Missouri Rugby Football Union

SLU Rugby hosting Coaching Clinics

2010-08-13T11:57:00.000-07:00

To all high school, college, men’s, women’s and aspiring coaches:
St. Louis University will be hosting a USA Rugby Coach’s clinic October 2nd-3rd. USA Rugby coach development workshops have been designed to help instruct coaches on the principles of coaching rugby through a player-centered approach. The aim of USA Rugby is to provide a high-level of knowledge and experience throughout the United States to facilitate the development of a standard of coaching comparable to the International Rugby Board (IRB) coaching standards.

St. Louis University is proud to offer two different workshops during the event: Introducing Rugby and Developing Rugby Skills. Introducing Rugby is geared towards coaches who are focused on introducing the game to new players. It focuses on the fundamentals of the game to benefit coaches and players with limited rugby experience. Therefore, it is ideal for high school and college coaches, as well as men’s and women’s club coaches seeking advanced certification.
Developing Rugby Skills is ideal for experienced head coaches that are involved in club and all-star play. Emphasis is placed on identifying key factors, practice planning, game sense and skill development. (Note: It is required for you to have gone through and completed the Introducing Rugby Course before the Developing Rugby Skills Course. Questions or more information on the test-out policy email Mollie at mccarthy@usarugby.org.)

What will be provided: -Ground Transportation as needed -Lunch during the clinic -Hotel information -Social Outing Location on Saturday -Classrooms, equipment, facilities, etc. for the weekend

What you will need to do to register: -The cost is $200 and must be registered online with visa or mastercard at least 15 days prior to the clinic. Late registration is $300. The following link will guide you to the USA Rugby Website. Click on the following link http://membership.usarugby.org and click on Register for a Coaching Workshop. If paying by check please use this form Register Now!

Date: October 2nd-3rd, 2010
Where: Saint Louis University Simon Recreation Center 3639 Laclede Ave St. Louis, MO 63108 314.977.3975
Hotel: Drury Inn Union Station
201 South 20th Street, St Louis, MO‎
(314) 231-3900‎

Fall Schedules

2010-04-22T13:20:00.000-07:00

MRFU match secretaries,

Thanks to all of you for your hard work. Despite some challenges with the weather we were able to put together successful Spring season of rugby.

Per the ground rules of the Union, June 1 is the annual deadline for submitting Fall season schedules. Please get them to Bryce Krug as soon as possible so that we can start to construct the schedule.

The Union is negotiating a field renovation project at the Central Fields. There aren't many details to share with you at this point, but you should be award that it appears that we will be using Cricket and Lindell fields this fall and next spring.

College Men: The board discussed the collegiate men's schedule last week. Because Principia is joining the college league and because of the difficulties we faced this spring trying to get all the required matches in before the qualification deadline for nationals, we are asking all college men's teams to schedule their league matches this fall.

Several match secretaries have suggested that we reinstitute an old tradition -- the union used to schedule a meeting of match secretaries and the schedule would get hammered out all at once. Of course, this will only work if all of you attend, so contact Bryce with your thoughts and whether you are interested in such a gathering. Also, please send him any updates you may have for club officers or contacts.

New Version of IRB Law 3 with Union Specific Variations

2009-09-22T14:24:00.000-07:00

The West has adopted the Union Specific Variations as they pertain to front row replacements as detailed below:

The following competition regulation applies for any match that leads in any way to a USA Rugby National Championship.

All matches shall be governed by IRB Law 3 with respect to substitutions and front row replacements. In particular, Law 3.14 “Union Specific Variations” will apply to front row replacements.
Failure to have three trained and experienced front-row players at the start of a match will result in a forfeit.
Teams shall submit a match roster nominating a maximum of 23 players – 15 starting players and a maximum of eight reserves.
The table below indicates the required numbers of suitably trained and experienced front row players for different numbers of players on the match roster

Number of Players on the Roster - Number of suitably trained and experienced Front Row Players

15 - 3
16, 17 or 18 - 4
19, 20 or 21 - 5
22 or 23 - 6
Should a team lose all of their available front row players, then uncontested scrums will take place but the team opting out of the set-piece will not be able to replace the injured player - forcing them to continue with only fourteen players. (Note - This is a change to the existing Laws and ensures that a team going to uncontested scrums does not gain an advantage.)

3.14 UNION SPECIFIC VARIATIONS

(a) A Union having jurisdiction (or where a match or competition is played between teams
from two or more Unions those Unions by agreement between them) may implement
variations to Law 3 .4 for matches below international level as set out in 3(b) and/or 3 (c)
below .

(b) When 22 or 23 players are nominated in a team there must be sufficient front row players
to play at hooker, tight-head prop and loose-head prop who are suitably trained and
experienced to ensure that on the first occasion that a replacement in any front row
position is required, the team can continue to play safely with contested scrums.

