Tournaments

Gollings Joins 7s Clinic in Vegas

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Longtime England 7s star Ben Gollings has signed on with Serevi to participate i... Read more...

Tournament for a Cause Seeking Sponsors

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The Derek Thomas Invitational, held Feb. 11 & 12 at Cathedral High School in... Read more...

Serevi, USAR to Host 7s Coaching Clinic

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BOULDER, Colo. -- Today, USA Rugby and Serevi™ announced a new partnership to ... Read more...

Ten Days to LVI Deadline

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Teams looking to get into the Las Vegas Invitational Feb 9-11 need to get moving... Read more...

Teams Confirmed for Women's International 7s in Vegas

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BOULDER, Colo. – The sixth annual USA Women’s International 7s Invitational ... Read more...

Clubs

Triplett Lends Experience to Blacks Effort

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The Austin Blacks have a problem. It’s a good problem, but it’s a problem, n... Read more...

SoCal Score Corrected

This comes under the category of we are surprised this doesn't happen more often... Read more...

Belmont Buckled Down on Back Bay in 2nd Half

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Belmont Shore beat Back Bay 48-14 Sunday, due in large part to a massive second ... Read more...

New Orleans Back in 1st

New Orleans improved to 4-0 and jumped back into first place in the USA Rugby S... Read more...

OMBAC, Santa Monica Open With a Tie

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Southern California projects to be the most tightly contested DI league in the c... Read more...

Premier Content

Premier Articles Jan 25-27

Premier Members at RUGBYMag.com can see what Alex Goff has to say about the current USA 7s squad.Rea... Read More

Premier Articles Jan 23-25

Premier Members at RUGBYMag.com can find out more of why Todd Bell is gone from USA RugbyLook at the... Read More

Premier Articles Jan 20-23

RUGBYMag.com Premier Subscribers have been able to see these articles and columns in recent days:Det... Read More

Renowned Defensive Coach Helping 7s Eagles

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USA 7s coach Al Caravelli has not been shy about importing some help to the Olympic Training Center ... Read More

Getting a Functional Lineout

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RUGBYMag.com Columnist Gavin Hickie discusses the lineout and how to make it work right in his lates... Read More

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Written by Pat Clifton    Friday, 27 January 2012 14:23    PDF Print E-mail
College Admin: Where We've Been, Where to go

It’s time I break my silence on the removal of Todd Bell from his seat as USA Rugby’s collegiate director. And make no mistake about it, no matter what the USA rugby press release said, Bell did not leave on his own volition.

Was the Todd Bell era a success?
In some areas, yes. He moved forward with the restructure plan. He did a pretty good job of it, too. DI, now DI-AA, is as sorted as you might expect at this point in the process. Some ambitious conferences have done really well for themselves, and others have at least had the chance to compete for meaningful titles and a spot in the USA Rugby playoffs.

Bell took some bullets in this process. There were a number of people, territorial or local administrators, coaches or observers who were not a fan of the restructure, and Bell had to deal with those people and shoulder some criticism, warranted or not.

The inaugural USA Rugby 7s National Championship was a good event. Some of the qualifiers were less than robust, and several teams choosing to abstain tainted the event, somewhat, but the championship in College Station, Texas was a well-run, entertaining, high-quality tournament. And, for the record, the timing mistake and venue, which led to several teams being unavailable, were not Bell’s fault.

The competitions committee set the weekend for the 7s championship. They did so under the impression they’d have the money to put the thing on television, so they tried to pinpoint the weekend which might give the event its best chance to succeed ratings-wise. For reasons which go higher than Bell, the budget for the 7s championship ended up being a fraction of what the competitions committee thought it would be. The venue choices were limited by the timing of the event.

In some areas, one in particular, Bell was not successful. The drive to get enough varsity women’s programs to become and NCAA sport was stagnant under Bell. Ultimately, Bell’s inability or unwillingness to advance this endeavor was cited by USA Rugby CEO Nigel Melville as the main reason for his termination. But, to be fair, the NCAA initiative has been relatively stagnant for over a decade.

In one big area, the College Premier Division/League/DI-A, it’s hard to tell whether or not Bell succeeded. Before judging Bell’s success with it, we must first try to understand his role in it. The CPD was not a Bell invention. It was handed to him when he took the job in Boulder. So his role was not founder.

It’s clear his role was commissioner. He led the charge of drawing conference lines, devising the competition and coming up with its structure. For all intents and purposes, he succeeded. Conferences made sense, and games were well played and well staged. Leagues were fairly drawn up, and the record-keeping part of operation was a big step forward for USA Rugby. Matt Trenary, the father of the Competition Management System, deserves a big pat on the back for that.

There were two major complaints about the CPD’s first go-round, both surrounding the playoffs: the travel scenario was unfair and costly for Eastern teams, and the playoffs weren’t profitable or fiscally responsible for the teams involved.

