFC will have better success with a similarly depleted NYAC side down in New York, but Boston will have to improve significantly over the recent performance against Old Blue. NYAC needs to keep winning to keep close to Life at the top of the standings and at this point it also be considered a surprise if Boston were to triumph on Saturday. _________________________________________________________________ Old Blue over Boston 31-13 in APR action http://www.nerugby.com/old-blue-overpowers-boston-31-13-apr-action/ In the first ARP action in New England of the Spring (Week 6 of ARP) , New York Old Blue powered to a 31-13 win over hosts Boston RFC, while Life University continued its dominance in the APR with a 26-7 win over NYAC. ___________________________________________________________________ April 11th, 2015: The hibernation is over! Actually it’s been over for a couple of weeks, but today marks the first weekend of high profile games. First up is Boston against New York Old Blue in the APR, in Amesbury at 1pm. Life University might be out of reach in the APR standings, but NYAC might be catchable, for OB at least. Down in Canton, the Boston Irish Wolfhounds take on Mystic River in what should be a good battle for each team. Mystic has sought out some tough competition this spring, including a trip to Life where Mystic had a rough afternoon, but the game would have served as a good lesson on what is needed to compete against good teams in the Spring playoffs. The Wolfhounds will be eager to start gelling as a team, especially with difficult ARP games coming up, such as the high profile visit by Life on the 18th of April. ___________________________________________________________________ We are hibernating currently. We might have some stories coming soon, but essentially we are in a quiet period at the moment…. ____________________________________________________________________ Eagles fall to Fiji, in a game by all accounts the Eagles could have won… http://www.nerugby.com/usa-eagles/ ______________________________________________________________________- Tonga proved to be too much for the Eagles, powering away from a 14-12 half time lead to 40-12 win. The Eagles competed decently throughout, but Tonga capitalized on a dominant scrum and Eagle turnovers to run out winners. The scoreline was perhaps a little harsh, but good teams will always make you pay for your mistakes. http://www.nerugby.com/usa-eagles/ ______________________________________________________________ A very solid outing against Romania has the Eagles improving from 18th to 16th place in the International Rugby Board’s rankings. http://www.nerugby.com/usa-eagles/ ______________________________________________________________ Eagles page has been updated with select quotes from the USA Press Conference, featuring Head Coach Mike Tolkin and Captain Todd Clever: http://www.nerugby.com/usa-eagles/ ______________________________________________________________ The USA Eagles lost to the World Champion New Zealand All Blacks by a score of 74-6 at Soldier Field in Chicago November 1st. The Eagles struggled throughout with the speed of the All Black game, despite competing hard physically and never giving up…. http://www.nerugby.com/usa-eagles/ ______________________________________________________________ The starting lineups have been announced for the All Blacks v USA Eagles game on Saturday. http://usarugby.org/mens-eagles-news/item/match-roster-announced-for-eagles-clash-with-all-blacks-at-soldier-field Mike Tolkin’s side will take on a side with varied levels of experience. New Zealand’s front five has only a total of 42 caps, with Charlie Faumuina accounting for more than half of that total. The back row has lots of experience, with Kieran Read prominent. Aaron Cruden gets the nod at outhalf, a position widely discussed in the media recently. Sonny Bill Williams has his first start in two years in the center, while big names Cory Jane and Israel Dagg also start. New Zealand’s starters have 322 caps between them, while the bench boasts a staggering 389. Keven Mealamu has 120 of these and Dan Carter might add to his total of 100 as he works his way back from injury. _____________________________________________________________ Week 5 American Rugby Premiership October 25, 2014 On the final competitive weekend of the ARP before the winter break, Life University cruised to a somewhat surprising 61-6 win over visiting Old Blue New York in Georgia, while near Boston, eighty minutes of hard rugby failed to put any separation between the Boston Irish Wolfhounds and Boston RFC, the game ending deadlocked at 22 points each. http://www.nerugby.com/week-5-american-rugby-premiership-october-25th-2014/
Week 5 American Rugby Premiership October 25, 2014
On the final competitive weekend of the ARP before the winter break, Life University cruised to a somewhat surprising 61-6 win over visiting Old Blue New York in Georgia, while near Boston, eighty minutes of hard rugby failed to put any separation between the Boston Irish Wolfhounds and Boston RFC, the game ending deadlocked at 22 points each.
