A Gainline.us reader whose son is an aspiring college player writes to ask how athletes from smaller or unheralded teams can make the All-Americans?
Normally I look at things from a management point of view, but the parental perspective is worth considering, since adults often underwrite student-athlete costs, and thus a large part of USARFU's dues income.
The correspondent is a foreign national and so well-versed in rugby. 'I still do not understand the way USA Rugby is organized. But my question is very simple: What is the next step for him if there is not [a path to the] collegiate All American team??'
My reply:
Matt Sherman of Stanford is the coach of the All-American team. Although USARFU this spring eliminated collegiate representative competition, there were unidentified scouts evaluating players. According to Sherman, there was one scout for each of the Division 1 conferences, which means that somebody was to be keeping track of [excised].
… Last month USARFU released a list of 2012 All-Americans and invited many to a trials camp this week in Houston (in conjunction with the Italian international). The camp will yield a squad that will undertake an unspecified tour of Ireland in August.
Who is in camp? The trials roster was released today, although players' positions (along with such basics as height and weight) were not identified; nor are these found on USARFU's web site. Therefore, if you are a lock (for example) trying to assess the standard to beat, the union is not much help.
(Also of interest: An unusually large number of first-team honorees aren't in Houston, including no one from champion Brigham Young.)
Similar conditions pertain at the high school level. This December the union staged a winter assembly but would not release a roster. In February, USARFU devoted some fanfare to announcing an 'Eagle Academy', as well as a summer schedule. When asked for details, 'Nothing I want to share regarding the academy structure at this stage', one official responded -- and nothing since.
So if you are a parent, you are supporting these teams but the governing body is coy about explaining who's on them and how they get there.
Turning to the Under 20 team, the USA lineup against Tonga was indeed published on Facebook, at 6.36pm Monday, or roughly a half hour after the game started, and without the players' teams. I haven't been able to find any coherent scorekeeping. The 22-11 upset win merits better.
Dartmouth fullback Madison Hughes scored an unconverted try at 75 minutes and booted 2 penalty goals in each half, according to a various sources, as the US surmounted an 11-6 second-half deficit, aided by the visitors taking simultaneous yellow cards and then a red.
Tomorrow's Junior World Trophy opponent is Chile, which upended Russia 53-19.
Mose Timoteo has been named a reserve for Saturday's match against Italy, almost six years after his most recent international, in July 2006 against Barbados. The San Francisco Golden Gate halfback debuted against Tonga in 2000 Pacific Rim match, and has 3 tries and 31 caps to his name at halfback, wing, and fullback.
Saturday's starting lineup is essentially unchanged from the Georgian win, but for wings Luke Hume and James Paterson switching sides of the field.
Collegiate All-Americans Trials Roster
Forwards: OJ Auimatagi (Life), Jordan Badia-Bellinger (Claremont), Demacus Beach (Davenport), Steyne Benade (Arkansas State), Nate Brakeley (Dartmouth), Jack Bristol (Air Force), Robert Carlson (St. Mary’s), Mike Erickson (Penn State), Alec Gletzer (UC Santa Barbara), Jamie Gregory (Kutztown), Ryan Hargraves (Davenport), Robert Hayslip (Arkansas State), John Hellman (Penn State), Jamie Kelm (San Diego State), James Lynch (Life), Glen Maricelli (Life), Alex Menke (Stanford), Jake Mizell (Arkansas State), Nick Mostyn (Utah), Shaun Potgieter (Arkansas State), Seamus Seifring (Navy), Mike Shepherd (Utah), Lester Soloai (Utah), Nick Svob (Arizona)
