O’Sullivan calls it quits

November 17, 2011 1 Comment

After two years at the helm of the USA Rugby Men’s National Team, Irishman Eddie O’Sullivan has decided to stay closer to home in Europe and not reapply for the Men’s National Team coaching position that will open later this week. 

“On behalf of USA Rugby, I’d like to thank Eddie for his time here and I think the Eagles’ performance at the Rugby World Cup speaks volumes about him and the way he prepared the team,” said USA Rugby CEO, Nigel Melville. 

“Moving forward, we’ll seek applications for the Men’s National Team head coaching job and are looking forward to choosing the person who will continue to move both the Eagles and American rugby forward.”

O’Sullivan took over the Eagles in 2009, after resigning as head coach of Ireland after leading the Irish during one of the most successful periods in Irish rugby history.  

As coach of the Eagles, O’Sullivan was charged with developing American athletes, but also with developing his American coaching staff and imparting his knowledge of international coaching to them.  While at times the USA job wasn’t as glamorous as coaching a Six Nations team like Ireland, O’Sullivan has always admired the spirit and heart of American rugby and the Eagles.

- USA Rugby

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Rugby vs The NFL

October 28, 2011 Leave a comment

From National Football Post: A look at what the two sports can learn from each other. Jack Bechta.

While living in southern California I have followed rugby pretty closely and have befriended many current and former players. I have grown to respect everything that it stands for, let alone I just love the majestic brutality of the sport. As it stands rugby is not just a sport but also the world’s greatest fraternity where the team concept reigns supreme over any individual’s personal agenda.

The heart and soul of rugby is playing for your brothers. The antics of Ocho and TO would never stand a chance, as there is no tolerance for individualism.

What the NFL can learn from Rugby

USA Rugby Captain Todd Clever has skills that could allow him to compete in the NFL.

An intimate atmosphere: While I was in London this past week for the Bears vs Bucs game, I attended an English Premiership League match featuring the Saracens and the Exeter Chiefs. The Saracens, one of England’s legendary clubs founded in 1876, whipped up on the Chiefs 43 to 20. Sitting with the Saracens fans was like sitting with the family of the players. There is a unique dedication, intimacy and loyalty that differ from how NFL fans support their team. I’m not saying one is better than the other, just different. For instance, when a rugby club has a losing season there is more sympathy, compassion and understanding versus the sharp criticism that we see in the NFL. The two sports do carry some similarities on the field but differ greatly in the locker room and in the stands.

… Read the Full Article

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Team USA named for Pan-Am Games’ sevens

October 26, 2011 Leave a comment

By USA Rugby -  The 12-man rugby sevens squad heading to Guadalajara, Mexico will be engrained with a mantra that will help it maintain focus in the quadrennial tournament: ‘Play in the moment.’

“Playing in the moment helps every athlete and staff member focus on the task at hand. Not to get distracted by the environment, from peripheral things we don’t have control over,” said USA Head Coach, Al Caravelli. “If we take care of the little things the big things take care of themselves.”

That mentality will be put into practice on the field on October 29 when the team will see Brazil, Chile, and rivals Canada in pool play. Their record from the first day will determine which teams they will face in the playoffs on October 30. The other pool consists of Argentina, Mexico, Uruguay, and Guyana.

Caravelli continued to say that the Pan-Am environment itself can be distracting, but the players must maintain focus. As part of United States Olympic Committee and the guild of athletes and sports under the Team USA moniker, the USA Men’s Eagle Sevens team will compete in its first Olympic-style rugby sevens tournament. The Pan Am Games take place every four years and will serve as an Americas preview of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

“You can imagine that in a multisport event with over 2,000 athletes, we have to be prepared for anything and everything to be thrown at us. On the field of play, we will not take anyone lightly. Every game we play, we’ll have the attitude that it is a final, the players have embraced this and are executing.”

Read more of this post

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USA Rugby’s ‘Rookie Rugby’ Wins IRB Development Award

October 25, 2011 Leave a comment

Bob Latham at the IRB awards

Bob Latham at the IRB awards

We were thrilled to see our friend Bob Latham accecpt the International Rugby Board’s Developmental Award. The high-prestige award was given for USA Rugby’s youth program, known as Rookie Rugby. Latham, who was a great friend to our Rugby outreach program during the USA Eagles’ run in the Rugby World Cup, was given the award at Monday’s high profile IRB award ceremony in Auckland, an event that featured the glitterati of international rugby.

Below is USA Rugby’s press release about the award, but we wanted to be the first to offer our congratulations. U.S. Embassy Wellington.

AUCKLAND, New Zealand — USA Rugby is thrilled to announce that its youth program, Rookie Rugby, has won the International Rugby Board Development Award for 2011.  

Union vice-chairman, Bob Latham, was on hand to accept the award on behalf of USA Rugby at the star-studded IRB Awards Ceremony on Sunday October 23 in Auckland, just one day after the New Zealand All Blacks won the 2011 Rugby World Cup there. 