(c) A provision may be introduced that where uncontested scrums are ordered as result of
there being no suitably trained and experienced front row replacement for any reason, the
team concerned play with not more than 14 players

USA Rugby Extends Deadline for 2010 National Championship bids

2009-08-20T09:53:00.000-07:00

Following an official review of organizing committees’ bids for USA Rugby’s 2010 National Championship events, the organization has officially decided to extend its deadline from August 10 to September 1, 2009 in an effort to receive more interest from potential hosts.
Boasting membership in excess of 80,000, USA Rugby is looking to combine the growing momentum for the game in our country with the excitement and energy generated by the National Championship Series.

The championship season will once again kick off with the USA Rugby Collegiate Playoffs on April 16-18 and for the second straight year is looking split the locations in order to minimize travel and costs for teams.

Following the final approval by the USA Rugby Youth Committee, the date of the USA Rugby Boy’s High School, and Boy’s and Girl’s U-19 Championships will be on May 21-23 and USA Rugby is still accepting bids for this event.

The Men’s Club Playoffs will take place on May 22-23, and USA Rugby is looking to split this event geographically as well, holding an event in the East and West portions of the U.S.

In regards to the National All-Star Championships, the senior women’s event will be on May 28 and 30, the Women’s Under-23 All-Star Championships will be held June 11 and 13, while the Men’s and Women’s All-Star Sevens will take place on August 28-29 and all three have no venue as of yet.

USA Rugby is also trying to find a host for the Women’s Club Playoffs and Championships, which are set for October 30-31 and November 13-14, respectively.

If an organization feels it can host a successful USA Rugby Championship Tournament, USA Rugby requests that it submits the bid questionnaire as soon as possible. Bid questionnaire’s will be accepted at the National Office no later than August 10, 2009. If your location, facilities and surrounding amenities meet the initial criteria USA Rugby has for the event, we will ask you to then complete the extensive bid package for the event.

For more information on the National Championship Series, please visit www.usarugby.org/goto/Championships. To bid on an event, please check out the bid packet by clicking on the following link http://www.usarugby.org/media/EDocs/2010_Championship_Bid_questionnaire.doc

USA Rugby National Championship Dates for 2010
The following events are still accepting bids:

April 16, 17 & 18
College: Men & Women’s Division I Playoffs (East and West locations needed)
College: Men & Women’s Division II Playoffs (East and West locations needed)

April 30-May 1
College: Men’s & Women’s Division I and II Championships, Steuber Rugby Stadium, Stanford University

May 21-23
High School/ U19: Championships (24 teams – one location)

May 22 & 23
Club: Men’s Division I, II & III Playoffs (East and West locations needed)

May 28 & 30
All Star: Women’s 15’s Championships (8 teams – one location)

June 5-6
Club: Men’s Division I, II & III Championships, Infinity Park, Glendale, Colo.

June 10 & 12
All Star: Men’s Collegiate Championships, Infinity Park, Glendale, Colo.

June 11 & 13
All Star: Women’s Under 23 Championship (8 teams – one location)

August 14-15
Sevens: Men’s Club Sevens Championships, Treasure Island in San Francisco, Calif.

August 28 & 29
Sevens: Men’s and Women’s all Star 7’s championships (16 teams – one location)

October 30 & 31
Club: Women’s Division I Playoffs (Round of 16 – one location)

November 13 & 14
Club: Women’s Division I Championship (8 teams – one location)

USA Rugby CIPP and MRFU Dues

2009-08-20T09:48:00.000-07:00

USA Rugby online registration is now open for the 2009-2010 Competitive Season. The dues structure is as follows for our TU and LAU:

USA Rugby (plus Western Union Dues) 2009-2010 Dues Structure

Club Registration: $150.00

Individual Senior Registration: $35.00 + $25.00 = $60
Individual Collegiate Registration: $30.00 = $20.00 = $50
Individual High School Registration: $20.00 + $15.00 = $35

The MRFU Board of Directors approved a motion to change the current dues structure from a per person fee to a per club fee. The team presidents were alerted to this change at the August 3rd meeting at SMRFU clubhouse. The fee schedule is below. This is a one-time per competitive season fee, no matter the size of your roster. These dues can be paid using PayPal from the MRFU website.

Mens clubs - $1,150
Women’s clubs - $1,150
Collegiate - $850
HS Boys - $550
HS Girls - $450

All of this must be done prior to your first match. Referees will not be sent to matches where either club is not compliant.

Jan Stokes
MRFU Match Secretary
(314) 550-4636

USA Rugby Changes Under-20 Women's National Team Eligibility

2009-08-17T08:36:00.000-07:00

USA Rugby has announced changes to its age eligibility requirements pertaining to the Under-20 Women’s National Team for the 2009/2010 season.

To be eligible for the Women Under-20’s squad for the upcoming season players must be under 20 years old on September 1, 2009.