Backs: Jake Anderson (UC Berkeley), Paul Bosco (UC Berkeley), Joe Cowley (Life), Nick Evans (Tennessee), James Gallo (UC Santa Barbara), Dean Gericke (Arkansas State), Mathius Harris (Lindenwood), Luke Hickey (Ohio State), Matthew Jensen (Western Washington), Kalei Konrad (San Diego State), Tonata Lauti (Utah), Jack McCaullife (Navy), Jake McFadden (Life), Tim Maupin (St. Mary’s), Conor Mils (Texas A&M), Zac Mizell (Arkansas State), Cody Naber (Arizona), Chris Saint (Penn State), Sam Sirrell (UCLA), Tim Stanfill (Central Washington), Pat Sullivan (Arkansas State), Darrian Woodson (Life)
United States v Italy
Chris Wyles (Saracens); James Paterson (Glendale Raptors), Paul Emerick (Wasps), Andrew Suniula (Cornish Pirates), Luke Hume (Old Blue); Roland Suniula (Chicago Griffins), Mike Petri (New York Athletic Club); Shawn Pittman (London Welsh), Chris Biller (Northampton), Eric Fry (Wellington Old Boys), Louis Stanfill (New York Athletic Club), Bryan Doyle (New York Athletic Club), Taylor Mokate (Wellington Old Boys), Scott Lavalla (Stade Francais), Todd Clever (captain, NTT Shining Arcs)
Reserves: Derek Asbun (Oxford Univ.), Mike MacDonald (undeclared), Tolifili Liufau (L'Uson), Andrew Durutalo (USA 7s); Mose Timoteo (San Francisco Golden Gate), Will Holder (United States Military Academy), Colin Hawley (USA 7s)
Took the munchkins to the USA MNT meet & greet tonight (Staged by SBRO RugbyTexas). The team seemed ready to take the pitch and upbeat about their time together. Very positive experience.
Posted by: Grant Cole | 21 June 2012 at 20:39
Italy by 14
Posted by: Beagles | 21 June 2012 at 20:41
How is this performance by USA Rugby as our national governing body acceptable?
Because we allow it to be.
The solution is simple, yet something which apathy stands in the way of.
This, in part, is why Play Rugby was created by an outside entity, high school rugby is largely a SBO, and also why college rugby is walking away from USA Rugby and it's competitions. So why pay dues?
No matter which side of the coin you side, there are facts of the matter.
Posted by: Continually Amazed | 21 June 2012 at 21:07
Interesting, Lowey is actually being generous to the Eagles this time. I think we'd do well to lose by 14. I didn't see it, but apparently Italy eviscerated the Canadian pack.
I don't think it is disrespectful to acknowledge that a low Tier 2 team just isn't in the same class as a Tier 1 team.
Posted by: Can't win 'em all | 21 June 2012 at 21:40
I meant 41. Damn Dyslexia !
Posted by: Beagles | 21 June 2012 at 23:55
Your predition against Georgia was spot on Beagles.
Posted by: I played drek rugby - and loved it | 22 June 2012 at 09:04
Anyone know the inside story on the West Coast D1-A conference being cooked up?
Posted by: CollegeRugger | 22 June 2012 at 13:17
RE: IRB U20 Support for USA
Tonga plays Monday evening after a Father's Day Sunday and there are massive crowds. USA plays on Friday evening and stadium is 1/3 full. WTF?
Posted by: Come On! | 22 June 2012 at 17:08
Most the crowd for the USA match are in red because they were their to support Tonga who played earlier on Friday. Maybe 300 true USA supporters in the crowd.
Posted by: Come On! | 22 June 2012 at 17:10
US under 20s s--t stomping Chile!
Posted by: lv_rugger | 22 June 2012 at 17:38
Nice win for the U 20's. Chile made them work a bit in the 2nd half but the boys were up to the task. They have a clear desire to move the ball about and have a couple very very good players on that side. What was Beagles prediction on this one?
Here is hoping for a surprise in Houston tomorrow!
Posted by: I played drek rugby - and loved it | 22 June 2012 at 18:51
Someone has a crush on Beaagles!
Posted by: Realist | 22 June 2012 at 19:00
Great job USA U20s...nice victory.