On the same night that the IRB announced the Player of the Year (Thierry Dusautoir, France), Team of the Year (New Zealand All Blacks), and inducted rugby legends Jonah Lomu (New Zealand) and South African rugby legend Francois Pienaar (who was portrayed by Matt Damon in the 2009 blockbuster, Invictus) into the Rugby Hall of Fame, the IRB gave a nod to the growth of the youth game with the Development Award. Read more of this post

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Teaching youngsters in U.S. the joys of rugby

October 21, 2011 Leave a comment

This is a great little story about the benefits of rugby that some youngsters in America are discovering. Play Rugby USA is doing such a great job spreading the joy of rugby.

“Before I did rugby, I didn’t have enough energy to write and I used to get tired, but after rugby it was fun and I just started doing my work and since I got my progress report the grades got better,” one student said.

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Kiwi on the Gridiron in Chicago

October 5, 2011 Leave a comment

stephen paea

stephen paea

A nice story from Sam Worthington of Fairfax Media about Stephen Paea, a Kiwi who’s with the Chicago Bears outfit. The full story can be read here.

Stephen Paea could easily have been playing for the All Blacks or Tonga at the Rugby World Cup – instead the Auckland-born man mountain finds himself living the American dream as a National Football League rookie for the Chicago Bears.

The 23-year-old stands 1.85m and weighs a whopping 137kg, with that bulk a prerequisite for his position as a defensive tackle.

Paea, who was drafted as a second-round pick, is yet to play after four games of the NFL season but has signed a four-year deal with the Bears.

Paea said from Chicago that his family moved from Auckland to Tonga when he was two months old but a visit to New Zealand, aged 12, sowed a sporting seed.

“My dream was to play rugby for the All Blacks but fortunately I found my way here to America to play football,” Paea said.

“I was there when Andrew Mehrtens was the No10. But Jonah Lomu, he was my favourite, I wanted to be just like him growing up.”

Paea played either No8 or second five-eighth as a schoolboy star in Tonga before relocating to the United States in 2004 as his family sought more opportunities for their children.

It was initially a shock to the system as the Tongan clan spent time in Kansas, Utah and California, but as Paea’s body grew so did his reputation on the football field.

He was recruited by Oregon State University where he gained YouTube infamy with a video that showed him bench-pressing 225 pounds 44 times. Read more of this post

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San Francisco Olympic Club Rugby Match in Wellington

September 22, 2011 Leave a comment

On September 22nd, the San Francisco Olympic Club – better known as the “Winged Os” – took on Old Boys University’s Pink Ginners in a friendly rugby match at the University of Victoria’s Boyd Wilson Field in Kelburn.  The Olympic Club has fielded rugby teams since 1908, taking on a touring All Blacks team in California in 1913.  Current members of the club include US Eagles Brian McClenahan and Collin Hawley.  Since 2003, the Winged Os have a tradition of traveling to the host country to attend matches and play friendly games against local club team.

The teams wth U.S. Ambassador Huebner (center)

The teams wth U.S. Ambassador Huebner (center)

Ambassador Huebner attended the match – throwing out the ceremonial coin toss – which was won by the SF team.  The U.S. side also won the match 38-10, although reports from UVic suggest that the Pink Ginners soundly won the after party.

See more information about the San Francisco Olympic Club at http://www.olyclub.com/

See more pictures from yesterday’s match between the Winged Os and the Pink Ginners here.

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Women’s Eagles upset by S. Africa

August 12, 2011 Leave a comment

ONTARIO, Canada – The Women’s Eagles were upset by South Africa on Tuesday in the final match of round robin play in the Women’s Nations Cup.  The USA held the lead for much of the game, but a late-game burst by South Africa edged the Eagles out 26-23. 

“This was one of those crazy games that if you looked at the statistics, you’d think we played pretty well,” said USA Coach Pete Steinberg.  “We enjoyed a lot of possession we enjoyed a lot of territory, but South Africa took their chances. I think that this tournament has shown all of the teams are in a building phase.  We will work on our technique and continue to improve going forward,” said Steinberg.

The Women’s Eagles will have a shot at redemption as they face South Africa again on August 13 at 2 p.m. ET in a battle for 3rd Place in the Nations Cup.  Live updates for that game will be provided by @usaeaglesrugby on Twitter.
- Jarrod Beckstrom, USA Rugby -

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Congratulations, Joey Shannon; you’re the man

August 9, 2011 1 Comment

Joey Shannon has won our Photo Caption contest. His winning entry:

“The defenders never had a chance; the man had dinner with the ambassador scheduled, and he meant to be there. On time.”

The defenders never had a chance; the man had dinner with the ambassador scheduled, and he meant to be there. On time.

The defenders never had a chance; the man had dinner with the ambassador scheduled, and he meant to be there. On time.

Thanks to everyone who participated. We received dozens of wonderful entries that had the judges laughing. Stay tuned for other reader-participation opportunities and, again, thank you for giving your creative juices free rein with our contest.

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Women’s Eagles also lose to Canada

August 9, 2011 Leave a comment

After a gritty performance against the higher-ranked England team, the Women’s Eagles turned in a sub-par performance to lose easily against the Canadians in the second round of the Women’s Nations Cup. While keeping England honest in the first round before losing a close game, the USA Women were beaten 35-17 by a better team in Canada. For a full report, you can hop over to our friends at Rugby Mag here.

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