U.S. Men’s Collegiate All-American Team Set for its Centennial Tour

For Immediate Release
July 15, 2010



U.S. Men’s Collegiate All-American Team Set for its Centennial Tour


BOULDER, Colo. – Marking the 100th year since the first American Universities side traveled abroad, the U.S. Men’s Collegiate All-America program has announced the team it will take for its 2010 Centennial Tour to England , presented by Royall Lyme.



While the 1910 American Universities Team traveled to both New Zealand and Australia in its first tour, this year, the Collegiate All-American Team will certainly find all it can handle across the pond.



“We have organized a challenging tour, which will make a quality experience for our All-Americans as they earn the opportunity to return to their collegiate and club ranks having been tested in an international level environment,” All-American Coach Alex Magleby said.



"The tour will also be a nice finish to a robust collegiate season,” Magleby added. “It’s an exciting time to be a collegiate player, or coach for that matter, and with the next Rugby World Cup on the horizon, it’s a worthwhile endeavor to expose these athletes to the challenges, pressures and excitement of international play.”



During the course of this tour, the Collegiate All-Americans will be joined by the U.S. Men’s National Team Coach, Eddie O’Sullivan, in addition to several guest/specialty coaches from professional teams across London . Although the team will actually have a week and a half in England, the U.S. Collegiate All-Americans will play three matches in just seven days.



The first match will be held on Saturday, August 14 against the Richmond Rugby Football Club at 2 p.m. The side will get a four-day break before booting up for its second match on August 18 at 7:30 p.m. against the Saracens Academy Development Team at St. Albans, and in their third and final match, the All-Americans will take on Leicester Academy’s Development Team on Saturday, August 21 at 1 p.m. at Welford Road. (All times are local.)



The All-American Team is made up of the nation’s best collegiate rugby players who are picked annually. The All-American team has long been a precursor to international honors, with many All-Americans graduating to the USA National Team.



The following National Teams have been made up of the following current or former Collegiate All Americans: 2003 Rugby World Cup XV’s Senior National Team (15), 2007 Rugby World Cup XV’s Senior National Team (8), 2009 American Rugby Championship Team (10), 2009 Senior National XV’s Team (17), and the 2008/2009 Senior National 7’s Team in the IRB World Series (14).



"The elevated commitments that collegiate players, coaches, and our high-school programs have been putting in continues to increase the number of All-Americans that are pushing for international honors,” added Magleby. “A classic brand like Royall Lyme recognizes these All-American virtues of hard-work, entrepreneurialism, and grit. We are excited about this partnership between these two quality brands and encourage others to get on board to help keep this touring tradition going strong.”



The All-Americans are continuing to fundraise for the ‘Centennial Tour.’ Join All-American Tour sponsor Royal Lyme and National Team sponsor Emirates Airline in supporting the development of our best collegiate players by donating in $100 increments. Each donation will allow supporters the opportunity to be drawn for one of several phenomenal prizes, including a trip to the 2011 RWC in New Zealand as well as a trip for two to the 2011 Dubai 7’s event. For more information, please visit http://www.usarugby.org/goto/mens_aa_fundrainsing.





2010 U.S. Collegiate All-American Touring Team:



David Caswell (Arkansas State)

Nicolas Anthony Civetta (Notre Dame)

Shaun Michael Davies (BYU)

Keegan Bevan Engelbrecht (California)

Roland Evans (Arkansas State)

Roan Farr (Arkansas State)

Zachary Tyler Fenoglio (Loyola Marymount)

Eric Christopher Fry (California)

Colin Hawley (California)

Gareth James Jones (Temple)

Duncan George Kelm (San Diego State)

Kevin James Kimble (Penn State)

Scott Coble Lavalla (Trinity)

David Hunter Leland (Texas A&M)

Dylan Lubbe (BYU)

Ryan David McTiernan (Fordham)

Taylor James Mokate (Oklahoma)

Christopher Scott Parker (Texas A&M)

Randy Pati (Utah)

Brendon Michael Purcell (San Diego State)

Anthony John Purpura III (Maine)

Hamish Eliot Roberts (Texas A&M)

Alexander Ross (San Diego State)

Ryan Sean Roundy (BYU)

Tyler Salamon (Life University)

Michael Joseph Shephard (Indiana)

Ross Samuel Silverman (UC Santa Barbara)

Zachary Test (Loughborough)

Nardus Wessels (Arkansas State)

Tiberio Peter (Arizona)



Selection Criteria:

The All-American Touring Team’s selection criteria is separate to that of the All-American honor and is inclusive of players who might have been injured during the season, part-time students, a registered student, who may not be playing for their University, or an American eligible player playing at a University abroad.