This is a change to the prior date of January 1, 2010. “Both the England and Wales Under-20 programs use the September 1 date and this change will put us on the same page as those programs,” said USA Under-20 Women’s Coach Bryn Chivers. “Furthermore, there is another benefit to the change as we also have the opportunity to align the eligibility criteria for the Territorial Union Under-19 programs with the Girls’ Under-19 National Championships.”

Asked about the eligibility change Alex Williams, the Women’s High Performance Director added, “While the final match highlighted the attention England has been putting into their Under-20 program, our U-20s are coming off an overall successful Nations Cup and it’s important for us to use the same eligibility criteria as the team ahead of us and the teams that are now chasing us.”

For more information on the Women’s Under-20s, please visit www.usarugby.org/goto/womens_u20 or contact Bryn Chivers at bryn.chivers@gmail.com

Rugby Sevens Gets Olympic Recommendation

2009-08-17T08:34:00.000-07:00

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board has recommended Rugby Sevens as one of two sports for inclusion in the Olympic Games.

Bernard Lapasset, President of the IRB, said: “We would like to thank the IOC Executive Board for selecting Rugby Sevens from what are seven strong and diverse sports. We recognise the significance of this milestone in our campaign but are also mindful that the ultimate decision rests with the IOC members when they meet in Copenhagen on October 9 2009.

“The Olympic Games would be the pinnacle of the sport for all our athletes and the Rugby Family, providing the opportunity for the best men’s and women’s players in the world to showcase their talent on the world’s greatest sporting stage. The international Rugby community is united behind Rugby Sevens’ campaign and we now look ahead to October.”

Rugby was originally introduced to the Olympic Games by Pierre de Coubertin in 1900 and continued to be played at the 1908, 1920 and 1924 Games. The sport shares the values of the Olympic Movement and offers new potential for growth to help the Movement to thrive and reach more young fans worldwide.

MRFU Meeting Mandatory for all Clubs

2009-07-31T09:55:00.000-07:00

We will be having a Mandatory President or Union Rep. meeting on August 4th at 7:00pm at the SMRFC Clubhouse, 4526 Gravois, St. Louis Mo.63116

The MRFU board has been working with the Referee Society on trying to solve the problem of getting and keeping high level referee's. We have seen a 60% to 70% turnover rate among referees.

We have decided to get away from the dues per player to the MRFU and go to a Flat Rate system. A portion of this money will be invested in our Referee Society. The Referees will be paid per game with additional money for Tournaments and B-side games. We hope this model will help retain Referees and promote growth in the Society. We need to have all Club Reps. present since the 2009-2010 starts at the beginning of Sept. and these new Rates begin immediately.

We also need to inform all clubs on the plans we have for the redevelopment of the fields at Forest Park and how it will affect games played there.

If you cannot make this meeting please call Jim Crouch 314-324-7592, MRFU President

Rugby Documentary - Rugby in America

2009-07-30T07:00:00.000-07:00

Check out the website for this HD Film A Giant Awakens. 130 years of Rugby in America.

www.agiantawakens.com

If you are on Facebook, become a fan- http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/A-Giant-Awakens/127972686360?ref=nf

USA Rugby Liability Insurance

2009-06-16T09:51:00.000-07:00

ALL USA RUGBY CLUBS:

As you all know, you are required to accept and maintain properly executed and signed USA Rugby Membership Application forms, with the properly signed Waiver and Release of Liability.

USA Rugbys General Liability insurance provider relies on a signed Waiver and Release to defend an allegation of negligence which results in injury. A Waiver and Release provides the following:

Contractually obligates the athlete and/or parent not to sue the organization
Many do not consider litigation with the knowledge that they have signed a Waiver and Release
Provides a first method of defense against allegations of negligence
Most sports require a signed Waiver in order to participate
In addition to your collection of these documents, we also need to stress maintenance of these documents.

While we recognize that this may be encumbering, please note the following statistics:

Most states Statute of Limitations is two to three years
There are a number of states/jurisdictions whose statute of limitations is in excess of the 2-3 standard, and as high as 6 years
A minors Statute of Limitations does not begin until they reach their age of majority which is generally 18 years of age (there are 2 or 3 states which majority is 19)
A minor can therefore reach majority, and file litigation for an injury suffered a number of years earlier and still take advantage of the Statute of Limitations

While we are not suggesting that you maintain membership applications/Waiver and Release of Liability forms for 10 years, we must ask that you maintain these documents for a reasonable time period, such as 3 years.

Please feel free to call our Risk Managers, ESIX for information concerning the Statute of Limitations in your state, Trish Beyer at 678-324-3325 or email at tbeyer@esixglobal.com.

We appreciate your cooperation in this matter, as we want to be able to maintain the integrity of our insurance programs, and with your assistance, we can continue to provide superior insurance for your group, and actively defend allegations of negligence.

Thank you,
ESIX

USA Rugby competitive vs. Ireland

2009-06-02T07:36:00.000-07:00

Posted in: Eagles By Brian LoweMay 31, 2009 - 4:50:27 PM

The US has opened its busy summer of international matches with a 27-10 loss to Ireland Sunday in Santa Clara , CA .

