Eagle spur to Super League video program

A stalled Super League video initiative could regather steam at the national team's behest.

RSL teams will be newly spurred to upload match footage to a central repository, as Eddie O'Sullivan's crew looks to systematically assess and compare Eagle squad candidates. Announced two years ago, the league's program initially aimed to facilitate opposition scouting, but has been hindered by teams struggling to deliver usable material.

O'Sullivan's push offers the inducement of having one's players regularly evaluated, a prospect that has been otherwise reduced by the disbandment of the Inter-Territorial Tournament and the narrowing of the USA Selects to a squad of 30 that competes in the fall. 

Most of the primary domestic sports share game footage, with the organizing body facilitating swaps and enforcing compliance. USARFU's high-performance program hasn't really pushed the matter since Tom Billups left, although most of the national teams now film and study their own matches. 

Some Division 1 and college teams also will be encouraged to participate, but the footage likely won't be available for sharing because there's little expectation of broad participation, according to Eagle assistant Dave Hodges. That could be seen as penalizing the contributors. 

The Eagle forwards coach, who recently left his Denver Barbarians post to focus on national team responsibilities, will take charge of the video and statistical analysis.

Comments

[Pathway to where ?]

I guess my club better get some video sent in;

USA Rugby dump the ITT/All Stars because we are replacing with with something much better.

After much fanfare and hundreds of thousands of wasted dollars, the NA4 is a bust.

After Melville talks up the new ARC, it is a smaller joke (less expensive) version of the NA4.

I understand the eagle coach lives in Ireland, so he isn't going to be very accessible is he ?

If my club doesn't send in video, how do I get looked at ? Can someone explain to me my pathway to an eagle jersey ?

[RSL is the way]

Yeah, play in the RSL.

The RSL is far from perfect but it is by far the best club competition we have right now. We need an elite competition where our best players can play against each other and improve. Like it or not we need a top competition with a limited number of teams so that our talent pool isn't diluted. For this to happen we need incentives for players to play in the RSL and this is a great start. I think the next step is to make it mandatory for any domestic based eagle to play in the RSL in order to qualify for the eagles.

I know a lot of people aren't fond of the RSL but you have to realize that the way forward is to improve this league, not abolish it and start over.

[Not So Super]

Please save the lame "must play RSL" speech!
Players should play where they will receive the best coaching, structure, and overall club rugby experience.
Our best Eagles Coach, Tom Billups, never required players to play in the RSL.
What is the big deal with sending in video anyway? Good programs should have a system in place for videoing their matches...make an extra DVD and mail it in.

[Dickie Boy]

What? No one is bashing Pearl City for dropping to D-III? Is it because we are in the middle of a weekend? What's wrong here?

[crashtheline7]

Elite teams that don't dilute the player pool are called select sides. Club rugby is club rugby where Eagles play alongsie Beagles and then the best get selected to represent their region in an extended competition. No not a one weekend NASC/ITT, but a 8-10 game comp. RSL is only making other clubs weak with its 6 game schedule, constant eligibility SNAFUs, player poaching etc etc. Read Alex Goff's opinion piece here: http://www.rugbymag.com/features/opinions/goffonrugby-my-plan-for-a-new-club-structure.aspx

Maybe not the total answer, but a start.

[Things that make you go hmmmmm]

Wasn't Melville touting Pearl City to join the RSL? Why even have a D3?

[just one problem]

I agree if you want to be an Eagles you should need to play for a RSL team.

Now that we have that settled we'll need to work on explaining why St Mary's beats Santa Monica, BYU pumps Denver and Cal beats OMBAC and NYAC. What should we do with these college kids? What will we do when Army, Navy, ASU, Penn State, Utah, San Diego State, Cal Poly, etc, all start beating these RSL clubs routinely?

[RSL is the way]

Most those wins are against out of season RSL teams not playing their full sides. Not taking anything away from college rugby as I agree it is our strongest competition right now.

That being said the answer is to strengthen the RSL. The best way to do that is to have our best players playing in the RSL. There is a lot of work to be done with the RSL but it is still our best option moving forward.