Staff:
Alex Magleby : Head Coach ( Dartmouth )
Kevin Battle: Manager (UC Santa Barbara )
Kimball Kjar: Backs Coach (BYU)
Luke Gross: Forwards Coach (USAR)
Dave Williams: Strength and Conditioning Coach (USAR)



Inspiring America to fall in love with Rugby
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2500 Arapahoe Avenue, Suite 200 | Boulder CO 80302
W: 303.539.0300 x101 | C: 719.310.2606 | Fax: 303-539-0311


Follow the Women's National Rugby Team as they prepare for the Women's Rugby World Cup in London !

Pool Play
Friday, Aug. 20 - USA vs. Kazakhstan
Tuesday, Aug. 24 - USA vs. Ireland
Saturday, Aug. 28 - USA vs. England

 

http://www.rugbymag.com/news/nation...overseas-students-named-to-all-americans.aspx

Two Overseas Students Named to All Americans

By Alex Goff

The All Americans touring side selectors have made a notable change in policy, by accepting American college students attending school overseas.


Above, LaValla for the USA Xvs team against France A, Ed Hagerty photo, below, Test at the USA 7s, Ian Muir photo.

RUGBYMag.com and before that erugbynews.com have previously campaigned to allow American kids in overseas schools to be accepted as All Americans if they deserve it, and Thursday that happened for the first time, with USA lock Scott LaValla, and USA 7s player Zack Test both being named to the All American touring squad.

It’s not quite the same as being named a full All American before the tour (which RUGBYMag.com did for both players, by the way), but it is a step toward recognizing the best American college players, regardless of where they go to school.

LaValla is entering his senior year at Dublin University, where he will captain their rugby team, Trinity. Test is on a rugby scholarship to Loughborough University in England. RUGBYMag.com caught up with LaValla earlier this month, when he discussed the fact that he would be on the touring squad.

“One of my goals has always been to be an All American,” he said. “It means a lot to me and I am really excited to be on that tour.”

LaValla will cut short his training time with the Ulster program, where he has played for their A side, to be part of the All American tour. Test, who has come into his own as a 7s player this past season, will miss several preseason matches for Loughborough to be with the All Americans.

 

http://www.rugbymag.com/news/national-teams/all-americans/help-all-americans-go-on-tour.aspx

Help All Americans Go on Tour

Help the All Americans tour the UK by buying a raffle ticket.

The All American staff has worked hard to provide fundraising opportunities for the team, which is also funded by sponsors, IRB High Performance money, and other funds from USA Rugby.

But it doesn’t cover the entirety of their tour of England, and as a result, players and the team are selling raffle tickets.

Each ticket is $100 and is tax deductible.

Prizes include:
Air Fare from San Francisco to New Zealand for the 2011 World Cup and tickets to five World Cup games. This trip is worth $5,000 and was set up by UCSB Director of Rugby and All American team manager Kevin Battle.

A trip for two to the IRB 7s in Dubai

A year supply of Royall Lyme Cologne

A 2010 USA team-signed ball from the Churchill Cup squad

2010 Signed All-American jersey.

To buy a ticket, click here

 

http://www.rugbymag.com/news/national-teams/all-americans/some-new-approaches-for-all-americans.aspx

Some New Approaches for All Americans

By Alex Goff

August’s All American tour features two notable changes, one that could have long-term ramifications for how the touring team is picked, and another that could become the model for how the team travels.

The first is that overseas-based players are in the squad. This mainly refers to Zack Test (Loughborough) and Scott LaValla (Dublin University) who both started playing rugby as higher schoolers in the Pacific Northwest.

“I think it’s important to have these guys in the squad,” said All American head coach Alex Magleby. “First of all, they deserve to be there, as American college students. But the other aspect is the leadership they bring. Zack has been with the USA 7s team and performed well there. Scott is developing into a leader on the national team and he’ll have an important role to play for the All Americans.”

It’s a change in approach for the All American program, and as more Americans look for overseas college experiences, it might be something we see more of.