The Eagles did themselves proud though in front of 10,075 excited fans at Buck Shaw Stadium.
The game took a little while to warm up as both teams felt each other out in the early stages, a trend that is fairly typical of a test match.

Ireland was forst to score when big lock Mick O’Driscoll finished off a rolling maul that started from a lineout deep in the USA ’s territory. Flyhalf Ian Keatley extended the lead to 8-0 with a penalty shot at around the quarter mark of the match, before center Ian Whitten went in for Ireland ’s second unconverted try to make it 13-0 by halftime.

US flyhalf Mike Hercus didn’t have his kicking boots on and missed three first half penalty goal attempts and another in the second frame.

Ireland went further in front when awarded a penalty try for the US constantly pulling down the ruck on their goal line. Keatley converted for a 20-0 scoreline.

That’s when new head coach Eddie O’Sullivan started to make some personnel changes subbing Ata Malifa for Hercus and Alipate Tuilevuka for Junior Sifa. Those changes paid almost instant dividends when first Malifa potted a drop goal, and then Tuilevuka crashed in for the Americans’ only try.

Malifa converted and suddenly the Eagles were in it trailing 20-10, but just as they were starting to build more momentum, Irish skipper and hooker Rory Best scored a soft try when his side had a four men to two overload. Another Keatley conversion closed out the scoring at 27-10.

“Overall I was happy,” said coach O’Sullivan afterwards. “I think at times we made it difficult for ourselves, particularly in the first half – our lineout misfired. It wasn’t that the system was wrong, we just didn’t execute well and that put us under pressure.

“In the second half we functioned a bit better. I think Ireland got off their defensive line probably a bit earlier than they should have been able to get off but they got away with it and that kind of made it hard for us to get a go-forward.”

Flanker Peter Dahl had a standout performance on debut and was named Player of the Match.
“I was pretty excited in my first run out for the Eagles and was excited to get out there and put on my best performance for the boys and everyone watching,” Dahl told ARN.

“Unfortunately we weren’t able to come away with a win but we’re very proud of our first run out and we know what we’ve got to work on.”
Scrumhalf Mike Petri was another player who stood out for the Eagles on debut as captain.

“I’m proud of the way we played,” said Petri. “We knew it was going to be a fight for 80 minutes and we wanted to stay in it and do the best we could, out in our best effort for 80 minutes and you know what I was real proud of the way the boys dug in at the end.

“We went the full 80. That was our goal and that’s what we stuck to.”

The US now regroups as it prepares for the next test against Wales next Saturday, June 6, in Chicago .

Olympic Rugby

2009-05-20T13:21:00.000-07:00

add your name to the petition to get rugby to the olympics http://www.olympic-rugby.org/

Former St. Louis Ramblers player selected as USA Rugby Eagle

2009-05-19T13:29:00.000-07:00

Former St. Louis Ramblers rugby player Pete Dahl was selected by the USA Rugby Eagles and will playing vs. Irelad in June

http://www.rugbyrugby.com/news/by_country/usa/story_15509175818.php

iRB approval of 10 of the 13 ELVs

2009-05-15T12:24:00.000-07:00

The International Rugby Board Council ratified recommendations made by the IRB Rugby Committee and approved 10 of the 13 global Experimental Law Variations (ELVs) for adoption into the Laws of the Game.

The recommendations were unanimously approved and the integrated set of Laws will be implemented globally from May 23 or from the start of the next domestic season where competitions transcend the implementation date.

In addition to the suite of global ELVs, three Union-specific ELVs were also approved for integration into Law. These include the ability for a Union to implement a maximum 15-minute half time in matches under its jurisdiction.

“One of the recommendations of the ELV Conference held in London at the end of March was the universal application of one set of Laws that govern the Game as soon as possible after Council. This was recommended by stakeholders from the international Game, including some of the world’s top Coaches, Referees and Administrators,” said IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset.
“The implementation date approved by the IRB Council achieves that goal and represents the most suitable application date. All international matches from May 23 onwards will be captured, while domestic and regional competitions played across the implementation date will be played under the current ELVs until their conclusion,” added Lapasset.

“Today’s announcement brings to an end the extensive global ELV consultation and evaluation process which began with the Conference on the Game in Auckland in January 2004. The IRB would like to sincerely thank its Member Unions for their participation in what has been an unprecedented review of the Laws of the Game,” added Lapasset.

The IRB’s Laws of the Game will be updated and available to view online in a range of languages at www.irb.com from Thursday, May 15.