http://www.nerugby.com/week-5-american-rugby-premiership-october-25th-2014/
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Squads announced for the Fall internationals, including the all important USA Eagles v New Zealand All Blacks game in Chicago November 1. Thoughts on the squads to follow….
http://www.nerugby.com/usa-eagles/
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Week 4 American Rugby Premiership Oct 4th, 2014
Both New England entrants in the ARP lost in Week 4, with Boston RFC dropping a 20-6 decision to NYAC in a game that was even closer than the score might suggest, while Boston Irish Wolfhounds suffered at the hands of Life University in Georgia, losing 69-13.
http://www.nerugby.com/week-4-american-rugby-premiership-oct-4th-2014/
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Week 3 American Rugby Premiership Sept 27, 2014
In week 3 action, NYAC tops Old Blue in dramatic last minute fashion 29-28, while Life University accelerated away in the second half to defeat Boston RFC 42-10…..
http://www.nerugby.com/week-3-american-rugby-premiership-sept-27-2014-initial/
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Week 2 American Rugby Premiership Sept 20, 2014 (UPDATED….)
http://www.nerugby.com/week-2-american-rugby-premiership-sept-20-2014/
In week 2 action,Old Blue defeated the Boston Irish Wolfhounds 39-16, while down in New York, Life University ran out to a big lead over NYAC in the big game of the ARP today, and though NYAC closed the gap, it was Life taking the big prize…..
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Mixed results for the New England teams in Atlantic Rugby Premiership, with Boston RFC notching an important road win against Old Blue, and the Boston Irish Wolfhounds suffering a 58-21 defeat at home at the hands of NYAC. UPDATED
http://www.nerugby.com/atlantic-premiership-first-week-sept-13-2014/
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Long overdue update on efforts of local teams in Division 2 and Division 3:
http://www.nerugby.com/spring-2014-playoffs-recap/
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July 16th, 2014: Another big announcement on the Division 1 front, as Mystic and Middlesex merge:
http://www.nerugby.com/mystic-river-middlesex-merge/
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July 11th, 2014: Atlantic Rugby Premiership announced:
http://www.nerugby.com/atlantic-rugby-premiership-announced-start-fall/
In a press release dated July 11th, Life University’s Dan Payne confirmed the establishment of the Atlantic Rugby Premiership, gathering five of the top teams in the Eastern part of the country in a competition that resembles the Pacific Rugby Premiership.
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July 11th: Big announcement expected shortly on Men’s Club Division 1 rugby…..
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Men’s Collegiate All Americans fall to Ontario Blues
http://www.nerugby.com/americans-fall-ontario-blues/
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Men’s Collegiate All Americans take both games against Cambridge University:
http://www.nerugby.com/mens-collegiate-americans-take-games-cambridge-university/
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Eagles defeat Canada 38-35 in Sacramento June 21st
http://www.nerugby.com/usa-beats-canada-wild-game-scaramento-june-21st-2014/
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Men’s Collegiate All-American starting lineup named for first of three games in June:
http://www.nerugby.com/mens-collegiate-americans-named-game-june-21-cambridge-university/
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Eagles fall to Japan 29-37 as Japan takes Pacific Nations Cup:
http://www.nerugby.com/usa-eagles-fall-japan-29-37/
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Eagles fall to Scotland in Houston: USA 6 Scotland 24
http://www.nerugby.com/usa-6-scotland-24-houston-june-7th-2014/
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Beacon Hill Legend Kevin Swords Inducted to US Rugby Hall Of Fame
http://www.nerugby.com/kevin-swords-inducted-2014-us-rugby-hall-fame/
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Life University Running Eagles take USA Rugby’s Division 1 title:
http://www.nerugby.com/life-university-takes-usa-mens-division-1-title/
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Boston Irish Wolfhounds claim 2014 New England title with close win over Boston.
http://www.nerugby.com/boston-irish-wolfhounds-claim-2014-division-1new-england-championship/
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Full New England Championship review will be here May 18th, plus updates from New England teams in National playoffs!
