The Atlantic Super Regional (ASR) Championship occurred last weekend in Virginia and produced three senior club champions in the women’s 15s divisions. Two of those title-winners have pathways to the USA Club Rugby 15s National Championship, which occurs June 2-4 in St. Charles, Mo. Women’s Division III halts at the regional level. Additionally, the Pacific Super Regional Championship finalized its brackets.
RELATED: TRB’s Club 15s Brackets (toggle through tabs for more competitions)
In Division I, two-time reigning national champion Northern Virginia (NOVA) repeated as ASR champion. On Saturday, the Piranhas took down New England #2 Providence, the 2022 Division II national champion, 88-14. Meanwhile, Mid-Atlantic runner-up Raleigh eliminated NERFU #1 Boston 49-19. On Sunday, the long-awaited showdown between NOVA and Raleigh finally took place. The teams hadn’t faced each other since 2019, and the matrix-ending match on April 22 was called after 30 minutes for weather. NOVA won 66-5 and heads to St. Charles, Mo., in a month’s time. Boston finished third with a 27-17 overtime win against Providence.
Thus far, one other team has claimed a national semifinal berth: the Midwest’s Metropolis Valkyries. The Frontier/Red River (i.e., Texas/Colorado/Utah) will name its champion this weekend after the final regular-season games conclude. And the Pacific will know its rep after Seattle and San Diego see each other at the Pacific Super Regional in Las Vegas May 12-13.
Division II was always going to name a new ASR champion, as Providence was promoted into DI after the 21-22 season. On Saturday, in what was essentially national Round of 16 games (see bracket), Capital champion Severn River beat Empire rep New Haven 34-5, while EPRU leader Phoenixville topped NERFU champ Worcester 66-19. On Sunday, a lead-changing affair evolved between the Honey Badgers and White Horse, and then an intercept try at the death put Severn River ahead 36-31 for good. Last year, the Maryland team lost to Providence 8-5 in the ASR final.
RELATED: Severn River: We Want This to be Our Year
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Severn River is the first of the DII national semifinalists. Gulf Coast (Florida, True South, Carolinas, Red River) is this weekend in Orlando, Fla.; Pacific (Pacific Northwest, NorCal, SoCal, Southwest) follows on May 12-13 in Las Vegas; and the Midwest (Midwest x 2, Mid-America, Rocky Mountain) is the last to determine champs on May 20-21 in Lemont, Ill.
Atlantic is the only Super Regional Championship that hosts a Division III for women’s clubs. On Saturday, New England champ South Shore of Massachusetts bested EPRU champ South Jersey 46-12, while Empire champ Union beat Capital leader Rappahannock 45-29. On Sunday, NERFU’s Sirens prevailed 32-10 against the Mudturtles, and Rappahannock ended on a 48-5 3rd place win against South Jersey.
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The Pacific Super Regional Championship is now complete, as the two outstanding DII competitions have wrapped. Albuquerque served Las Vegas its first loss of the season, and timed the victory perfectly. Prop Marisa Danielson and outside center Erica Speer scored two tries apiece and reserve Tanya Aragon added a fifth in the 31-20 win. The Atomic Sisters are the DII Southwest champions and will represent the region in Las Vegas on May 12-13.
SoCal’s Camp Pendleton and Pacific Northwest’s Portland had already secured their spots to Vegas, and NorCal came down to Sacramento and Berkeley. For all intents and purposes, Saturday’s game was a championship, but technically the post-season berth was named via standings. Both teams scored five tries apiece, but the Amazons converted 4/5, while the All Blues converted two and added a penalty. Got the math?! That’s Sacramento 33, Berkeley 32. Check out the brackets.