ELVs adopted into Law

The following ELVs are to be adopted into Law:

Law 6 – Assistant Referees able to assist Referees in any way the Referee requires
Law 19 – If a team puts the ball back in their own 22 and the ball is subsequently kicked directly into touch there is no gain in ground
Law 19 – A quick throw may be thrown in straight or towards the throwing team’s goal line
Law 19 – The receiver at the lineout must be two metres back away from the lineout
Law 19 – The player who is in opposition to the player throwing in the ball must stand in the area between the five metre line and touch line and must be two metres from the line of touch and at least two metres from the lineout
Law 19 – Lineout players may pre-grip a jumper before the ball is thrown in
Law 19 – The lifting of lineout jumpers is permitted
Law 20 – Introduction of an offside line five metres behind the hindmost feet of the Scrum
Law 20 – Scrum half offside line at the Scrum
Law 20 – The corner posts are no longer considered to be touch in goal except when the ball is grounded against the post

Union-specific ELVs approved by Council:
Unions may implement rolling substitutions at defined levels of the Game
A Union having jurisdiction over a Game may implement a half time interval of not more than 15 minutes, but not at international level
A Union may implement the Under 19 Scrum Law Variation at a defined level of the Game under its jurisdiction

http://www.irb.com/newsmedia/mediazone/pressrelease/newsid=2031276.html

USA Rugby Announces its Men's International Player Pathway

2009-05-11T13:01:00.000-07:00

BOULDER, Colo. – Following USA Rugby’s High Performance meeting and insight from USA Rugby National Team Coaches, Kathy Flores, Eddie O’Sullivan and Al Caravelli, USA Rugby has officially released its International Playing Pathway for America’s male rugby players.

The pathway has been designed to give all male players a pathway to international rugby and ultimately selection for USA Rugby’s National Team, the Eagles.

The international playing pathway is supported by the ‘Rugby For All’ Continuum launched in the fall of 2008. The rugby continuum focuses on the stages of player development, while the international playing pathway identifies a pathway to selection for USA Rugby’s national representative teams.

The new-look pathway will assist in the development of the Eagles Select XV Team and the creation of a High School All-American team, which will replace the current Under-18 and Under-17 programs.The best college players in the U.S. will still be selected for the Collegiate All-American Team, before progressing to the Sevens/Select XV teams depending on their development needs.

The Under-20’s program will continue, allowing for a mixture of the top college and high-school talent that falls under the age of 20 and all of the aforementioned Teams will be selected through a supporting structure at each age group.

Players who choose not to attend college will be tracked through their performances in the club game and as in previous year’s the Rugby Super League will continue to be the pinnacle of the Men’s Club game, in the U.S., where standards of coaching, support and facilities continue to improve.

Sevens will remain an important development opportunity for international rugby players and the Select XV side will serve to develop the top U.S. college and club players, allowing them the opportunity to compete annually and enabling Eagles’ coaching staff the opportunity to work and evaluate upcoming domestic player talent. “Having a clear international playing pathway that enables us all to focus on talent identification and player development programs on all levels, will, in turn, create stronger national teams,” said USA Rugby CEO/President of Rugby Operations, Nigel Melville.

“We will use these teams to develop international coaches, managers and support staff with the ambition to coach at the highest level they can. To this end, USA Rugby will be inviting applicants for the head and assistant coach positions for the High School All-Americans, Under-20s and Select XV Teams in the next couple weeks.”

Those who would like to apply can find the job descriptions on www.usarugby.org/goto/employment.

In addition, USA Rugby’s Women’s High Performance Manager, Alex Williams, is working on a similar women’s international playing pathway, which is set to be released soon.

For more information, please visit www.usarugby.org/goto/High_Performance or contact Nigel Melville at nmelville@usarugby.org.

DeSmet Jesuit wins inaugural Missouri State Championships

2009-05-01T07:18:00.000-07:00

The De Smet Jesuit High School rugby team won the inaugural Missouri State Championship last weekend defeating the Jr. Blues from Kansas City 17 to 12.

The other finishers:

3 - Eureka
4 - Jefferson City
5 - SLUH
6 - Kirkwood
7 - Liberty
8 - Kansas City Titans

Missouri High School Rugby State Championship

2009-04-22T08:39:00.000-07:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
First-ever Missouri High School Rugby State Championship Tournament

The Jefferson City Rugby Football Club (JCRFC) is pleased to announce that Jefferson City will host the first ever Missouri High School Rugby State Championship Tournament on April 25th and 26th at its home pitch near the Katy Trail Pavilion. All ten teams from Kansas City, St. Louis, and Jefferson City will play to be named the first-ever Missouri High School Rugby State Champion

The boys' tournament will feature an eight team, single-elimination bracket. Four teams from St. Louis (DeSmet HS, Eureka HS, Kirkwood HS and SLUH), three teams from Kansas City (KC Junior Blues, KC Titans and Liberty RFC) and the JCRFC. The girls' championship will consist of one game matching the only two girls' teams in the state - the Kansas City Dragons and the St. Louis Sirens.