The former has to be considered a wash. The semifinals were held in Colorado to make them cheaper and easier to broadcast. The latter is a valid complaint, but not one I believe Bell had anything to do with. When it came time to either cut Cal and BYU in on the gate from the final at Rio Tinto or not, I find it hard to believe Bell was the one making the decision.

Another CPD problem was a severe lack of sponsorship. Some CPD coaches have said they were told significant sponsorships would help subsidize increased costs. Those sponsorships didn’t come to fruition. But, Melville is on record saying Bell’s job was not to get sponsors, but create the product to be sponsored. I believe he did that.

In all, I think it’s fair to say the Bell era at USA Rugby was neither a failure nor a resounding success.

How Does USA Rugby Make the Post-Bell Era a Raving Success?
Take the load off of one pair of shoulders. The high school/youth department at USA Rugby has three full-time staffers. The college department needs at least two.

Bell and the Women’s Strategic Committee suggested hiring someone to specifically oversee the NCAA initiative. I think that could be a good idea, with a tweak. I would hire someone to oversee the varsity initiative, as it pertains to both men’s and women’s programs.

Men’s faux-varsity or full varsity programs have been growing at a faster rate than women’s lately. That’s OK. Men’s varsity programs are a great thing, too. Dan Payne recently told RUGBYMag that he’s contacted regularly by schools considering creating a varsity rugby program. He should field those calls, but USA Rugby should have someone to take that interest and run with it. Especially now, when colleges are looking as hard as ever for new revenue streams. Low-cost sports programs are just that.

If the DI-A competition should continue to exist next spring, which many don’t believe it will, the coaches need to form their own committees to handle some of the day-to-day business, or allow the competitions committee that deals with the rest of men’s college rugby to take part. A college director shouldn’t be bogged down with things like scheduling or social media.

A college director’s job should be championing the great sport, and helping move it forward. Bell’s successor should be hands on when it comes to the restructure, helping teams get into conferences, helping conferences solve their problems, etc.

What are some things almost every college program in America struggles with? Recruiting, facilities, funding and liaising with their campus administrations. A college director should be finding ways to help teams help themselves in these areas.

Finally, marketing and shopping the college game needs to improve. College rugby is the most marketable product, other than maybe 7s, USA Rugby has. There is value in it, but that value is untapped. USA Rugby’s new college director can’t be solely responsible for this. The signers of checks and budget makers need to be heavily involved, surely. But, the college director should be an asset in the process.


 
Written by Alex Goff    Friday, 27 January 2012 13:56    PDF Print E-mail
Rock Off to Oz

Rock in action for Glendale. Hennie Strydom photo.Towering Glendale Raptor lock forward Casey Rock is off to play in Australia.

Rock will be joining the University of Queensland program, and hopes to use that experience as a springboard into USA contention.

“I obviously haven't been guaranteed a spot, and the club fields four men's sides, so I'm preparing for a lot of hard work in order to work my way up the ladder,” Rock told RUGBYMag.com. “I'm confident in my abilities and where I am physically right now, though,  so my hopes are high.”

Having achieved his teaching degree, Rock will actually be concentrating on rugby on this trip.

“My main focus heading down there is the mental side of the game,” he said. “You can always improve your skills and knowledge, but a more specific goal for this trip is to improve my decision-making process and learn more about the subtleties of how the game works and flows in order to put myself in a better position to help the team. Playing with guys like Alec Parker and Hayden Mexted this year helped a ton with that aspect of my game, but here in the states we just don't play enough rugby in a season to maximize learning opportunities like that.”

Rock said he wants to be an Eagle. He had a good club season in 2011 and felt he played well against the USA Selects during the Eagle buildup for the World Cup. Now he wants more.

“I think a season or so of playing frequently at a high level will give me the tools to make that a reality<’ he said.


 
Written by RUGBYMag.com Staff    Friday, 27 January 2012 13:41    PDF Print E-mail
Coach Talk: Tony Smeeth Goes on the Attack

Tony Smeeth, middle, with two of his Trinity players who later became Eagles, Scott LaValla (left) and Pat Danahy (right). Ed Hagerty photo.Bruce McLane talks with Trinity Head Coach and former USA U19 Head Coach Tony Smeeth about attacking rugby.

This excellent hour-long interview is available to RUGBYMag.com Premier Members.

Register to read more...
 
Written by Alex Goff    Friday, 27 January 2012 13:14    PDF Print E-mail
Premier Articles Jan 25-27

Premier Members at RUGBYMag.com can see what Alex Goff has to say about the current USA 7s squad.

Read about Waisale Serevi's views on the evolution of international 7s.

Explore how Lindenwood University has started so well.

Look at the four men left in the search for a new Men's 15s Eagles coach

And Bruce McLane talks attacking rugby with Tony Smeeth (Audio Interview)


 
Written by Waisale Serevi    Friday, 27 January 2012 13:08    PDF Print E-mail
King's Corner: Talkin’ Bout an Evolution……

This is the 6th King's Corner column from 7s legend Waisale Serevi. This time he talks about the amazing evolution of 7s as a global sport.