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NYAC falls to Life University in the Division 1 National Quarter Final:
http://www.nerugby.com/last-division-1-northeast-representative-team-eliminated/
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Confirmed! November 1, 2014. USA Rugby has some work to do, to make sure all the top players are available for the USA to ensure a top flight matchup. Anything less would be unfortunate, but the stakes are so high that it should happen.
http://usarugby.org/mens-eagles-news/item/usa-eagles-to-take-on-new-zealand-all-blacks-in-chicago
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The long awaited announcement concerning the proposed game between the USA Eagles and the legendary New Zealand All Blacks is almost upon us, as on Tuesday May 13th, USA Rugby, the New Zealand Rugby Union, AIG and the Chicago Sports Commission will be “making a joint announcement regarding an upcoming event”. Hopefully this announcement will confirm the game is to be scheduled for Soldier’s Field November 2nd.
This will be exciting news for this top level game. There are some details to be worked out, but it will be good to see top level rugby back in Chicago.
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http://www.nerugby.com/201314-northeast-division-1-final-week/
Regular season action is complete in the Northeast, and NYAC and Old Blue will move on to play in the playoffs. Old Blue defeated Boston 14-12 to claim the second spot, while NYAC, already uncatchable in first place, accepted a forfeit from Middlesex as the Middlesex home field was considered unplayable. In the final game, Boston Irish Wolfhounds managed to secure a win over White Plains 38-36….
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http://www.nerugby.com/wolfhounds-docked-ten-league-points/
The Boston Irish Wolfhounds has had ten points deducted in the League standings and now rest in 5th place after an appeal of a disciplinary action was denied. The standings on the NERFU website have been updated to reflect the decision….
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NYAC comes closer to clinching first place despite losing to Old Blue 26-25, Boston over Middlesex 79-0, while Boston Irish defeats Mystic River 36-15…
http://www.nerugby.com/201314-northeast-division-1-week-13/
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There were a few one-sided games in the Northeast this weekend, as Boston ran by Mystic River 55-8 while Boston Irish Wolfhounds defeated Middlesex 57-5 and NYAC downed White Plains 45-12 in Week 12.
In Malden MA, hosts Mystic drew first blood, converting a scrum infringement penalty into a three point lead less than ten minutes into the game. Scrum penalties were frequent, and frequently went against Mystic, as Boston dominated the scrum encounters throughout…..
http://www.nerugby.com/20132014-northeast-division-1-week-12/
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Uruguay 27 USA 27
In the first of the two games that will decide who goes through to the World Cup in Group B, USA and Uruguay tied at 27-27. After a poor first half, the USA took the lead through two well worked tries from Samu Manoa and Chris Wyles. Uruguay came back to tie the game, taking advantage of a creaky USA scrum down the stretch. Playing a man down in the scrum, blind side winger came in to flank the scrum, and Uruguay took advantage of the overlap to score an easy try in the corner to tie the game. Might have been just as well, as yet another scrum penalty might have meant a penalty try and an easy conversion. As it was, the conversion was missed and the game ended in a tie. All to play for next week in the second leg. _______________________________________________Connacht Rugby coming to Boston area
In exciting news out of Boston, the Boston Irish Wolfhounds and Connacht Rugby are about to announce a new partnership…. http://www.nerugby.com/connacht-rugby-coming-boston/ _________________________________________________________ All Blacks heading to the East Coast? Multiple reports have the legendary New Zealand All Blacks playing the USA Eagles in the Fall of 2014, as part of the long term All Blacks preparations for the…. http://www.nerugby.com/usa-eagles/ ____________________________________________________________Interesting Varsity Cup schedule for Dartmouth
The Varsity Cup released its schedule for the 2014, and local entrant Dartmouth College has a tough journey ahead in the expanded United World Sports run competition….
