Scion and Quebec return to the LVI. / Photo: Jackie Finlan
The girls’ and women’s divisions for the Las Vegas Invitational (March 1-2) are nearly finalized and see more than 90 sides competing. The following brackets were provided by LVI tournament staff on Feb. 9.
HIGH SCHOOL RULES
There are five different 7s divisions for high school-age athletes: Youth Olympic Games (YOG) qualifier, U18, U16, U14 and Open. The YOG bracket is a new addition and occurs in advance of the October 2018 Games in Buenos Aires. Little else has been circulated, but we know that the girls’ team is very close to final selections. Those players who do not make the final 12-player roster will still be playing in Las Vegas, just with another select side.
There are three age-grade brackets, including the first U14 competition. The U18s is more of an elite division, with state, regional and countrywide select sides from the U.S. dominating the lineup. Canadian teams comprise the majority of the U16 and U14 divisions.
The largest division of the girls and women’s competitions is the High School Open with 28 teams. Two-thirds of the field hails from the U.S., and squads range from state and regional all-star teams, to single clubs or high schools, to 7s-only programs. Unsurprisingly, California is the best represented state, but there is certainly some diversity from Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, Oklahoma and Tennessee. There is also a solid Canadian presence with eight teams, and don’t forget the Cayman Islands.
COLLEGE COLLAGE
The college 7s division is second in size with 16 teams, and the mostly American lineup includes all-star, NIRA, DI, DII and NSCRO squads. There are a lot of interesting notes here – from the first Carolinas all-star team taking the pitch, to the NSCRO Selects resuming after the January all-star championship; to comparing traditional 7s powers like Virginia Women’s Rugby (UVA) and reigning LVI champion Notre Dame College; to the Claire Lundy-coached Lewis and Clark; and Iowa getting the chance to test itself outside of the Midwest.
SENIORS NEARLY FULL
And finally, the women’s senior competitions. The Elite bracket includes academy, touring and Canadian sides, but otherwise the international component has dwindled this year. No Maple Leafs, no Australian sides. The division, as provided by LVI tournament staff, does not include a USA representative side, but that’s not to say there won’t be one present. There is one vacancy and the time to fill it.
There’s always a wild card component in the Women’s Open 7s, which also has a vacancy to fill. There’s good diversity from DI Elite Lindenwood University, the Coast Guard’s first select side (more to come), and teams from Wyoming and Hawaii.
Keep an eye on lvirugby.com for updates and final schedules.