The change mirrors the way the All American program has dealt with foreign-born players. Historically, players who tour with the All Americans aren’t always Eagles eligible at the time, but are working to get there. Arkansas State flanker Roland Evans may have been born in South Africa, but this is his fourth All American selection, and he has stated publicly he wants to play for the USA. Similarly, BYU scrumhalf Shaun Davies isn’t necessarily USA-eligible at the moment, but wants to be.

The second change more directly affects all the players, as the trip to England won’t be a “tour” in the sense that they travel all over the country. The team will be based at the Mill Hill School in North London, and will spend the entire time training there.

“We will have a base of operations, with only one long day trip – to play Leicester,” Magleby said. “We’ll be able to stay in one place and concentrate on our #1 mission – to develop players for the national team. We want to see guys picked for the Eagles and the ARC teams, and with us being based in the London area, we’re also going to be able to give these players some exposure to UK clubs.”

The All Americans will play a series of Premiership Academy Developmental teams. It’s expected that the players will be around the Americans’ average age, or a little younger, but they are also in professional developmental programs.

“It’s a delicate issue putting together a schedule and getting the right opponents,” Magleby told RUGBYMag.com. “Matt Sherman has been doing a great job on that – working with the teams to establish the right level where we want the games. The objective for us of course is to win, but if we lose and we play to our systems and develop players, then that’s a good tour.”


Notes: Assistant coach Kimball Kjar will not make the trip with the All Americans due to family reasons. Magleby will be assisted by Luke Gross with the forwards and Sherman with the backs. UCSB Director of Rugby Kevin Battle is the manager, and Dave Williams the Strength & Conditioning coach. USA MNT head coach Eddie O’Sullivan will also join the squad for a short period to work with them. BYU No. 8 Ryan Roundy will not tour with the squad due to injury. Magleby has not named a replacement, although it could be another student attending school overseas.

 

http://www.rugbymag.com/news/intern...-to-be-back-smith-welcomes-all-americans.aspx

Happy to be Back, Smith Welcomes All Americans

By Alex Goff (Smith is now a Saracens regular)

USA lock forward Hayden Smith is back on the pitch after sitting out most of the summer with a shoulder/clavicle injury.

The injury meants Smith had to miss the Churchill Cup, but is set for another season with English Premiership runners up Saracens along with USA teammate Chris Wyles.

"The shoulder has been going really well and have been able to go full contact for the past week," Smith told RUGBYMag.com. "We've had a great pre-season as a squad and can't wait to get stuck into some games."

Smith was discovered while playing basketball for Metro State, and while he played club rugby with the Denver Barbarians, was named to the 2008 All American squad that toured New Zealand with Nigel Melville. This August the All Americans will be training and playing just down the street from the Saracens near the Middlesex/Hertfordshire border in Northern London. Smith hopes to cheer them on.

"I'm really looking forward to having the All Americans in town and think the trip will be very beneficial for the guys," Smith said. "They're be able to play some quality rugby and also have a glimpse of the professional environment."

All American head coach Alex Magleby is hoping to see the big lock at training, or at least have him visit and speak to the players.

"These guys have a great opportunity to play in front of professional teams in England," said Magleby. "Just imagine if Hayden Smith had been able to do that - he would have signed on with Saracens six months to a year earlier."

Smith, who is one of three All American pros in England along with Mike Petri and Mike MacDonald, agrees the England tour is a great chance for the All Americans.

"I'm sure many of the clubs will be keeping an eye out for anyone they feel could be a prospect," he said.

 

http://www.rugbymag.com/news/national-teams/all-americans/all-americans-100-years-ago.aspx

All Americans 100 Years Ago

(From USA Rugby and Dr. Sean Brawley - photos courtesy Dr. Brawley)

This year’s 2010 Collegiate All-Americans tour marks the centennial anniversary of the original trans-continental American Universities or All-American tour. In 1910, the All-Americans, consisting mostly of student-athletes from Stanford, the University of California-Berkeley (Cal), and the University of Nevada competed in over 20 matches in Australia and New Zealand.

The historical background of the formation of the tour is a compelling story of the history of American Collegiate rugby, and has spawned a great tradition of the All-Americans going abroad to compete.



