College championship the beginning of the end

For leading college teams as well as USARFU, this year's championship tournament looms as the beginning of the end as we've known it.

Even while the Super League of leading senior clubs is looking frail, a collegiate premier league (CPL) appears primed for launch in 2011. The nationwide competition is to comprise 32 schools competing in a uniform regular season and sharing the proceeds of commercial revenue, according to people familiar with planning.

Over the past 30 years, national championships have been USARFU's primary attraction for American teams and players, but these days the participants are taking matters into their own hands. Putting aside organizational problems inherent in the territorial system and the back-to-back match format, the feeling is the time has come for teams to stop paying most of the costs while the union retains sponsorship dollars.

In addition to the CPL, an independently managed collegiate 7s championship is to debut in June, with national broadcast costs paid by NBC. Meanwhile, the third-party division 3 tournament is gathering steam, in part because the National Small College Rugby Organization features a comprehensible eligibility policy adopted from federal school size standards. 

Next up could be a proliferation of state high school championships, along the lines of California's title match.

While USARFU may sanction or simply coexist with such events, there's little justification for trying to suppress them. The new competitions primarily evidence teams taking the initiative to create better and more equitable playing structures, not outside commercial interests looking to circumvent well-established, universally beneficial systems.

But, last fall an outburst over All-American selections and training morphed into a potential breakaway organization, the US College Rugby Association. For Boulder, that is a more significant threat because it lays claim to dues revenue.

Details of the CPL transition are unknown. For senior teams, the path wasn't clear for several years: identical RSL XVx could compete for both the Super League title and the Division 1 championship. Aspen claimed each in 1997.

Ironically, this year's collegiate final four could be more interesting than most. Brigham Young, which last season broke through for its first title, faces an Army squad that squeaked past Utah, the only college side to upend the Cougars so far in 2010.

In the other contest, Arkansas State, which features foreign-born players whose experience belies the school's first semifinals appearance, meets a Cal team that has often chosen to field reservists in the Friday game. But the Bears uncharacteristically surrendered the lead in the second half of last year's finals loss to BYU, suggesting that depth and stamina will be a finely balanced question.

Comments

[Ark. St. Model]

Looks like the Arkansas St. model is catching on:

Subject: Kennesaw State Rugby.
Date: Fri, 30 Apr 2010 05:53:26 +1000
From: david conyers

Hi Guys, just a note to spread the word.

That if you know anyone that wants to go to uni here in America and play rugby.We now have a coaching staff of 6,Randy Joseph (usa), head coach and prior coach of Georgia select and USA south collegiate selects.Phil Blight who is Welsh and played againt the wallabies for Pontypool back in the early 80's and also coached life to a national championship,Eddie Miene South African who was involved with the bulls,Brian Prater(usa) who also is a practitioner and medical man and myself who coached at nsw country level for many years with youth teams, I now also am on the staff of the Georgia select state collegiate team, both in 15s and 7s.This Sunday the university opens up its new 16.2 million dollar soccer and rugby stadium, full synthetic pitches, tv grade lighting, fully equipped indoor training facility and gym.What I am saying is that we arent to far way from the resources of a super 14 franchise.The club is only 4 years old and this year we won our first playoff game ever beating USF florida, a number 4 ranked team, WE WERE CATAPULTED FROM 64TH RANKED IN THE NATION TO 18TH.

The university has a student population of 23000, covering all faculties, to come here you will need a F1 visa, which will give you 5 years to complete your degree.The school here is also ranked number one in the nation as the best adult learner facility. I have come here as a 51 year old, coaching rugby and doing a full time degree in sports management.The school has an excellent reputation here in the states, with its business faculty highly recognised.It also boasts an incredible nursing resource.The 3500 seat food facility is the absolute best i have ever seen,it caters for most nationalities and is super health and waste conscious.The school boasts 20 clubs sports over its varsity sports, you can get scholarships for tennis, basketball, we will soon be devloping a football team to compete in the sec in years to come.

The school offers out of state tuition waivers for international students, which gives you a substantial reduction in fees.With this it will cost you about $3000.00 usd a semester,which includes full medical coverage, living on campus works out at $400-500 per month, this includes a 48 pass voucher to the culinary services, where you eat all you want breakfast ,lunch and dinner.110 nations are represented here and you will get to make friends with every race and creed of people.

Atlanta has a population of 5.5 million people and is strategically placed in south eastern central region of the USA.It has a high music profile being home to hip hop and a large base of country and music fans.The road system here is the best in the world in logisitics. I have live dhere for 6 months now and the people and lifestyle is the friendliest I have ever encountered.Give me a yell and I can assist with the placement.

[Wally B. Dundee]

That sounds good, where do I sign up?

I'm graduating this year.
I play flyhalf and can kick the ball accurately from 60 meters, left or right footed. I spend hours practicing my place kicking by knocking off squirrels from trees and punting balls in neighbors chimneys.

My younger brother is also seeking an education opportunity in the States, but he doesn't kick very well, but he enjoys distance running and weight lifting.

I guess it is tough to kick when you are 6'8 and your arms are longer than your legs.

[SEC?]

I wonder if the SEC knows that Kennesaw St.'s football team will be competing in their conference?

[Uncle Sam]

Looks like the funny talkers running this college club went to the Johnson school of coaching rugby in the USA. Develop players from the USA? Nah too much work. Let's fly in some Saffers, Aussies, Kiwis, Pommie and Micks and be a powerhouse in a couple years.

Cowards should just fly home. They aren't the kind of coaches that will grow college rugby in a sustainable way. With this kind of logic you will have a national championship where not one player speaks English with a native accent.

[Skinner]

Looks like the funny talkers running these programs are doing more than most rugby coaches to build a college rugby program.

One that is run like a varsity sport, with players that look like athletes, disciplined practices and workouts that provide a culture and a program that the college heads actually support and that sheds good light on the college.

Perhaps it's because the funny talkers come from a background where rugby is taken seriously at the higher levels, where professionalism is the goal or the standard, and they simply want to see that same approach at the US college level.

Unlike the "drinking team with a rugby problem" image most people have of any American rugby program.

[spoke too soon]

Ark State and their South African players handled by some kids from Cali.

Is this want you mean Skinner?

[Skinner]

Good for Cal!

Imagine the muppet whining that would have happened if they had lost...

.

[skinner for dinner]

You are such a sad sack Skinner. Lets give it to the champions every year, even the years when the American boys win one.

[great game]

Assume game. BYU and Cal where committed. It was unbelievable. This is the ad for college rugby. Fu*k the bullshit of where the students are from, this was off the hook.

[Penn Rugger]

Roll on you Bears. In spite of USA Rugby being so poorly run, I would pay to watch that kind of rugby seven days a week.

Congrats to BYU as well. Both teams played their guts out. Something not many that play rugby have any idea about.

[scholar-athlete-coach-visa holder]

Man, that really was an assume game. Both teams where really committed.

Are you the Kennesaw St. coach? If so, did you post that message from the awesome food facility?

[stiff arm pacifier]

This blog is why the chinese have censored the internet. Go Cal (especially Cal), BYU, Ark St. and Kennesaw, etc. etc.

These clubs are making history while youz wize guyz are busy making number 2 in your diapers.