[small market]

We sometimes like to pretend rugby is bigger in isth country than it is. Anyone see that 2 new us rugby sites bit the dust after about 3 months of trying to build a following? rugbyunited.com was a facebook for rugby type site that was started by Joe Welch and some other Cal alums. rugbyamerica.net was another news site and had a slick format, but in no way matched the news production of americanrugbynews and rugbymag.

So 2 sites that obviously weren't cheap to start up go as quickly as they came. We are once again left with 2 news sites (arn and rugbymag) and a handful of blogs including this one. A clear indication of how small the domestic rugby fan market is.

To answer the above questions, An RSL type league is a must but it needs a huge jolt in quality players and fans. It has zero of the latter. And college graduates only play for it if they can get a good job through the club.

The key, as it has always been, is college rugby. It is our best league and here's hoping that the USCRA is the body that finally delivers a marketable product that can FINALLY wake up the sleeping giant and get this american rugby revolution going.

[SD Hitman]

USAR/Coach O'Sullivan

Please evaluate the attached video in consideration for my selection to the Eagle pool. My skills at the breakdown are exceptional and no one can compete with me when ball goes to ground. Thank you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDgDTEy6yfc

[RugbyAmerica]

I'm glad you enjoyed the slick format on Rugby America. I always underestimated how much people liked the site. You are correct in your assessment of the rugby market though. In a small market, it was impossible for both rugbyUnited and RA to keep up content level. Being the new guys on the block we formed a quick bond and worked together on multiple ideas. I can't speak for them, but in my case it was certainly hard to keep up a professional type website without making any money doing so. I knew the risks going in, but American rugby needs another news outlet and I was willing to take a chance to see if it could work. Talk about a labor of love. It was fun, I got to know some great rugby people, and I learned a lot. Fortunately, in my case, it didn't cost much to get rolling. Now, if you count time as money, the 8 months I spent working 20 or so hours per week on the site certainly stacked up.

That said, I still own the domains and have moved rugbyamerica.net back to it's roots as a blog. I lost pretty much all of my content in the switch (a very sad day and lesson to always back things up before you move files), but I am back at it, just at a more realistic pace.

Sorry to derail the conversation about the RSL. My thoughts? Hard to say, I enjoy covering the RSL (and will continue to). There are lots of great people involved, but it is what it is. I don't think it will ever evolve into a professional competition, but the clubs involved are committed to it. If they want to burden the costs, then more power to them. The Eagles can't be picky though with talent. It shouldn't matter where someone plays (RSL, college, D1, whatever). If they are good enough, they should get the opportunity.

[JustPlay]

"It shouldn't matter where someone plays (RSL, college, D1, whatever). If they are good enough, they should get the opportunity."

+1

[bruce mclane]

Rob Holder is the guest on this week's www.ruggamatrixusa.com show.

He has some interesting points that could lead to decent discussion.

I personally would like to see most eagle pool players playing in the RSL, but that being said, there are often circumstances that prevent that, geography, being a student, choice that you believe a D1 team is a better fit for you.

Bottom line is that players will be allowed to play wherever they want until they are paid a stipend.

Ideally people should play in the RSL, but the RSL must also provide an experience that attracts the elite players from the school game and other sports. It is a 2 way street. Teams are working at it at all levels, the RSL will get the players if the experience playing in the comp is worth it to the players.

[Squeaky]

Keep plugin' Bruce
I know you think the squeaky wheel gets the oil
:-)

[Flynn Hagerty]

RIP Bill McLaren.

[Ray Viers]

Vale Bill McLaren - simply the best at his craft. He always told the story, not just called the game. Something I aspire to.

[My Dinner With Andre The Giant]

Totally off topic, Ray, but I was tremendously impressed with the job you did calling the Beaumont-Northern State final last year. Your ability to call the game, tell a story, and your ease with identifying the players and saying their names correctly (even the tricky ones) helped make that webcast look extremely professional. Between you and Vizard, as well as the graphics and production values, it could have been on ESPN and come off as good as anything else.