While rugby was the original football code in American universities in the latter part of the 19th century, American Football (also known as inter-collegiate) had replaced rugby as the primary football code in the United States. However, increasing violence, injuries (including multiple deaths), as well as negative press coverage garnered attention and concern from President Theodore Roosevelt. Consequently, he called a meeting of college presidents in the White House in 1905 to discuss rule changes and the future of the game.

On the West Coast, isolationism had allowed rugby to survive longer before eventually succumbing to the football code. At the time of Roosevelt’s meeting in 1905, Stanford President David Starr Jordan, and Berkeley President Benjamin Ide Wheeler (who were both unable to attend Roosevelt’s meeting), were deciding that rugby would be more suitable to their universities. Following an especially brutal 1904 ‘Big Game’ of American football between Cal and Stanford, marked for its poor sportsmanship, along with rumors of player receiving special payments and privileges, Wheeler and Jordan called on rugby to replace ‘inter-collegiate’ as the code to be played in the 1906 ‘Big Game.’ Both Wheeler and Jordan saw rugby as a sport more conducive to the development of their students’ character and moral compass.

By 1909, the game was gaining popularity on the West Coast once again with the establishment of numerous clubs as well as a strong team at the University of Nevada-Reno. In 1909, the Australian Wallabies toured the West Coast and brought further attention to the sport through international competition. However, following sweeping rule changes to the American Football code (most notably the inception of the forward pass), inter-collegiate football was again rising in popularity, and threatening rugby’s existence. Rugby needed a spark, and thus an international tour was planned to Australia and New Zealand.

In Australia, a similar struggle between rugby ‘codes’ was coming to a head. Rugby league and rugby union were competing for fans and publicity. In 1908, both the Wallabies (the Australian international rugby union side) and the Kangaroos (Australian international rugby league side) toured to the UK. The Wallabies tour was a much greater success, with larger crowds, more press coverage, and culminated in an Olympic Gold Medal in the 1908 London Olympics.

The victory was short-lived for the union code. Professional rugby league teams were formed and upon the team’s return in 1909, 14 players from the Wallabies defected to the professional code, leaving the future of union in disarray. The Australians saw the chance to host their Pacific neighbors as an opportunity to give union a shot in the arm through international competition. The Australians also felt that rugby could be used to continue to build their international relationship with America in a form of cultural diplomacy. They saw Americans as similar culturally and were a rising world power. Rugby, it was believed, could be used to help strengthen relations between a potential ally who could be both economically and defensively beneficial.

The tour itself brought immediate excitement. Over 2,000 Australians greeted the Americans at the Sydney Town Hall. The Americans played over 20 games, beginning with the first leg in Australia where they played the likes of Sydney University and others, but found little success.

On the second leg of the tour, the Americans began to hit their stride and put together a string of victories, including a famous victory over Auckland. Another highlight included a match against the newly formed New Zealand Maori. Throughout the tour the Americans were noted for their sportsmanship and enthusiasm, and in particular, their desire to get better and learn about a code that they had just recently re-adopted. One notable instance was at a social function where the American captain, Cedric Cerf, sat next to the Freddy Roberts, the 1910 All Blacks captain. Cerf was observed by others drawing diagrams and taking notes as he picked the Kiwi’s rugby brain, effectively conducting his own rugby reconnaissance mission while abroad.

Overall, the tour was a success. It paved the way for future international tours and fixtures including a visit to American shores by Australia’s New South Wales and the All Blacks in 1913. The initial All-Americans contributed to America’s gold medal successes in Antwerp in 1920 and Paris in 1924. Both of the gold medal-winning American sides were comprised primarily of college students.

The original 1910 Collegiate All-American tour has also paved the way for what is now a century of America’s best and brightest student-athletes touring abroad. The 2010 Collegiate All-American Tour, presented by Royall Lyme, proudly continues the All-American rugby tradition of crossing oceans and competing internationally.

The 2010 team consists of student-athletes from over 17 universities and will play three matches against Richmond Football Club, Saracens Rugby Academy, and Leicester Academy. Like in 1910, 2010 is an exciting time of growth and change for contemporary collegiate rugby. The game is thriving, particularly at the collegiate level, from coast to coast. Recently the USA Sevens LLC Invitational Collegiate Sevens Championship was seen live on network television. With the emergence of a new elite competition in 2011, the College Premier League, there is a promising future for the rugby in America.

