March 7, 2008 USA Rugby Announces its Men’s National Team Program for 2008 BOULDER, Colo. – After finalizing several dates and locations, and officially naming the Men’s National Team Coach, USA Rugby is now in the position to announce the Men’s National Team program for 2008. “USA Rugby is not currently on the IRB’s International Tours schedule, which makes the task of creating an Eagles international fixture list extremely challenging. We were, however, able to secure international fixtures through our participation in the Churchill Cup, a challenging International Tour to Japan and by hosting two extremely strong European professional club teams.” USA Rugby CEO and President of Operations, Nigel Melville said. “In addition, we were able to schedule two fixtures against the England Counties for our developing players and the cross border NA4 games with Canada will give the new Eagles Head Coach, Scott Johnson, a great opportunity to assess the depth and quality of the players in our nation.” The program, which actually started in December with Melville’s player selections from the USA Rugby Men’s All-Stars Championships in Florida, will kick off in May 2008 with an Elite Player Squad training camp in Chula Vista led by the new Eagles Head Coach Scott Johnson and his support staff. From that camp, the USA Select XV will play a two game series against the England Counties in New York, N.Y. on June 6 and 9. In between those domestic matches, the USA will start their Barclays Churchill Cup pool play in Canada against the England Saxons on June 7 in Ottawa, Ontario and again four days later versus Ireland A in Kingston, Ontario. The Eagles will then get 10 days of recovery time before playing in the Barclays Churchill Cup finals, at Toyota Park in Chicago, Ill., on June 21. The U.S. Eagles will then disperse for nearly two months, while given the opportunity to regroup into two developmental sides, the Hawks and the Falcons, which will be called to action for their first civil clash of the IRB North America 4 tournament on July 10 in Portland, Ore. Following that the USA sides will travel north for their cross border action against Canada’s East and West on July 15 and 19. All four teams will then get another 10-day break in action before reconvening in Denver for the semifinal and final rounds of the tournament held at Glendale’s Infinity Park on July 29 and August second, respectively. The Eagles regroup in early August to take on a French professional side, ASM Clermont Auvergne, on August 9 at Blakbaud Stadium in Charleston, S.C. Following tat match, the USA will then face Munster on August 22 at the Irish Cultural Center of New England, just outside Boston. Tickets to both of these matches will be available soon. With the month of September open, the USA is hoping to line up a match in early November, on U.S. soil, before taking off for a two-match feature in Japan on November 16 and 22. Although they have not confirmed the venues yet, the Japan Rugby Union will hold the first match in either Nagoya or in Osaka and the second match in Tokyo. For a downloadable version of the Men’s National Team Program, please click here. For more information on the USA Men’s National Team program, please log on to www.usarugby.org/goto/mens_eagles. For more information on these events, please log on to www.usarugby.org/goto/upcoming_events and click on the respective tournament.
Thanks a lot for this Yankee. You know, after I saw this I prowled around the USA Rugby website for a good 20 mins and never found it. Finally google led me to this in a rugbyrugby.com article. That website needs serious help. THe only other thing I found out is the two games vs England Counties are June 6 in NY (listed above) and the June 9 game is to be in Boston. England Counties then go to Toronto to play a Canada Select XV. The fact I can find that a US v England game is to be played in the nearest big city is on the Rugby Canada site and not the USA Rugby site is worrying. Anyways, its a good program. The game against Munster in Boston in August should be a good one as well. Who knew the Irish Cultural Center in Canton Mass. has a 12k stadium?
You are right the USA rugby website does need help. The Eagles are their bread and butter, so you would think they would make a bigger deal over their program. Anyway go to American Rugby News if you need a daily fix of american rugby. They have a good podcast every week that cover college rugby to International and Super League. The game in Boston should be a good one, but you are right I didn't know they had a 12k stadium there.
I emailed Nigel Melville about the website. He was actually really nice and responded somewhat quickly. He points out that the two games vs England Counties are both to be played in NYC at Columbia University on June 6 and June 9. Not Boston as I read on two other sites. But a classy guy for getting back to me.
GoffonRugby is probably the best rugby site, though you have to pay (they do throw in Rugby Magazine). I hope they get a Test in November on US soil, preferably with a big team. We need big teams for prestige and also to qualify our players for work permits.
By the way, 12K? The Irish cultural center in Boston has a good sized field with some bleachers around it (look it up on Google), but it's not 12K. Probably 1.2K. Hopefully USA Rugby has gotten some guarantees about facility improvements, because Munster-USA got 8,000 in Chicago. With all the plastic paddies it should get a ton in Boston. Or maybe that's the 12K stadium that's being mentioned..