Saturday, April 25th will feature the first two rounds of the boys' tournament and the girls' championship game. The first round will match De Smet v. Liberty RFC at 10:00 a.m., Eureka v.Kirkwood at 11:00 a.m. am, Jefferson City v. SLUH at 12:00 pm, and KC Jr. Blues v. KC Titans at 1:00 pm. The second round games will go from 2:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. The girls' championship will kickoff at 6:00 p.m. Sunday, April 26th, the placement matches begin at 9:00 a.m. and the championship match is scheduled for 1:30 pm.

The purpose of this tournament is not only to determine which teams are the best in Missouri but also to showcase high school rugby and to encourage the growth of more teams throughout the state. The rugby pitch is located in North Jefferson City, on the southwest side of the intersection of Highway 63 and Highway 54; take the Airport Exit from Highway 54. Admission is free and we hope you will join us for this exciting event!

###
Chris Bell
jcrfc@jcrfc.org
(573)-353-9297

Top Rugby Stakeholders Agree on ELV Recommendations

2009-04-01T07:32:00.000-07:00

Senior stakeholders from the international Rugby community, including a number of the world’s top coaches, referees and administrators, met in London on Monday and Tuesday to review the Game’s Experimental Law Variations (ELV) program. The four-year program culminates in a decision in May by the IRB Council as to which ELVs might be accepted permanently into the Laws of the Game.

The aim of the Conference was to assess the impact of the global ELV trial and the additional variations being trialed by the SANZAR Unions, as well as to evaluate other ELVs being trialed by individual Unions. The Conference was hosted by the IRB Rugby Committee and Laws Project Group (LPG).

“We held a positive and constructive meeting at which all stakeholders were able to share their opinions on each of the ELVs. This was an important milestone for the ELV program and it was crucial that robust discussion was entered into and that all positive and negative impacts of the ELVs were raised,” said IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset.

“Naturally opinions differed in several areas of the ELV program. The IRB regards this as a healthy and positive state of affairs as the Game’s Laws have always and should continue to allow coaches and players to interpret Law so that different styles of play can be employed.”

“The Unions tabled detailed research and analysis to support their views. Everyone had the opportunity to air their views. What was clear was that there was agreement on many aspects of the ELVs and a collective will to see a return to one set of Laws to govern the Game as soon as possible.”

“This conference was not a decision-making meeting but at the end of the day the conference provided a set of collective recommendations on the ELVs to assist the IRB Rugby Committee in formulating its final recommendations for the IRB Council meeting on 13 May. Council will then decide which ELVs, if any, should be fully integrated into Law,” added Lapasset.

The Conference was the latest step in the extensive global ELV consultation and evaluation process. Attendees were also presented with Game analysis and statistical surveys from over 800 matches, involving more than 3,000 players, coaches and referees at the Elite and Participation levels of the Game from 15 IRB Member Unions.

“It is has been a long road since the genesis of the ELV program at the Conference on the Playing of the Game in Auckland in January 2004 when national coaches and administrators gathered following Rugby World Cup 2003 to debate the state of the Game,” said Lapasset.

“Collectively the participants requested that the IRB look into the Laws of the Game and mandated it to undertake a major review in areas such as the lineout, maul and sanctions, including turning penalties for technical offences into free kicks. The Laws Project Group was subsequently conceived, as were the Experimental Law Variations with initial trials starting in 2005.”

“In the past Law changes were discussed in theory and implemented without on-field testing but importantly this ELV program has included global practical trials. The entire process is now coming to an end and the IRB would like to sincerely thank its Member Unions for their participation in what has been an unprecedented review of the Laws of the Game,” added Lapasset.

Recommendations for the IRB Rugby Committee
The following is recommended to the Rugby Committee for adoption into Law:

Law 6 – Assistant Referees allowed Law 19 – Kicking directly into touch from ball played back into 22 equals no gain in ground Law 19 – Quick Throw permitted in any direction except forward Law 19 – Positioning of player in opposition to the player throwing-in to be two meters away from lineout and the line of touch Law 19 – Pre-gripping of lineout jumpers allowed Law 19 – Lifting in the lineout allowed Law 19 – Positioning of Receiver must be two meters away from lineout Law 20 – Five-meter offside line at the Scrum Law 20 - Scrum half offside line at the ScrumLaw 22 – Corner Posts no longer touch in goal
The following is not recommended to the Rugby Committee for adoption into Law:
Law 17 - Maul - Head and Shoulders not to be lower than hips Law 17 - Maul - Pulling Down the Maul Law 19 – Freedom for each team to determine Lineout Numbers
Sanctions and Free Kicks (subsidiary recommendation for further examination)Tackle/Ruck Infringements (subsidiary recommendation for ruling in law to be sought by a Union to clarify interpretation of current Law)

Other Union-specific ELVs
Up to 15 minutes half time - recommended to Rugby Committee for adoption into Law
Rolling substitutions for Community Game – recommended to Rugby Committee for adoption into Law
Use of Under 19 variations at the scrum for Community Adult Game where agreed by the Union – recommended to Rugby Committee for adoption into Law
Protocol to extend the remit of the TMO – not recommended to the Rugby Committee for adoption into Law