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http://www.nerugby.com/interesting-varsity-cup-schedule-dartmouth/
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USA Rugby and Men’s Eagles Head Coach Mike Tolkin have released the list of participants to attend the Domestic Camp, to be held at Life University Feb 20-23. The camp will conclude with a scrimmage against Life University….
http://www.nerugby.com/usa-eagles/
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Dartmouth College’s Madison Hughes Selected for USA Squad for Wellington 7′s
Dartmouth College’s Madison Hughes has been tearing it up in New England for the last couple of years, and it comes as little surprise he is being recognized nationally for his achievements. Last month he was named to the Olympic………..
http://www.nerugby.com/dartmouth-colleges-madison-hughes-selected-usa-squad-wellington-7s/
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Elite Cup Update:
Although no final decisions have been made about the Elite Cup for the upcoming season, prospects appear dim for 2014, as negotiations are ongoing but may be futile. As was reported by Rugbymag.com recently, the five remaining Elite Cup teams have failed so far to come to an agreement regarding the season…
http://www.nerugby.com/elite-cup-update/
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Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, 1918-2013
Mandela wearing the jersey of Springbok captain Francois Pienaar in the 1995 Rugby World Cup Final is an iconic image.
One of my earlier recollections of issues with South Africa was when some store clerks in Dublin refused to stock South African produce and went on strike. That was an early salvo in the drive to put the squeeze on South African economy, a drive which helped end apartheid in that country.
Mandela’s epic struggle and accomplishments will ensure his name will go into the history books with few peers. If you would like to get a better idea of the rugby world in South Africa during his time, Donald McRea’s book Winter Colors is the definitive place to start.
http://www.amazon.com/Winter-Colours-Changing-Seasons-Mainstream/dp/1840182474
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Discouraging developments in Maine, with Colby College proposing eliminating funding of the men’s and women’s rugby programs:
http://www.nerugby.com/colby-college-ceasing-funding-rugby-clubs/
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Big win for the USA Eagles in London, beating Russia 28-7. Apparently the Eagles could have scored more points, especially in the first half which would have put the game to bed earlier.
On the heels of a close win over Georgia last week and a narrow loss to the New Zealand Maoris, this is one of the best three week stretches in a long time for the USA. All the more disappointing the game was not streamed live. See thisisamericanrugby especially for some pointed commentary on that.
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NYAC claims sole possession of first place in the Northeast in the final game of the fall portion of the Division 1 season, defeating Boston RFC 28-26 in a game that was close all the way.
http://www.nerugby.com/2013-division-1-week-10/
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Update from Georgia: last second penalty by Adam Siddall gives USA the win. Somewhat controvertial, according to rugbymag and thisisamericanrugby, as Georgia thought time was up, but USA gets big morale boost from full-test win.
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Big game in New England Sat Nov 16th, as unbeaten Boston RFC play undefeated NYAC in a clash of two of the top teams in the country. The game will be in Amesbury at 12.30, brfc.org has the details. NYAC will be missing their USA Eagles, who are on duty in Georgia early tomorrow.
That game will be streamed live at 5am (link below), and if anyone thinks that game will be easy, consider Georgia defeated Canada last weekend.
http://www.irb.com/live/video.html
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New Zealand Maoris 29 – USA Eagles 19 – Final score
There was a crackling atmosphere at the start of the game as the USA Eagles took on the New Zealand Maoris in PPL Park in Philadelphia. The Eagles got a rousing reception from the sold out crowd during the national anthem. Perhaps we could have done without the chants of USA, USA during the haka?
A couple of early penalties had the Maoris with a lineout at the ……..
http://www.nerugby.com/usa-eagles/
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In Week 9 action, Boston cruised to an easy win over Middlesex Rugby, extending a 45-5 halftime lead into a 83-12 win; while in the big clash in New York, NYAC had a somewhat surprising 53-17 win over Old Blue, with NYAC really putting the points on the board in the second half after leading 19-14 at the half.
