June 1, 2016
2016 USA Rugby Emirates Airline Club National Championships
Photo: USA Rugby – The Rugby Channel.TV
Doug Coil
The 2016 USA Rugby Club National Championships will be streamed LIVE on The Rugby Channel. Subscribe and watch every match FREE! The matches will be played at Infinity Park, Glendale, Colorado.
Women’s D1 Rugby: Seattle Saracens v Chicago North Shore
The Seattle Saracens played in the British Columbia Premier League and represent the West Region. To reach the National Championship Final, they first won 37-17 against the Santa Monica Dolphins in the National Quarterfinals and then 32-14 against Denver Black Ice in the Semi-Finals. Chicago North Shore represents the East Region and won their Quarterfinal match 29-8 against Beantown and their Semi-Final 24-15 against Raleigh Venom.
Women’s D2 Rugby: Life West Gladiatrix v Wisconsin
The Life West Gladiatrix route to the National Championship Final included winning Northern California title 72-5 against San Francisco Golden Gate. They then won the Pacific North Title 112-0 against the Pacific Northwest Champion, the Bend Lady Roughriders. In the National Quarterfinals they defeated the Pacific South Champion the Ventura County Lady Outlaws 62-29 before defeating Red River’s Houston Athletic 97-8 in the Semi-Finals.
Wisconsin secured the Midwest Championship after first defeating Buffalo 100-5 and then Milwaukee Scylla 47-33. They then played Southern Champion, Charlotte in the National Quarterfinals gaining a 67-19 win. In the Semi-Finals they then won 31-17 against the Mid-Atlantic Champion Harrisburg Harlots.
Men’s D1 Rugby: Austin Blacks v Mystic River
The Austin Blacks met Dallas Rugby in the National Quarterfinals. The Red River Championship was decided by a one point win for the Dallas Reds the last League match of the season. This time the Austin Blacks prevailed 24-19. In the Semi-Finals they then won 30-17 against the Life West Gladiators.
Mystic River came in as the Atlantic North number 2 seed and beat Metropolis 28-3 in the National Quarterfinals. They then faced number 1 Atlantic North seed Old Blue of New York in the Semi-Finals, gaining a narrow 10-5 victory.
Men’s D2 Rugby: Tempe Old Devils v Detroit Tradesmen
Tempe Old Devils entered the Nationals as the Arizona Rugby Union Champion and beat the Arizona number 2 seed Red Mountain Warthogs in the Arizona/Rio Grande Championship. This set up a match for the Pacific South Championship against the Huntington Beach Unicorns which was won 44-5. In the National Quarterfinals they defeated the pacific North Champion Sacramento Capitals 46-15 and then beat the Frontier Champion Provo Steelers 27-6 in the Semi-Finals.
The Detroit Tradesmen secured their spot in the National Championship by wining the Midwest Championship after a 57-0 win against Eastside Banshees and then beating South Side Irish 52-11 in the Final. In the National Quarterfinals they then won 42-1 against the Southern Champion Charlotte. In the Semi-Finals they then won 55-31 against the Atlantic North Champion Village Lions.
Men’s D3 Rugby: Euless Texans v Fairfield Yankees
The Euless Texans are Western Region Champions entering the National Championship. In the Red River Championships they defeated a tough San Marco Greys team 26-20 and then beat the Austin Blacks D3 team 40-5. In the National Quarterfinals, they won 31-24 against the Frontier Champion St. Louis Royals. In the Semi-Finals they beat the Pacific Champion Napa Valley 31-22.
The Fairfield Yankees enter the National Championships after winning the East Region. They first won the Empire GU Rugby Championship in a narrow,high scoring match against the Rockaway Fishheads 47-46. In the crossover match against New England Champion MIT, they won 45-7. This secured a berth in the National Quarterfinals against Mid-Atlantic Champion Rocky Gorge D3. After a 39-12 win, they then beat the MidWest Champion Bremer County Bucks 45-20 in the National Semi-finals.
Schedule
Saturday, June 4
Women’s D2: Life West Gladiatrix v Wisconsin 3pm MT
Women’s D1: Seattle Saracens v Chicago North Shore 5pm MT
Men’s D1: Austin Blacks v Mystic River 7pm MT
Sunday, June 5
Men’s D3: Euless Texans v Fairfield Yankees Noon MT
Men’s D2: Tempe Old Devils v Detroit Tradesmen 2pm MT
