D.C. Furies 7s co-captain Lauran Glover / Photo: Colleen McCloskey
The WPL All-Star Game named an MVP from both the East and West teams, and the standouts both ended up being the outside centers. Eagle Megan Foster took home the West honors, and the San Diego Surfer and Life West Gladiatrix is currently in Chula Vista at the USA 15s High Performance Camp with new coach Rob Cain. So is Lauran Glover, who was named East MVP after a three-try performance in Denver, and able to accommodate the last-minute travel change to California.
Atavus’ Tia Blythe gets a hand on Armed Forces’ Glover at NDA 7s. / Photo: Max Haynes
Glover started playing rugby in 2016 for the D.C. Furies and saw some WPL action that fall. A year later and the center had developed into an integral part of the back line and continued to pursue higher-level opportunities with teams like the Capital All-Stars. In early June, the U.S. Army officer accompanied the Armed Forces to the National Development Academy 7s tournament, where USA 7s coach Richie Walker and USA Women’s HP Director Emilie Bydwell surveyed top talent. It would be Glover’s first of two visits to the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center (CVEATC) this summer.
Glover makes the tackle during the Armed Forces vs. Northeast NDA 7s match. / Photo: Max Haynes
During the run-up to that Chula Vista showcase, Glover’s military distinctions returned to the fore (read more) and only bolstered the praise from D.C. 7s coach Michael McMillon, who called the Furies co-captain “a natural leader” and “one of the hardest workers I have ever come across.” This summer’s 7s team finished second overall during the Mid-Atlantic national qualifier series and ended with a title win over Scion (read more). The Furies will be featuring in the club 7s national championship in New York City with Scion and NOVA.
Sevens opponents Glover and Scion’s Alycia Washington were teammates on the WPL East. / Photo: Colleen McCloskey
And then of course came the WPL All-Star Game in Denver. Players traveled to Colorado knowing that two invites to the USA high-performance 15s camp were on the line, and Glover ran in three tries during the East’s 33-24 win over the West last Saturday. The performance earned the outside center an immediate invite to Chula Vista, where new USA 15s head coach Rob Cain is currently running his first assembly.
Glover’s been sprinting with a rugby ball for two years now and making every step count. Congrats to the East MVP and good luck!
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