The original All-American tour was created in part to combat the sport turning professional. Ironically, today’s All-American tour is often a stepping-stone to international and professional careers for many student-athletes. Fourteen current or former All-Americans played for the Eagles in 2009 and 13 have already appeared for the Eagles in 2010, with three matches still remaining this year.

Eagle scrumhalf Mike Petri, who appeared in five matches for the All-Americans throughout his college career at Penn State, was recently signed by the Sale Sharks in England. Eagles captain Todd Clever, also an All-American, has been a professional standout, most recently relocating to Japan to ply his trade following a successful stint in the Super 14 competition. Other current professionals who were former All-Americans include Eagles Paul Emerick, Louis Stanfill, Kevin Swiryn, Mike MacDonald, and Hayden Smith. As the 2011 Rugby World Cup approaches, the 2010 All-American tour will certainly serve as an opportunity for today’s best young collegiate players to showcase their talents to national team selectors and professional scouts.

Fundraiser and Prize Giveaway: Win a trip to New Zealand during the Rugby World Cup and Dubai for the IRB World Sevens Series:

The All-Americans have launched a fundraising campaign and raffle that offers multiple sensational prizes for winners, including a vacation to New Zealand and the World Cup, as well as two tickets and airfare to the Dubai Emirate 2011 IRB Sevens event, amongst other great prizes. To find out how you can enter for these and other great prizes, please visit the All-American Fundraising page.

Sponsor: Royall Lyme
The 2010 All-Americans wouldn’t be able to continue the proud tradition without the support of their sponsors. Their 2010 tour is made possible by the contributions of Royall Lyme. Royall Lyme’s brand of fragrances has had close ties to the beloved sport of rugby, and is currently involved in the sponsorship of several teams and events at the collegiate level. Royall Lyme also aims to recognize exemplary performances. A “Royall Man” is a winner, yes, but more importantly, Royall Men are, by their very nature, role models and natural leaders. They demonstrate exemplary character. It’s no mystery why Royall Lyme and the Collegiate All-Americans have built a strong relationship.

Note: A special thanks to Dr. Sean Brawley of the University of New South Wales for providing information about and pictures of the 1910 tour. His paper, “Our Bright Young American Cousins” is a comprehensive account of the tour and the crucial years before and after it. It provided a bulk of the information contained in this piece.

 

http://www.americanrugbynews.com/artman/publish/college/All-Americans_Drop_Opener.shtml

All-Americans Drop Opener

The All-Americans have gone down 36-12 to Richmond in the opening game of their three-match tour to the UK.

The game was tied 12-12 at halftime, but the home team powered on in the second frame to take home the spoils.

Richmond went ahead 19-12 with a try at around the 60th minute and then added another 17 unanswered points to win going away.

All-American forwards coach Luke Gross said he was “proud of the forwards” and that they will bounce back in their next contest against Saracens on Wednesday night.

 

Sorry PsychedelicCeltic just got back from the South of France. I am going to the semi finals of the WRWC at the Stoop this Wednesday.

 

The boys went 0-3 but hopefully they learned something and maybe 1 or 2 caught the eye of a professional club scout. With CPL coming in next year hopefully this will provide some much needed competiton for these guys rather then the odd game or two in the national playoffs.

http://www.americanrugbynews.com/artman/publish/college/All-American_Learning_Curve.shtml

All-American Learning Curve

The Collegiate All-Americans plan to learn from their centennial tour of the UK.

“The goal is to create an international level test environment for these athletes,” said All-Americans head coach Alex Magleby.

“We set out to play against some of the best rugby athletes at this age-level and to give our players confidence in their future test careers for those that continue to push for higher honors.”

On top of the competition, various on field and off field events added to the overall experience.

While on tour, the All-Americans received some instruction from London Wasps personnel like kicking coach Dave Walder, scrum coach and 2003 World Cup-winning prop Trevor Woodman, and defensive coach Rob Hoadley.

Perhaps most notable was former England and British and Irish Lions coach Dick Best. Best is currently an agent and was joined by another of his agents who wanted to survey the crop of All-Americans and discuss future opportunities abroad to America’s best up-and-coming players.

Elite academic institutions such as Oxford, Cambridge, and Durham passed on information to players interested in playing overseas while pursuing postgraduate courses of study.

