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eagles.rugby — USA Rugby High Performance Pathways looks to start off strong in 2027 with the return of the Women’s U23 All Star Championship, now competing January 8-10, 2027, in Dallas, Texas. The tournament moves to the winter block from its traditional June date, allowing for a longer runway in terms of vetting talent ahead of summer fixtures. [lead photo: Jasun Blocher]
Hosted in partnership with the Dallas Reds RFC at Lake Highlands Park, the annual tournament will again bring eight all-star teams together for three days of competition, talent identification and coaching development. The calendar move to January strategically positions the championship at the start of the year, where it can serve as a selection and development opportunity for summer Junior National Team and USA Pathways competitions.
“The U23 all-star tournament plays a key role in identifying and developing our top talent in the women’s pathway,” said Martha Daines, USA Rugby Head of Women’s Player Systems and Development. “Over the past few years, we’ve seen the standard of competition improve due to the increasing skill of participating players and the growing strength of the regional programs. As a result, the competition provides players with a critical high-pressure environment to test themselves against the best in the country, while giving national team staff important insights into the next generation of Eagles. Moving the tournament earlier in the year will allow us to leverage these insights and continue to strengthen our pathway programs.”
Photo: Jasun Blocher
Following a similar seeded bracket, the 2027 edition will host games on Friday, Jan. 8 and Sunday, Jan. 10, with live coverage on USA Rugby YouTube. Admission to the games at Lake Highlands Park is free.
Each team from this past year’s bracket will return including Midwest Thunderbirds, MidAtlantic U23s, Rocky Mountain Peaks, Central South Mustangs, South Selects, Pac Coast Grizzlies, Pac South Griffins and Rocky Mountain Peaks; with rosters and match schedules expected to be confirmed the first week of January. [editor’s note: The USA U23 all-star tournament is completely separate from the National Collegiate Rugby all-star tournament, which occurs Jan. 15-17 in Kissimmee, Fla.]
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Since reforming into the current structure in 2022, the Women’s U23 All-Star Championship has been a crucial pillar on the USA Rugby Pathway calendar, leveraging the support of regional programs and academies to bring over 250 USA Eagles prospects together and competing at a national level. As a primary avenue for rising talent, an impressive list of current USA Eagles in 15s and 7s have competed in the U23 championship; including Freda Tafuna, Erica Coulibaly, Alivia Leatherman, Autumn LoCicero and recent debuts Reece and Olivia Woods.