ELV Conference attendees: Bernard Lapasset (IRB Chairman), Bill Beaumont (IRB Vice Chairman and Laws Project Group), Mike Miller (IRB Chief Executive), Oregan Hoskins (IRB Executive Committee), Giancarlo Dondi (IRB Executive Committee), Peter Boyle (IRB Executive Committee), David Pickering (IRB Executive Committee), Jean Pierre Lux (IRB Rugby Committee), Geraint John (IRB Rugby Committee), Francis Baron (RFU), Rob Andrew (RFU), Kevin Bowring (RFU), Chris Cuthbertson (RFU), Roger Lewis (WRU), Joe Lydon (WRU), Bob Yeman (WRU), Phillip Browne (IRFU), Eddie Wigglesworth (IRFU), Owen Doyle (IRFU), Roy McCombe (SRU), Frank Hadden (SRU), Colin Thomson (SRU), Andre Watson (SARU), Johan Prinsloo (SARU), Peter de Villiers (SARU), David Nucifora (ARU), John O’Neill (ARU), Robbie Deans (ARU), Santiago Phelan (UAR), Ricardo Garcia Fernandez (UAR), Marcelo Toscano (UAR), Steve Tew (NZRU), Neil Sorensen (NZRU), Steve Hansen (NZRU), Nick Mallett (FIR), Francesco Ascione (FIR), Carlo Casagrande (FIR), Rene Hourquet (FFR), Jean Louis Barthes (FFR), Didier Retiere (FFR), Bill Nolan (Laws Project Group Chairman), Dr Syd Millar (Laws Project Group), Bruce Cook (Laws Project Group/IRB Development Manager), Ian McIntosh (Laws Project Group), Dr Mick Molloy (Laws Project Group/IRB Medical Officer), Graham Mourie (Chairman of IRB Rugby Committee & Laws Project Group), Paddy O’Brien (Laws Project Group/IRB Referee Manager), Pierre Villepreux (Laws Project Group), Richie Dixon (Laws Project Group), Rod Macqueen (Laws Project Group), Steve Griffiths (IRB Head of Technical Services), Corris Thomas (IRB Game Analysis), John Feehan (6 Nations), Derek McGrath (ERC Rugby), Ian McGeechan (British & Irish Lions), Lyndon Bray (NZRU Referee Manager), Nigel Owens (IRB Referee), Rob Nichol (IRPA), Damian Hopley (IRPA).
*At the conclusion of the Conference the FFR tabled its proposal to deal with the issue of uncontested scrums. This will be further discussed by the Rugby Committee and Unions will be able to give further feedback before the May 13 Council meeting.

For further information:
Dominic Rumbles, IRB Head of Communications, +353 (0) 86-852-0826, email: dominic.rumbles@irb.com

Need More Playing Time?

2009-03-17T08:29:00.000-07:00

The St. Louis Royals have seen some outstanding turnout for training and matches and is looking for some additional playing time for new and B-side players. If your team (excluding HS and Women’s) would like to schedule additional matches or arrange B-side playing time please contact Royals match secretary
Scott Loeffler ScottLoeffler@padgettbuilding.com

The Rucking Zone website

2009-03-13T09:48:00.001-07:00

Teams should consider registering at The Rucking Zone a new website dedicated to helping teams recruit players and grow the sport of rugby.

The site is hoping to be a place for players, teams, tournaments, coaching and fitness information for rugby.

check it out at www.ruckingzone.com

Ruggerfest Hotel Update - Free Shuttles from Hotels

2009-03-12T12:16:00.000-07:00

The Quality Inn is now completely full for ruggerfest but both the Sheraton and Doubletree have tournament-rate rooms available with complimentary Shuttle to the Airport, Westport Plaza, Harrah’s Casino and the Fields

Double Tree Westport
Rate $69
314-434-0100 (mention Gateway Ruggerfest)

Sheraton Westport
Rate $79
314-878-1500
http://www.starwoodmeeting.com/Book/gatewayrugfestmain

Sheraton Chalet and Sheraton Plaza

USA Rugby Announces New Women's Club Competition Structure

2009-03-10T10:35:00.000-07:00

Introduction
USA Rugby has recently completed a review of Women’s Club Competitions and developed a proposal for the 2009-10 competitive cycle. The review committee included Dan Payne (USA Rugby Director of Competitions), Alex Williams (USAR Women’s High Performance Manager), Martha Daines (Competitions Committee), Jen Joyce (Board of Directors), Peter Steinberg (Keystone coach), and Mike Mahan (Board of Directors and Army coach).

The proposal has been reviewed and endorsed by both the Competitions Committee and the Rugby Committee and is currently under review by the Board of Directors. While some of the details of local competitions and playoff pathways are yet to be finalized, the proposal outlines a broad structure consisting of three tiers of competition: Women’s Premier League, Women’s Club Division 1 and Women’s Club Division 2. A description of the competition structure follows.