The All-Americans were visited by a Total Rugby crew, who recorded a segment for their show featuring the All-Americans. To listen to the segment, visit http://www.irb.com/totalrugby/ or http://irb.edgeboss.net/wmedia/irb/radio/total_rugby_radio.wax

While these enriching off-the-field experiences are wonderful, the pressure of facing sides like Richmond, Saracens, and Leicester was eye-opening for many players. Having never faced competition as fierce as that of these professional sides, each match presented a steep learning curve.

However painful the losses were, exposing players to that level of play is crucial, according to Magleby, in order to help develop a growth mindset and, eventually, a habit of victory.

“We need to give these athletes more of these pressure-filled experiences, and we also need to continue to develop a winning confidence.”

According to Magleby, the tour provided athletes with that test-level environment, but the winning habit aspect is a work-in-progress and a habit that the USA needs to “collectively continue” to develop.

USA Rugby’s age-grade director and former Eagle, Matt Sherman, had a similar view as far as the tour’s outcomes were concerned.

“While the tour showed the players that they are capable of playing with some of the best young players abroad in spurts, it also exposed them to a higher level of play than most had experienced, and gave them direction on where they need to focus on improving going forward,” said Sherman.

Chris Parker, who scored a rumbling forwards try against Leicester Academy, was honored for his overall performance and behavior throughout the tour by receiving the Doug Edwards Best and Fairest Tourist Award.

The award, established in 2001 by then General Manager Jack Clark, is given annually to an All-American player who shows outstanding ability on the pitch, and a high level of character off the field, during the course of the tour.

The honor is named in memory of long-serving Midwest rugby man Doug Edwards, who was an integral part of the All-Americans management team during the late 1980s.

 

http://www.rugbymag.com/features/opinions/guest-column-all-americans-do-us-proud.aspx

Guest Column: All Americans Do Us Proud

A Guest Column by Eamonn Hogan (Ian Muir photo)

On Saturday 20th August, The Collegiate All Americans played the Leicester Tigers Academy at Welford Road stadium here in England. The fixture itself has been well reported on this website and has been discussed on podcasts over the intervening days. However, what it took to get this game to take place at all is a tale five years in the making.

Since 2003, I have worked in various capacities for Leicester Tigers working with U14 to Academy entrants but my relationship with American rugby began when myself and another colleague enrolled on a Level 3 Coaching course in 2005. On my return home from that Level 3 course, the enthusiasm for the game in America by the candidates and the knowledge shown by the tutors was impressive and in the months that followed, I was invited by Will ‘Salty’ Thompson to that year’s Winter Camp in Arizona ... this led to a summer camp in Indiana and many wonderful days throughout the USA as guests of various coaches and clubs.
Over those five years, I have been honoured to spend time with not only knowledgeable expats but more and more American born coaches, both male and female, who continue to run the American age grade programs with an enthusiasm that is the match of any country i have visited in my 40+ years of playing and coaching rugby.
The question I am most asked by English coaches is ‘Why do you go to America to coach rugby?’ My reply is always the same: I may bring a few meagre talents to the table but I learn far more from the American coach than I do from almost anyone else in the world. There are few countries that know more about coaching processes, professional sports and athletic development than the USA and I am constantly embarrassed by my countrymen that travel to your country and insist that they know sports better than you ... WE DO NOT! We know a little more about rugby but that’s about it.
Below is a list of people who I have spent many hours with over the last five years
· Paule Barford, Dan Payne, Jason Payne and Scott Lawrence in Atlanta.
· Mike Tolkin, Bruce McLane and Drew Fautley in NYC
· Damian Dowling, Coilin Jones and Mike Diamantopoulos in Boston
· Sean O’Leary, Bart Bartoroff and Bill Stevens in Indiana
· Lisa Rosen in Glendale (formerly of Philadelphia)
· Robert Joseph in North Carolina,
· Lance Connolly and Randy Stephens in DC
· Jack Clark from California
· Bob Weir in Delaware
· Mike Kwedar, Michael Engelbrecht, Johnny Smith, Neil Doherty and John Connolly in Texas
· Salty and Beth Thompson in Arizona