Sergio Parisse & Mike Tolkin on-stage (at the same time) with Emcee George Hook at the Lost Afternoon IV luncheon in Houston today. Parisse admitted the Azzuri are not happy in our trademark heat and humidity combo (perhaps this will bode well for drek's hopes!). I think they'll be less happy with 17,000 folks chanting, "U-S-A!"
Posted by: Grant Cole | 22 June 2012 at 19:22
George Hook is a parasite. One of the worst personalities in world rugby.
Posted by: Potato Pusher | 22 June 2012 at 20:07
That's a pretty impressive result against a Chile team that dominated Russia in their previous game. Looking good for finishing the pool stages.
Posted by: Working Class Rugger | 22 June 2012 at 20:37
@Cole
Yeah. After playing at Twickenham in front of 80K+ singing Swing Low or at the Millennium Stadium in front of 70K+ singing or at the Stade de France in front of....you get the point. Those 17K slobs chanting an acronym is going to be scary!
Posted by: Goggles Paisano | 22 June 2012 at 21:50
In the buildup to the JWRT Chile also beat the Argentinian U19 team, which makes this result all the more impressive
http://www.irb.com/jwrt/news/newsid=2062788.html#chile+ready+redemption
Posted by: collegenine | 22 June 2012 at 21:54
Here are the scoring highlights for the Jr. Eagles against Chile.
http://youtu.be/L3tomzH5TeA
Posted by: M.O. | 22 June 2012 at 22:49
@collegenine
Not really because when that game took place there were 11 U19 eligible Argentine players with the U20 side in South Africa for the JWC.
It's a win, but nothing to get too excited about.
Posted by: Reality Bites | 22 June 2012 at 22:51
The u 20s put 56 points on the board and left 10 at least on the table. They have beaten Canada twice and shocked Tonga . Yes, it is something to get excited about.
Posted by: Grumpy rugger | 23 June 2012 at 04:44
@realitybites
When you consider the vast differences in the playing numbers, standards and development prospects of any Argentine player in comparison to his Chilean counterpart. Beating an even 2nd string Argentine U19s is a very encouraging effort.
Posted by: Working Class Rugger | 23 June 2012 at 05:37
If the Eagles (or any variation thereof - age grade, 7's etc) were to beat the All Blacks by 3 points many of the people that post here would:
1. Claim that it was not a full side team that the All Blacks fielded so therefore the victory was tainete
2. Three points was not a large enough victory against a team that is from such a small country
3. That everything and anyone to do with US Rugby sucks.
Not necessarily in that order ....
This has been as encouraging a month of rugby for the US in how long? Aligned with a revitalized Eagle 7's effort I'd say all in all thinks are not so bad.
Posted by: I played drek rugby - and loved it | 23 June 2012 at 08:42
If the Italians don't love the heat and humidity of Houston (does anyone?) I don't see how that confers any advantage to us. It's not like our team typically spends a lot of time training and playing their either.
Last week there was an official USA Rugby tweet taunting the Georgian's for fading late because they couldn't handle the altitude. Somehow there is this attitude out there (not confined to this board or to rugby) that physical conditions of a match (high elevation one week, heat and humidity the next) automatically favor the home team. A lot of the time, that attitude is nonsense.
Posted by: Hot for everyone | 23 June 2012 at 10:17
@Working Class Rugger
Sorry if facts get in the way, but by your logic the U20 win over Chile means little as the USA has 10 times more U20 eligible males than Chile.
Posted by: Reality Bites | 23 June 2012 at 12:25
If you follow USA Rugby on Twitter, you will notice that for the last couple days they retweet everything and blow up your feed with basically spam. This is a social media marketing 101 "don't do", but I am not surprised. They are so amateur in so many ways.
Posted by: Reality Bites | 23 June 2012 at 12:59
@collegerugger
It is insane is what it is. D1A rugby is so diluted it needs to rethink what they are trying to accomplish.
A West Coast D1A conference comprising former D2 and D1AA teams is a ridiculous misuse of the term D1A and high performance funds. The D1A fight for survival has turned into a watered down mess. These aren't even the best D2-D1AA teams (along with a few D1A clunkers) which are making the jump to the so called best level of college rugby. In some cases these teams stink from a performance and organizational view. Some of the newest teams are the proverbial fratboy drinking sides. What they see by joining 1A is they are going to get some of the USAR HP grant money being passed out.
