December 23, 2015
USA Sevens Rugby and The Las Vegas Invitational
USA Sevens Rugby & World Rugby HSBC Sevens Series
Doug Coil
The USA Sevens Rugby is one of ten stops on the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Series and is being held March 4-6, 2016 in Las Vegas. This is a new time for this event with the addition of a new stop in Vancouver, Canada.
After the first two stops in Dubai and Cape Town, the USA Eagles 7s are currently in third place. While it is still early in this competition, if this was the Olympics in August, the USA would have earned a Bronze Medal. One can only dream, but dreams do come true.
There are high hopes for the Eagles 7s in both the Sevens Series, at the USA Sevens and at the Olympics. Last year, when the series concluded in May, not only had the USA won their first Final in London, but they finished sixth in the series.
This year there is an expectation that the team will be seeking to win events and not just compete. That was particularly evident when the USA could have settled for a tie against Australia to win their Pool at Cape Town, but went for the win. Although Australia won in death, the USA still advanced to Cup round play. This is part of Mike Friday’s philosophy that has created a mindset in team players that they enter tournaments to win. Controlling restarts has paid huge dividends.
Teams now know that they have to be at their best when they take on the Eagles 7s. With three wins against New Zealand in the first two tournaments, they have now beaten all the top teams. Credit Head Coach Mike Friday and Assistant Coach Chris Brown for their coaching and Alex Magleby, National Sevens Director, for player development, as well as the other coaches,staff and players.
Prior to the USA Sevens, the USA will compete in both Wellington, New Zealand and in Sydney, Australia.
Essential to the team’s development is creating an expanding pool of players that can challenge for a position and step into the Eagles 7s, as needed. This is the group that will be playing in Mar del Plata, Argentina Jan. 9-10, 2016 and Viña del Mar Sevens, Chile on January 16-17, 2016. There will be an elite pool of the U.S., Canada, Argentina, and South Africa in this tournament. Pool play will consist of a round robin competition that will be followed by at least one more in the knockout round. Another bracket will have Chile, Peru, Uruguay, and Brazil, giving the U.S. the opportunity to scout Brazil.
Information about the USA Sevens
Las Vegas Invitational
With the USA Sevens being the premier sevens event in the United States, this attracts an increasing number of people who come to Las Vegas for this competition. It also has created a venue for the largest elite, club, college and high school/ youth tournaments in the United States.
The Las Vegas invitational is being held March 3-6, 2016. It has numerous divisions with still opportunities to enter if teams act quickly. Registration, hotels and other information for the LVI tournament may be found by clicking on LVI.
- America’s Cup 7’s (formerly Men’s Elite)- CLOSED!
- Men’s Aces 7’s
- Men’s Open 7’s
- Men’s College 7’s
- Men’s Penn Mutual Collegiate Rugby Championship 7’s
- Men’s Grad School 7’s
- Men’s Club 15’s
- Men’s College 15’s
- Men’s Masters 15’s
- Men’s “Heroes” 10’s
- Touch (Men’s, Women’s, and Combined teams)
- Women’s Elite 7’s – CLOSED!
- Women’s Open 7’s
- Women’s College 7’s
- Women’s Club 15’s
- Women’s College 15’s
- Boys U-20 Elite 7’s
- Girls U-20 Elite 7’s
- Boys U-18 7’s
- Girls U-18 7’s
- Boys U-16 7’s
- Boys U-14 7’s
- Girls U-16 7’s
- Girls U-14 7’s
- Boys High School Open 7’s
- Girls High School Open 7’s
- Boys High School 15’s
- Girls High School 15’s
The Men’s Penn Mutual Collegiate Rugby Championship Sevens division winner will earn a place in the Penn Mutual Collegiate Rugby Championship at Talen Energy Stadium, formerly PPL Park, in Chester, PA, June 4-5, 2016.
DJCoil Rugby article on Penn Mutual Collegiate Rugby Championship 2016.