If there was a Rugby Hall of Fame, I have no doubt many of the names on the above list would be among those nominated for entry. I am constantly taken aback by how much of their personal lives are given to the game and how many generations of players, coaches and administrators owe their place in rugby and in some cases, a helping hand on the right path as young people, to the names on this list. I have learned more about the sporting process from these people than I care to admit and I hope that USA Rugby begins to realise that these people are not simply in the rugby business, they are in the life changing business – they should be respected, supported and honoured as such.
American rugby is something I look on from afar with great affection. Over the last five years, myself and a man called Andy Byrne have tried to bring American rugby sides to the UK. We have tried to arrange matches and tours that allow their teams to showcase their skills and to show the British that the game of rugby is growing over there and they have players that can play the game at a professional and semi-professional standard. The game against Leicester Tigers was an occasion I wish many of you could have seen.
At Welford Road, the experiences those young men went through was the same one that every European and English side go through when they come to Leicester. Same ground entrance, same changing rooms, same pitch side arrangements – basically they were treated with the respect they deserved from a club that is the benchmark of playing standards in England. On more than one occasion, the significant crowd were hugely impressed by the American players and having spent time with seven of the players in the starting All American team at various times over the last few years, it was a day of divided loyalties for me.
After the game, I attended the post-match function and the All American team were the gentleman I have always found them to be. The players were surrounded by memorabilia from Leicester Tigers matches they had seen as young players on the internet and by opposition players that will undoubtedly play for England at U20 and senior level one day. Alexander Magleby, Luke Gross, David Williams and Kevin Battle managed the team with great pride and not a little ambition under the most strenuous of schedule restrictions against one of the finest Academy rugby sides in the world. They, like the above list, are due much praise for what they did for not only these young men, but what they have done for the image of the American game here in the UK.
So what of the future? I have listened over the last few months to podcasts, read articles and been an observer in serious conversations about the future of the sport in the USA and one thing seems to be clear to all. Age Grade rugby needs to grow NOW.
I know senior coaches within the National Teams have great hope for the new College Premier League and having spoken to a few of the college coaches who have put their teams into the mix, they believe it to be a serious competition that will grow the competitiveness of the senior game for years to come. It may take a few years to bed in but once it does, it could be something to behold.
If it does become the competition everyone hopes it will, my hope is that the freshman product that walks into the BYUs, Cals, Lifes et al will eventually need to be better than it is presently. This can only be achieved by significant coach and player development programs at age grade levels by USA Rugby, SBROs and of course, the participating colleges in the new CPL. If the ‘freshman’ product was more skilled and knowledgeable, after 4 years of collegiate coaching, shouldn’t the ‘senior’ product be of better standard too?
The media, are a vital tool in the development of the game in the USA and although they may be a little too harsh on American touring sides win/loss records on occasions, at least they care enough to comment at all. Another party that needs a more realistic approach to these tours are the readers and listeners of the articles and podcasts. If USA simply want a winning tour, my colleagues and I could have chased a fixture against some backwater hick rugby outfit and you would have won by 100 points but that doesn’t serve any purpose apart from quick headline. Matt Sherman and many others at USA Rugby have chased opposition who will grow the playing standards of the American youth.
Here is an indication of the standard of some of the opposition USA Rugby has played over the last 4 years at age grade and collegiate level.
U17s Romania, France 16sA, England 16s
U18s Northampton Saints U18s, Leeds Carnegie Academy, Doncaster Academy,Independent School Barbarians
U19s Leeds Carnegie Academy, Rotherham Academy, Leicester Tigers 18s
U20s South Africa, Fiji, Italy, Samoa, New Zealand Academy
All American Tours South Africa, New Zealand and England
These are just the ones that i know about but there have been many more. I could name 50 nations who would kill to a fixture list like this for their age-grade and collegiate players. Yes they have lost many of the games, but maybe a quick thought as to why you are playing them would help to understand where the American game is trying to go. There is a lot of angst about the American game at the moment but occasionally, a little reflection is needed to promote what is positive and great about your game
In the press, it was reported that the Collegiate All Americans lost to the Leicester Tigers Academy by 43 – 12. The bare facts do not reveal what actually happened. Here’s what I saw sitting in the crowd.
Ten days ago, a group of young men, from small towns and cities all over the USA, coached as kids by people who gave up their time selflessly, introduced them to a sport that they play now in college. After a few years, with hard work and dedication, with some more selfless coaching assistance, they got the opportunity to represent their country in one of the greatest sporting arenas in world rugby ... and enhanced their country’s reputation by doing so.
Not a bad afternoon’s work.