In the past no one had ever asked Sam Houston and Loyola if they wanted to be D1A. Now the red carpet is being rolled out.
Right when 1A needs to shrink to quality in order to survive they open the door to anyone who wants to join a D1A conference. The individuals working the strategy are the paid sports administrators of USAR's college division.
Remaining in D1A before the expansion were a few good teams including the mid-south conference of two teams and lots of clunkers. Add to this group one good team in Davenport and more than a dozen new bad teams. What you have is a competitively mismatched, expensive, unmarketable, resource drain. Oh, and some new USAR college salary positions.
USAR would be better off just giving all $250,000 to Life for scholarships. This plan would create more Eagles than funding rec ball leagues.
Posted by: college | 23 June 2012 at 13:15
Reality Bites: Really? I for one enjoy seeing all the messages of support going out to the team. I think the rugby community is excited for this match, so why not show it on twitter for eff sakes? It's not like twitter is the most serious of social networking tools.
Grow up man. It's only a tweet. Get over it.
Posted by: Tweet this | 23 June 2012 at 13:23
@college
Can you name the programs and what conference and division they are going into? It would provide context.
Posted by: Confused | 23 June 2012 at 13:24
Sorry you're in the stoneage, but Twitter is probably the most powerful social media marketing tool that exists.
Regardless, retweets are a great tool. Say Russell Crowe tweets about the USA vs. Italy game and USA Rugby retweets. Great use of retweet. Retweet 20 tweets of people saying Eagles Rules! and people either unfollow you or turn of retweets thus diminishing the potential of your Twitter account to reach people.
Posted by: Reality Bites | 23 June 2012 at 13:34
Who wants to see this in their Twitter feed all within a couple minutes?
51m Kristin R. @StarsAtNightTX
U.S., Italy to square off in rugby match at BBVA Compass Stadium - Houston Chronicle http://www.chron.com/sports/article …
Retweeted by USA Rugby
54m Brad F @Head67hunteR
@USAEaglesRugby can't wait to watch the game. #beatitaly Winona, MN is here supporting!
Retweeted by USA Rugby
53m Marc Johnson @Marc___Johnson
Lets go @USAEaglesRugby #BeatItaly and have fun!!
Retweeted by USA Rugby
1h Carl Turcotte @CarlTurcotte007
Saturday's a rugby day. Go @USAEaglesRugby #BeatItaly
Retweeted by USA Rugby
52m eric j cleveland @ecgetty
@USAEaglesRugby Let's go boys #BeatItaly
Retweeted by USA Rugby
50m MR ugby @MRrugbyworldcup
Victory over Italy this weekend could make the @USAEaglesRugby the biggest climbers in the IRB Rankings – up from 17th to15 #BeatItaly
Retweeted by USA Rugby
48m Matthew Schmitz @RugbyMD
Good luck @paulemerickiv and the rest of @USAEaglesRugby tonite! #BeatItaly #USA
Retweeted by USA Rugby
50m Caroline Craig @CeeJayCraig
Stars and Bars all day! @USAEaglesRugby #BeatItaly
Retweeted by USA Rugby
47m Taylor Kloehn @TaylorKloehn
Get after it @USAEaglesRugby! Show Italy how the US does it. #BeatItaly
Retweeted by USA Rugby
44m Garth Wakeford @HamptonsRugby
@USAEaglesRugby please RT anyone who guesses correct score from usa italy game gets a free tie from hamptonsrugby.
