April 14, 2016
Salt Lake City To Host Women’s Rugby Super Series
Doug Coil
USA Rugby, along with Rugby Utah and the Utah Sports Commission, will host the second year of the Women’s Rugby Super Series. The Series features the USA Women’s Eagles, Canada, England and France in Salt Lake City.
The four international teams will train at University of Utah prior to the matches being held on July 1, 5, and 9 and played on the at the Regional Athletic Complex.
USA Rugby Director of Operations Jennifer Gray said, “we are excited to bring international rugby back to Salt Lake at such a monumental time in the rugby calendar. After a successful U20 Trophy, and with great partners and world-class facilities at the Regional Athletic Complex and University of Utah, Salt Lake City was a no-brainer to host four of the world’s best women’s national teams in the Super Series.
“We hope to see rugby fans from all over the country travel to Utah this summer to take in the breathtaking scenery and lovely community the state has to offer, as well as the top-level rugby scheduled to be on display.”
Rugby Utah, the State’s governing body, has seen a rugby explosion in the youth and high school levels, as well as in the Collegiate and club ones. High school championship teams produce athletes that continue to the top college programs around the country, which later feed senior clubs and national team pathways.
Rugby Utah, which launched in 2015, has created new competitions, scholarship funds, and overall administrative guidance, while maintaining a focus on the international level with is participation in the USA Rugby Olympic Development Academy. Utah has hosted several international test matches in the past, and hosted the under-20 national teams for the 2012 World Rugby U20 Trophy.
Rugby Utah co-Founder and former Eagle Kimball Kjar said, “This is a huge event for us – not just as a rugby community nationally, but locally – to really showcase our pride and our community’s involvement and support of the national team and what we’re trying to do. More importantly, we recognize the fact that this event, in terms of international women’s rugby, is one of the biggest events this year, particularly going into World Cup preparations over the next period of months.”
“This will be a good opportunity for us to work on coach development opportunities, referee development opportunities, engage the youth and the collegiate and senior division landscapes to help them engage with high-level international rugby, and help the sports community here in general familiarize itself with rugby. It will be a great event for rugby overall.”
Women’s Rugby Super Series: Salt Lake City
Friday, July 1
Canada vs. England
France vs. USA
Tuesday, July 5
England vs. France
Canada vs. USA
Saturday, July 9
Canada vs. France
England vs. USA
