Through the month of December, we'll revisit some of our favorite photos from 2011, unveiling one per day. Some will draw upon memorable events during the course of the past year, some will simply be a great action shot, and together they'll form a nice picture of the last 12 months of rugby.

Although 2011 will be remembered as the year when New Zealand won the Rugby World Cup on home turf, the year had humbler beginnings in the USA. The 27th Annual Kickoff Tournament in Sacramento, CA, hosted area high school and youth teams for two days of rugby. The day was highlighted by a spirited co-ed youth match on day two, as depicted below:

Personally, my favorite photos depict ballcarriers offloading in the tackle, making eye contact with a support runner, face serene despite the force of the tackler or awkwardness of the pass. Here, the ballcarrier looks mildly panicked, but calm enough for a youth player, as the defender focuses on his next target. Thanks to Ray Dobson at Dobson Images for lending the photo.