Photo: Jackie Finlan
USA Rugby collegiate director Rich Cortez worked the Stanford University site of the DI Elite / DI Spring collegiate playoffs and confirmed that this combined post-season won’t exist after this season. He indicated that the set-up was a test in 2016-17 and that there weren’t any major complaints reported, so the combination playoffs continued for 2017-18. But more feedback must have come through – coaches have also voiced concern to TRB about the inequity and demoralization of playing outside one’s own division – and DI Elite and Division I Spring will be separated in 2018-19.
Cortez also explained that collegiate 7s national championships will also include three eight-team tiers next year: DI Elite, DI and DII/Open.