Retweeted by USA Rugby
1h Matthew Hansen @mfhansen
@usaeaglesrugby is today the day we put a foot in the deep end? I think so. #beatitaly #growingthegame
Retweeted by USA Rugby
1h alex lee @camlee42
@USAEaglesRugby let's go USA! #BeatItaly
Retweeted by USA Rugby
1h Jeremy Gazella @jgazella74
Ready to watch @USAEaglesRugby tonight! #BeatItaly
Retweeted by USA Rugby
1h Rick Minichino M.S. @TheTrainerRick
Is it game time yet? So ready to watch @USAEaglesRugby #BeatItaly
Retweeted by USA Rugby
1h Jarrod Dyke @shrektherugger
No one messes with us in our own house GO @USAEaglesRugby beat Italy! USA USA USA
Retweeted by USA Rugby
1h Joe Krider @Cup_of_Joe5
My family is Italian but I still bleed red, white, and blue. Go @USAEaglesRugby !! #BeatItaly #USArugby
Retweeted by USA Rugby
1h MR ugby @MRrugbyworldcup
@USAEaglesRugby I'm following all the way from Sydney Aust , let's do this and #BeatItaly .
Retweeted by USA Rugby
1h Steve Handicott @Handicott10
Come on @USAEaglesRugby you can do it!! #Believe #USA #Rugby
Retweeted by USA Rugby
1h MR ugby @MRrugbyworldcup
Good luck @USAEaglesRugby I hope you spank Italy . #BeatItaly #InANutshell
Retweeted by USA Rugby
1h Robert Tibbitt @RTibbs39
@USAEaglesRugby Lets get it today boys.
Retweeted by USA Rugby
1h Mark A Brown @Mr_Mark_Brown
A mahoosive #BeatItaly for my @USAEaglesRugby friends tonight. Get stuck in and win!
Retweeted by USA Rugby
1h Scott Spalding @Scotti5h
@USAEaglesRugby Good luck from Scotland and put one over on the Azzuri
Retweeted by USA Rugby
Posted by: Reality Bites | 23 June 2012 at 13:38
How hard is it to flick your finger and swipe past it? Honestly? I love it! It's great to see so much support! If you can't just swipe past that much stuff on Twitter, then you probably follow about 5 people.
Deal with it.
Any show of support is worth a RT on game day.
Posted by: Tweet this | 23 June 2012 at 15:00
@ Tweet this
As a CIPP paying member I would like to see USA Rugby use the marketing tools they have to their best advantage. I know you might think Twitter is a fad or something for kids, but the reality is that it is real, present and we are paying someone to manage it to its best effect for USA Rugby. Would you feel the same if USA Rugby paid to produce a TV commercial that was just trite lacked objective and just plain stupid? You do consider TV a real marketing platform, or should the analogy used radio?
Posted by: Reality Bites | 23 June 2012 at 15:15
Best tweet of the day!
3h Hugh G. Reckshun @bigboner
@USAEaglesRugby Rugby is like sex. It is best when the results leave the rod RED, the girl is WHITE and the helmet is BLUE. GO EAGLES!
Retweeted by USA Rugby
Posted by: EagleManiac! | 23 June 2012 at 15:18
Thaws RAYCESS!
Posted by: There's more to life than white women | 23 June 2012 at 16:38
*Thass...damn autotext
Posted by: There's more to life than white women | 23 June 2012 at 16:39
No scrum = no chance.
Posted by: I played drek rugby - and loved it | 23 June 2012 at 18:33
Biller is useless. Gifted Italy their first try, and can't hook a ball down the one channel if his life depends on it. Let's get some new blood in there..
Posted by: Hooked | 23 June 2012 at 18:45
Emerick = 50 tests with 20% including a card. Not good enough. New blood NOW!
Posted by: Hooked | 23 June 2012 at 19:26
Hooked - you try and strike the ball under that kind of pressure ..
Beagles ... you can now retire as the worlds worst prognosticator of scores ...
Posted by: I played drek rugby - and loved it | 23 June 2012 at 19:44
Losing 10-30 to Italy isn't the greatest thing, but realistically it's not that bad. To lose 0-10 in the second half playing most of the half without one player and 15 minutes two men down is really quite good. Quite an effort from the 13 who remained involved in the game.
