Plenty to entertain last week in terms of domestic rugby and U.S.-based players doing their thing internationally. Stay tuned in the coming days for interviews with Aimee Ramos and Talia Carrasquillo, who represented Mexico and North America Lions, respectively, in international competition recently. [lead photo c/o Alex Ho @hoiho_photo]
INTERNATIONAL
The USA Women’s Rugby 7s Team spent its prep week in Tours, France, readying for the Olympics, which for the women begins on Sunday. Today — Monday, July 22 — the Eagles have relocated to the Olympic Village in Paris. Photographer extraordinaire Alex Ho is on the ground and shooting the action superbly.
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The USA Women’s U20 National Team played an epic match against the Wales U20s, ultimately losing 38-31. Head coach Joel Bonnaud was pleased with several improvements since the Canada match in round one of the Transatlantic Quad Series, and is eager for the final game against England on Wednesday, July 24. RugbyPassTV has the free livestream.
EIRA is still in Europe, and Sunday saw the U16 and U18 girls play their first of four matches in Ireland. Read more. Stay tuned for more and catch up with Kelsie McDowell, who led EIRA’s 3-0 tour in Spain.
WPL WEEK 10
See current standings. It was a single-digit decision between Beantown (3-4) and Life West (3-6) during Week 10 of the Women’s Premier League (WPL). Both teams put down six tries, but two extra Amanda Schweitzer conversions afforded Beantown the 40-36 win. Life West earned two bonus points in the loss.
Beantown 40
Tries: Santosuosso 2, Dunn, Schweitzer, Pipkin, Vance
Cons: Schweitzer 5
Life West 36
Tries: Hingano 2, Adegoke 2, Merilainen 2
Cons: Bitter 3
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The New York (7-2) and The Colorado Gray Wolves (6-2) took a 10-7 lead into halftime, and then the home side surged in the second half. The New York defense stood up while the attack produced three converted tries for the 29-10 win.
New York 29
Tries: Green-Yotts, O’Sullivan Roche, Carroll, Ruiz
Cons: Owens 3
Pens: Owens
CO Gray Wolves 10
Tries: LaVigne, “name withheld”
Berkeley (8-1) traveled to Twin Cities Amazons (0-8), but flight cancelations saw several players grounded. At the time of print, there were still three All Blues in Minnesota awaiting return flights home. Both teams scrambled to make the game occur, and safely, and Berkeley banked a 45-5 win. The stats aren’t reflected in Xplorer yet, perhaps due to the roster changes.
CLUB 7s NATIONALS
We’re basically learning who’s competing at the USA Club Rugby 7s National Championship (Aug. 10-11, Madison, Wis.) as teams announce their berths on social media (like Washington AC).
The Mid-Atlantic held its fourth and final 7s series tournament in Malvern, Pa., and Scion won its fourth-straight tourney title. The D.C.-based program returns to nationals after a year’s hiatus. Pennsylvania-based Slaughterhouse finished second in the standings and also received a berth to nationals for a second-straight year. Read more about the two-year-old program.
Phoenixville White Horse leap-frogged NOVA for third in the standings and might also be up for an at-large spot.
New England held its championship and Boston prevailed with a 33-5 final win against Providence. The NERFU series names a local champion, not a berth to nationals.
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The East Palo Alto (EPA) Razorbacks won the Razorback 7s, the second NorCal qualifier. EPA had already secured a berth to nationals when it won the first NorCal qualifier in Santa Rosa.
The West Coast 7s was a SoCal Qualifier, and Belmont Shore was named champion.
Hotlanta 7s served as a qualifier in the South, and Phoenix took top honors in the Premier division. The Southeast-based team is heading to nationals.
Looking ahead, the Midwest championship is this Saturday, July 27, as is the final 7s series tournament in the Northeast.