The New England Division 1 game of the week lived up to expectations, with the Boston Irish Wolfhounds scoring a narrow 18-16 win …….
http://www.nerugby.com/2013-division-1-week-9/
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With Boston resting this weekend, both Old Blue and NYAC ensured they did not lose any ground by posting comprehensive wins, while White Plains made it a sweep by the New York teams over their New England opponents……
http://www.nerugby.com/northeast-division-1-week-8/
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In week 7 action, there was a big win for Old Blue over White Plains; Middlesex played Mystic River close but came up short in a high scoring game, while in the big game in Canton, Boston RFC overcame a spirited Wolfhounds challenge to extend Boston’s perfect season. Full report 2013 Division 1 Week 3
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Three local rivalries were on the cards for week three on Saturday, with Boston RFC downing Boston Irish Wolfhounds, Mystic River defeating Middlesex, while in New York, Old Blue got the better of White Plains….
http://www.nerugby.com/2013-division-1-week-3/
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2013 Division 1 Week 2, Sept 14
A rejuvenated NYAC team put the Boston Irish Wolfhounds to the sword on Saturday, racking up 61 points against the hosts’ solitary try. The game started perfectly for…
http://www.nerugby.com/2013-division-1-week-2/
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2013 Division 1 Week 1, Sept 7
A new look NYAC team squeezed by a willing Mystic River outfit in the first game of the new combined Northeast Division 1 league on Saturday. Mystic started brightly and made several forays into NYAC territory, but mistakes allowed NYAC to relieve the pressure.
http://www.nerugby.com/2013-division-1-week-1/
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June 1st and 2nd has the last four teams standing in Division 1 playing to determine the 2013 Division 1 Champion. Denver Barbarians against Life University in one semi-final, and Old Puget Sound Beach against New Orleans in the other.
http://www.nerugby.com/2013-mens-division-1-club-playoffs-predictions-and-results/
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Boston falls to Life University in early Elite Cup action – March 30, 2013
Boston had a rough start to the Elite Cup, losing to Life University by a score of 52 to 16…
http://www.nerugby.com/boston-falls-to-life-university-in-early-elite-cup-action-march-30-2013/
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The story below ran in the Boston Globe November 2nd. Nice update on the Nate Ebner story.
http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/2012/11/02/for-patriots-safety-nate-ebner-rugby-was-unhelmeted-gateway-the-nfl/ae7JgNy2VYL6vEZ7URWJyK/story.html
For Patriots safety Nate Ebner, rugby was an unhelmeted gateway to the NFL
Feb 1, 2012: Welcome to the website NeRugby.com where we will provide you with the latest information, views and opinions on the state of Rugby in the New England Region. ____________________________________________________________________________ 2012 Men’s Club Playoffs Approaching: May 11, 2012:Good luck to all New England teams in National Playoffs this weekend….New London in Div 3, Middlesex in Men’s Division 2 playoffs, Boston Irish Wolfhounds and Mystic River in Men’s Division 1 playoffs. See Men’s Rugby/Division 1 for playoff predictions. We did not do Div 2 or Div 3 predictions, but we think both Middlesex and New London can do some damage this year. Good luck to all. http://www.nerugby.com/2012-playoffs-approaching/ __________________________________________________________________________ First Mike Tolkin, now Alex Magleby! The Northeast achieving some national level coaching appointments! Alex is the head coach at Dartmouth College, and he takes over as coach of the USA 7’s for the remainder of the Sevens World Series, following the sudden departure of Al Caravelli, who had held the reins since 2006. It is understood to be an interim appointment to be followed by an open application process to fill the role. Alex’s first tournament in charge will be the high profile Hong Kong 7’s March 23-25. ________________________________________________________________________ Mike Tolkin new USA Eagles Head Coach! Press Release from USA Rugby.org below…good to see someone from nearby named! http://www.nerugby.com/mens-rugby/ First Mike Tolkien, now Alex Magleby! The Northeast achieving some national level coaching appointments! Alex is the head coach at Dartmouth College, and he takes over as coach of the USA 7′s for the remainder of the Sevens World Series, following the sudden departure of Al Caravelli, who had held the reins since 2006. It is understood to be an interim appointment to be followed by an open application process to fill the role. Alex’s first tournament in charge will be the high profile Hong Kong 7′s March 23-25. ________________________________________________________________________ Mike Tolkien new USA Eagles Head Coach! Press Release from USA Rugby.org below…good to see someone from nearby named!BOULDER, Colo. – USA Rugby announced today that Mike Tolkin will be the next head coach of the Men’s National Team, the Eagles. A New York native, Tolkin has coached in the U.S. at various levels since 1986, and was most recently the defensive coach for the Eagles in the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
“I hope to build on our performance from the World Cup, qualify for the next one, and to mix in our new and upcoming players,” Tolkin said, and collaborating with coaches is a focus for the incoming head coach.