So what's the deal with Houston? I know there's plenty of rugby in Texas, but (both in density and raw numbers) rugby is a lot bigger in some other regions of the country. And yet two of the biggest - or is it the two biggest - rugby crowds in US history were there. Way to support the team, Houston! If only the rest of us could match that.
Beagles was ok...if he'd have stood by his first pick.
Posted by: More tests for Houston! | 23 June 2012 at 19:54
My call was 14 points the second post was a joke. My bet with the first try netted a nice 5 digit profit. Order restored!
Posted by: Beagles | 23 June 2012 at 20:48
I have been very disappointed in the Eagles in the past. I thought we had little attack, played not to lose, and lacked any creativity.
These last two weeks I've been very impressed. We attacked, and had many shining moments. Obviously improvement needed, but all in all a good performance.
Posted by: Not a hater. | 23 June 2012 at 20:54
The numbers after the decimal don't count.
Posted by: More tests for Houston! | 23 June 2012 at 21:11
Front row = poor
9 & 10 - poor & poor
Let's get some new blood in NOW!
Posted by: Hooked | 23 June 2012 at 21:45
Canada put a much bigger scare into the Italian side. Long way to go till USA is respectable on the international stage.
Posted by: Canuck | 23 June 2012 at 22:38
Yes, that's true, but I am starting to believe we are finally moving on that long road.
Posted by: More tests for Houston! | 23 June 2012 at 23:01
"I do know that USA Basketball should have no say in the matter," Cuban said. "It’s completely separate from the NBA. They are a different financial entity. They would just be another country that could play in our tournament. Just like FIFA does the World Cup, the NBA could do a global tournament."
As Mark Cuban points out, NGBs do not, and should not, have to be involved in all aspects of a sport in this country.
Posted by: Marky mark | 23 June 2012 at 23:27
Canada scored a convincing 31-12 win over Georgia after taking a 17-0 lead they went into the locker rooms at halftime winning 23-7.
USA is still playing catch up.
Posted by: Canuck | 24 June 2012 at 00:01
So that's two posts in a row saying the same thing. No, we don't have a great team overnight, but it's a decent result for a program showing improvement.
Don't get too big a hard-on about that Georgia result either. You beat us by 3. You beat Georgia by 19; we beat them by 16. Not all that dramatically better.
Posted by: More tests for Houston! | 24 June 2012 at 00:30
Early lead let us run out some youngsters against Georgia. Building real depth up here in Canada. Hope the USA results don't tarnish the new program of tier 1 nations touring Northern America in June. Step it up neighbor.
Posted by: Canuck | 24 June 2012 at 01:02
I'm active in kids rugby and have been for a few years - to where the youngsters I recruited to the game are playing in HS level sports, and some are very good, train yr round, sport of choice, etc. 'what can I do to take my kid to the next level' is a common quesiton and one I cant really answer. You must talk to Mr. X, here is his #. He manages the union all star team. Dont know the selection process, but he should be able to tell you as his son is on the team... Dont know the standards, dont know much. My son is 8th grade, Dad, what kind of training plan should I follow? Nada on the USAR website that I can find. The USA development plan seems to be find foreign kids who have been coached elsewhere and plug them into an unknown system with a rotating cast of coaches. I dont have an answer to fix these issues, but until someone does, its hard to tell a parent with an athletic child that this is a worthwhile endeavour vs. alternate sports. This kid happens to be the son of two ACC scholarship athletes, dad went pro for a time. Dad thinks rugby is a total waste of time... this kind of 2 bit organization makes it hard to push the more talented kids to take up rugby full time.
Posted by: MIke | 24 June 2012 at 07:17
The next Eagle fly half is sitting in Grand Rapids, Michigan waiting for the phone to ring.
Need his number?
Posted by: Seen his magic from the losing end | 24 June 2012 at 09:19
Let us know when you have found a couple props.
Posted by: Grumpy rugger | 24 June 2012 at 10:23
By twitting "welcome to altitude" to Georgians, USA Rugby just confirmed the stereotype about Americans being ignorant of other nations. That's like telling Alaskans "welcome to cold".