I just finalized my tickets to Las Vegas for this year’s USA Sevens Tournament at Sam Boyd Stadium February 10-12. Some of my colleagues here at Serevi™ will play in this event and I admit to some pangs of jealousy! Already several years removed from my 21-year international career, I still miss elite competition.

Register to read more...
 
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Page 1 of 559

College

Cougars Stomp Wildcats

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Paced by a sterling effort from their massive forwards, Brigham Young University... Read More

BYU Scores Dominant Win Over CWU

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Brigham Young University started its Northwest tour with an impressive 76-7 win ... Read More

Irvine, UCSB Highlight PMWC Weekend

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The game of the week in the Pacific Mountain West Conference features UC Irvine ... Read More

Florida State Hosts Life Saturday

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The Life Running Eagles, in the midst of preparation for the CRC Qualifier in La... Read More

Aztecs Relishing Match With DI-A Arizona

San Diego State hosts Arizona in a friendly Saturday. Last year, this match up w... Read More

National Teams

Eagles for New Zealand, Las Vegas Named

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CHULA VISTA, Calif. – USA Men’s Eagles Head Coach, Al Caravelli, announced t... Read more...

Caravelli Adds One to Camp Roster

USA 7s coach Al Caravelli announced on Ruggamatrix America last week 18 players ... Read more...

Paterson Pinged for Pain Killer Use at RWC

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BOULDER, Colo. -- The International Rugby Board (IRB) confirmed today Friday tha... Read more...

Defensive Specialist in 7s Camp

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USA 7s coach Al Caravelli has not been shy about importing some help to the Olym... Read more...

Coaching Search Nearing an End?

USA Rugby CEO Nigel Melville said during a November edition of Ruggamatrix Ameri... Read more...

International

Win for Oxford and Asbun

The Oxford University Rugby Club opened their 2012 campaign with a victory over ... Read more...

6 Nations Again on BBC America

The RBS 6 Nations Rugby Championship, one of Europe’s biggest annual sporting ... Read more...

New Qualifications for Women's World Cup

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From IRB.comThe road to Women’s Rugby World Cup 2014 in France will begin with... Read more...

European Glory for American Players

Hayden Smith and Chris Wyles both came on as subs to help Saracens avoid an upse... Read more...

Eagles Need Wins to Stay Afloat in H-Cup

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If the Heineken Cup Quarterfinals started today, only one club boasting an Ameri... Read more...

College Sevens

Life Looking for More 7s Glory

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Life University is looking to make it three major 7s tournaments in a row, as th... Read more...

CRC Qualifier: Alex, Pat Pick Pool by Pool

CONFERENCE 1 POOL APat: Life is the easy pick in Pool A, and I like things that ... Read more...

CRC Qualifier Pools, Schedule Set

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The pools and schedule for the Collegiate Rugby Championship qualifier bracket o... Read more...

Order of Finish - Collegiate 7s

Order of finish for the men's collegiate 7s held Dec 16-17, 2011(Won-Loss record... Read more...

7s Nationals Men's All-Tourney Team

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This list is not a suggestion for who should get looks at a 7s All American camp... Read more...

Sevens

Life Looking for More 7s Glory

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Life University is looking to make it three major 7s tournaments in a row, as th... Read more...

Elite 7s Pools, Schedule Set

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The Elite 7s bracket has grown tremendously this year to include not only some o... Read more...

CRC Qualifier: Alex, Pat Pick Pool by Pool

CONFERENCE 1 POOL APat: Life is the easy pick in Pool A, and I like things that ... Read more...

24 Named to USA Women's 7s Teams

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USA 7s Women's coach Ric Suggitt has named the 24 women who will represent the U... Read more...

Vegas is Home Turf for Kenya

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Undoubtedly the largest fan base that turns out to cheer on Kenya during the nin... Read more...

RUGBYMAG.COM BLOG

Rugby Magazine Publishes Year in Review!

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Rugby Magazine's Year in Review for 2011 is up! If you are a print subscriber (and thus converted to Premier Membership) or a Premier Member already, you can see it right now!We list our year-end awards (Part 2 will have features about them), an interview with USA Rugby Vice-Chair Bob Latham, and re... Read more...

USA 7s Touts Economic Impact

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The USA 7s will keep coming back to Vegas. So said USA 7s Executive VP Dan Lyle in the latest edition of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Writing in the business section of the newspaper, reporter Laura Carroll spoke with Lyle about the economic impact of the USA 7s tournament. Lyle said he wanted to i... Read more...

Boeing Jet Goes All Black

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Air New Zealand has revealed the world’s largest commercially operated aircraft to be painted completely black.  World Champion All Blacks rugby players Kieran Read and Andy Ellis ceremonially led the one-of-a-kind Boeing 777-300ER aircraft out of Boeing’s paint hangar facility in Seattle o... Read more...