Women’s Premier League
The Women’s Premier League (WPL) will be comprised of eight of the top senior women’s clubs, formerly of Division 1. The initial eight clubs were selected by ranking the overall finish order from the last three National Championships and by each club’s interest in participating in the WPL.

The League Season will occur concurrently with the regular Women’s Club season, in the fall of each year. Pre-season will begin in mid to late August and the National Championship will be held in early to mid-November of each year.

The Competition Structure will involve two conferences of four teams with each team playing Home and Away against each of the other teams within their conference for a total of six league matches. USA Rugby will seed the teams (1-8) and allocate teams to conferences based on that seeding. USA Rugby will set the league schedule.

USA Rugby will administer the National Championship. The conclusion to the regular season will be a single National Championship weekend, with each team playing two matches over three days. Teams will be re-seeded based on the results of the regular season conference matches with the top four teams competing for the Cup (1 plays 4, 2 plays 3, winners play for Cup, losers for Plate) and the bottom four teams competing for the Bowl (5 plays 8, 6 plays 7, winners play for Bowl).

Promotion/relegation with the winners of the Division 1 National Championship will be explored at the end of the competitive cycle, to provide incentive for additional clubs to rise to the highest league.
Women’s Club Division 1
The Women’s Club Division 1 competition will be organized into three Competitive Regions (CR) based on USA Rugby Territorial Unions (TU).
· CR1 – WEST REGION - teams from two TUs - Pacific Coast and Southern California
· CR2 – CENTRAL REGION - teams from two TUs - West and Midwest
· CR3 – EAST REGION - teams from three TU’s - USA Rugby South, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast

TUs within the CR are responsible for organizing any CR league play and the structure of CR playoffs. USA Rugby is responsible for organizing the structure of the National Championships. The initial structure will allow for the participation of twelve teams playing four rounds to determine a Div.1 Champion. Twelve seeds will be allocated by the USA Rugby Competitions Committee based on performance in the previous year’s LAU, TU, and USA Rugby competitions as well as historical performance.

Each CR will receive a minimum of two of the twelve seeds; the Competitions Committee will allocate the remaining six seeds. The championship bracket will use a standard 16 team structure, with the top four seeded teams receiving a bye in the first round. The Playoff weekend will include two rounds. The first round replaces the former Challenge Match series. The winners of Round 1 will play in the Quarter-finals with those winners advancing to the National Championship Semi-finals. The Semi-finals and Finals weekend will be scheduled at least two weeks after the Playoffs weekend. The Women’s Club Division 1 Championship structure for 2009 is shown in Fig.2.

Women’s Club Division 2
USA Rugby will officially endorse the 2009 Women’s Club Division 2 Invitational Championship and confirm that the event is on a defined path toward becoming an official USA Rugby Championship. USA Rugby’s Competition Committee will take over responsibility for seeding the bracket starting in 2009. The initial seeding of the eight teams will be based on the order of finish from the 2008 Women’s Club Division 2 Invitational Championship. Four TUs participated in the 2008 Invitational event: South, Midwest, Northeast, and Mid-Atlantic.

The remaining TU’s, West, Pacific Coast, and Southern California, will be granted a seed in the 2009 Championship bracket if the TU can show they have an organized Women’s Club Division 2 competition. The figure below shows the current TU seeding Women’s Club Division 2 Championship structure for 2009. The TU allocation and bracket seeding is tentative, pending entry by teams from West, Southern California, and Pacific Coast TU competitions.

The 2009 Women’s Club Division 2 Invitational Championship will continue to be run by the Women’s D2 Committee (www.wdiirugby.org), with the exception of the seeding process, until all seven TUs have an organized D2 competition.

USA Rugby Game Management Guidelines

2009-02-19T15:11:00.000-08:00

In an effort to give players and referees a clearer approach to the game and establish consistency in Law application throughout the country, USA Rugby Referees’ management has established guidelines to refereeing at all levels in USA Rugby.

2009 guidelines

Watch USA Sevens Special on ABC Feb 22

2009-02-18T11:21:00.000-08:00

Sunday Feb. 22 the 7's event from last week in San Diego is being aired on ABC

USA Sevens LLC announced that ABC will broadcast the USA Sevens Rugby Tournament presented by Bridgestone as a one-hour special, Feb. 22 at 5 p.m. EST.

“Having a chance to showcase the premier event of one of the country’s fastest-growing sports is an enormous opportunity,” said Ray Peterson, managing director of the USA Sevens LLC. “Rugby fans across America will now be able to watch their favorite teams compete and many new viewers will also be introduced to the dynamic game of rugby sevens.”
The USA Sevens Rugby Tournament featured 16 international teams competing in 44 matches, and is the fourth round in the IRB Sevens World Series.

www.usarugby.org

February 21 Matches

2009-02-18T10:33:00.000-08:00

Mizzou v. SLU at Columbia 12:00
Mizzou B v. SLU B immediately following
Referee Jerry Butler