Much of the territory of Republic of Georgia is high in the mountains.
Posted by: FrontRow | 24 June 2012 at 13:46
I watched that game, and the Georgians were clearly gassed before the US was.
Maybe someone at USA rugby has a sense of humor and is using "social" media to be "social".
How dare he. Not if I'm paying $35 a year he's not going to pull that shit.
Posted by: Twit-police | 24 June 2012 at 14:26
It was the Georgian's 3rd side.
Posted by: ამერიკელები ჰომოსექსუალები | 24 June 2012 at 14:42
No it wasn't.
And though Georgia is mountainous, Tbilisi is only at 2500. On the other hand, it's not like the Eagles mainly live at high elevation.
@Canuck - again, don't get too high and mighty about your great start against Georgia. Canada's lead at the half was 16. Ours was 20. You'd make a lot of sense if you crowed about winning the second half by 3, while we were outscored by 4. But somehow I suspect that making a rational argument is your strong suit.
@Mike, I'm not suggesting that what you described is not an actual problem, but if you take a longer view things are improving. 15 years ago our problems in youth rugby (barely existing in most of the country) were even worse. Hopefully in 15 years people will be complaining about serious problems that we can only dream about having. And seeing progress over recent years, and the passion and dedication of so many people (forget Nigel, it's the anonymous work of thousands of us nobodies that will make the real progress) I have little doubt that we will achieve it.
Posted by: More tests for Houston! | 24 June 2012 at 15:56
Real journalism - http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/jun/24/american-sports-fans-warming-rugby
Rugby Magazine's take - http://rugbymag.com/goff-on-rugby/5129-goffonrugby-referee-ruins-great-night-of-rugby.html
Posted by: We Need A New Rugby Media | 24 June 2012 at 16:21
Goff's article was an embarassment. A sreious analysis of the match would show that the Eagles did some things well and others not so well. The second half was, unfortunately, a write off due to the sending off's. The match was a foregone conclusion once Siniulu was sent off.
Looking at the first 50 or so minutes the Eagles did well retaining possession in the loose, looked more creative in attack (theirs was the best try of the game) and other than the first line out - which was a disaster - effective in this facet.
The scrum remains a huge issue. It cost the Eagles a a try and just as importantly, limited the attacking opportunities the Eagles had. Rugby Union still revolves around the set piece (thank god) and the Eagles need to master this fascet of the game.
Finally, decision making is questionable. When the Eagles had a penalty in the first half they chose to kick for points. I for one wsa screaming for them to go for the corner and get a try. Was anyone surprised when the kick was missed. A similar decision was made in the second half. Two opportunities go for tries with nothing to show for it. Wyles is NOT a goal kicker. Neither were close to lock solid shots at goal. Why not go for the try? It's not like there were going to be that many opportunities to begin with.
The Eagles can take away a hard fought damage limitation effort. Which, unfortunately, is not something to be overly proud of ....
Posted by: I played drek rugby - and loved it | 24 June 2012 at 19:00
Geez. It's an editorial, not a match report. And, most rugby enthusiasts I've talked to agree with much (not all) of what he has to say regarding this match.
There are plenty of opinions and reports from Goff that I don't agree with but this isn't one of them.
It was extremely unfortunate for the players and the 17k that showed up expecting an international level match.
Posted by: General Eisenhower | 24 June 2012 at 20:19
Alex Goff is a rugby blogger in a country where rugby is not covered by the sports desks at legit news organizations. If rugby gets big enough, goofs like Goff will be insignificant.
Posted by: Goof on Rugby | 24 June 2012 at 22:26
So what is the net-net of the college rugby meetings that happen in Houston?
Posted by: CollegeRugger | 24 June 2012 at 22:52
Call me optimistic... but how about Junior World Championship 2014 (only because France already has 2013). Or if that is not feasible how about 2015 or 2016?
Posted by: Shaun Shepard | 25 June 2012 at 13:59