The Eagles in a pre-RWC match in England. Tolkin has three years with the Eagles as defensive coach. Photo credit: Ian Muir
“I certainly have a good relationship with the age-grade and club coaches and look forward to working with them very closely,” said Tolkin, who helped establish the USA Under-19 team in 1992.
Tolkin has an impressive record as a coach at the high school, senior club, and international levels.
He coached Xavier H.S. in New York City to three National Championships, six National Championship games, 17 National Championship Semifinals, and 20 Regional Championships.
In 2000 Tolkin also took the reins of then Division I now Rugby Super League (RSL) team, New York Athletic Club (NYAC). In 12 years, NYAC won three RSL National Championships and made a total of eight post-season appearances, including an appearance in the Division I National Championship game in 2001.
Xavier H.S. alumnus, NYAC starter, and vice-captain of the Eagles, Mike Petri has played for Tolkin for over a decade and is confident that Tolkin is the man for the job.
“I’ve never met anyone who cares about the sport more than does. He’ll never settle for less than excellence, and he brings that to coaching. He has a competitive, winning mentality and guys buy in to that. They want to play for him,” Petri said.
Tolkin also has a strong background in talent identification and player development, serving as a talent recognition selector for former USA Head Coach, Tom Billups in 2001.
USA Rugby CEO and President of Rugby Operations, Nigel Melville believes that Tolkin is well equipped to move the USA forward after three years with the Eagles as a defensive coach and noting that the team’s defense in the Rugby World Cup was outstanding.
“I’m delighted for Mike,” said Melville. “He has worked internationally and domestically as a head coach and understands well the challenges American players face. I know Mike is looking forward to continuing the work started by [Eddie O’Sullivan].”
A positive team culture is a “cornerstone of any successful team,” according to Tolkin. “That is what the hallmark of our team is going to be. Respecting everyone in the program and being positive on and off the field. Building confidence in the guys is what I want to instill first and foremost.”
Tolkin’s team will face their first test on June 9 when they face Canada in Kingston, Ontario. The USA will also play two home games against Georgia and Italy on June 16 and 23. Venues for those matches will be announced next week.
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See drop down links above for specific division stories.
Current (Spring 2012) Division 1 rankings, as determined by NERugby staff:
1. Boston RFC. Back to back RSL semi-final appearances. Undefeated Fall D1 season, where the closest game was a three point win over the Wolfhounds, in a game that probably should not have taken place due to horrendous weather.
2. Mystic River. Decent fall program, and then the team kept improving, taking first place in the New England/New York crossovers and securing first seed for the Spring playoffs.
3. Boston Irish Wolfhounds. Just one loss in the Fall league. Could have beaten Mystic in the Northeast championship, but failed to take the chances offered. Will have a tougher road to a repeat final four appearance in D1.
4. South Shore. Young team keeps improving. Good fall season, but dropped close decision to New York Rugby club in the regional playoffs.