United States men's national rugby union team: Difference between revisions
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===Early years=== |
===Early years=== |
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Rugby was introduced into the United States by [[English people|English]] soldiers and colonists in the mid-1800s. |
Rugby was introduced into the United States by [[English people|English]] soldiers and colonists in the mid-1800s. In 1872 there were rugby clubs flourishing in the San Francisco Bay Area, composed mainly of former British citizens for whom rugby was a way of remaining British. |
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The British rugby evangelists of San Francisco converted Cal to rugby-style football. On 2 December l882, the first Cal Rugby team to play an outside opponent lined up a group of rugby-playing ex-Britons calling themselves the Phoenix Rugby Club of San Francisco. Cal lost to the Phoenix club 7-4. This was the start of the Californian rugby tradition. |
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| ⚫ | In 1876 [[Yale University|Yale]], Harvard, [[Princeton University|Princeton]], and [[Columbia University|Columbia]] formed the [[Intercollegiate Football Association]], which used the rugby code, except for a slight difference in scoring. The modern sport of [[American football]] is a descendant of these rules. Rugby union continues to be played in American universities, [[George W. Bush]] and [[Bill Clinton]] being two of the most famous players. |
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The sport of [[rugby union]] in the United States has always had a close relationship with the sport of [[American football]]. Games of rugby, [[soccer]] and hybrid games had always been played between American universities, the first recorded game took place in May 1874 between [[Harvard University]] and [[McGill University]] in [[Cambridge, Massachusetts]]. While there are no records of the match and no one remembers who won, the game sparked an interest on college campuses nationwide. |
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| ⚫ | American football was fierce, and as time went on and injuries mounted, the public became alarmed at its brutalities. President Theodore Roosevelt threatened to outlaw the sport unless the national rules committee made changes that satisfied the Eastern schools. Beginning with the season of 1906, rugby union became the game of choice at [[Stanford University]], the [[University of California]] and several other colleges in California but the sport had died out by the outbreak of World War I. |
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| ⚫ | In 1876 [[Yale University|Yale]], Harvard, [[Princeton University|Princeton]], and [[Columbia University|Columbia]] formed the [[Intercollegiate Football Association]], which used the rugby code, except for a slight difference in scoring. The modern sport of [[American football]] is a descendant of these rules. in 1886 when Harvard's Oscar Shafter Howard introduced these rules to the Berkeley campus. Rugby union continues to be played in American universities, [[George W. Bush]] and [[Bill Clinton]] being two of the most famous players. |
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| ⚫ | American football was fierce, and as time went on and injuries mounted, the public became alarmed at its brutalities. President Theodore Roosevelt threatened to outlaw the sport unless the national rules committee made changes that satisfied the Eastern schools. Beginning with the season of 1906, rugby union became the game of choice at [[Stanford University]], the [[University of California]] and several other colleges in California but the sport had died out by the outbreak of World War I. |
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===USA at the Olympics=== |
===USA at the Olympics=== |
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Revision as of 17:29, 5 March 2006
| Vereinigte Staaten | |
|---|---|
| Union | USA Rugby |
| First International Australia 12 - 8 United States (September 16, 1912) | |
| Largest win Japan 5 - 74 United States (July 6, 1996) | |
| Worst defeat England 106 - 8 United States (August 21, 1999) | |
| World Cup | |
| Appearances | 4 (First in 1987) |
| Best result | One win in 2003 |
USA Rugby's national team is nicknamed the Eagles.
The United States have always been considered a rugby union minnow, but through professionalism the Eagles are making improvements in coaching, management and player development, and as a result have improved on the field. The Eagles have a potentially huge pool of players as many Americans play American football in college but give up playing afterwards. However, because very few Americans grow up playing rugby union, with the majority of players not taking up the game until college (or even later), the average American player has far less rugby experience than most players of the same age in the rest of the world.
With the sheer size of the USA, coupled with relatively few fixtures, the Eagles squad only get together before games and for periodic evaluations. Selections are in part made from talent spotting done at USA Super League matches.
Ranked 16th in the world the Eagles participate annually in the Can Am trophy match against Canada. There are also the bi-annual Pan American championships, which can also double as the Americas zone World Cup qualifiers.
The USA is also involved in the implementation of the NAWIRA zone competition, which will give North American and West Indies sides regular competition.
The one area that has seen improvement for the USA internationally is in the game of Sevens where the Eagles have impressed on the IRB World Sevens circuit, making it regularly to play-off rounds of the top tournaments in the world.
History
Early years
Rugby was introduced into the United States by English soldiers and colonists in the mid-1800s. In 1872 there were rugby clubs flourishing in the San Francisco Bay Area, composed mainly of former British citizens for whom rugby was a way of remaining British.
The British rugby evangelists of San Francisco converted Cal to rugby-style football. On 2 December l882, the first Cal Rugby team to play an outside opponent lined up a group of rugby-playing ex-Britons calling themselves the Phoenix Rugby Club of San Francisco. Cal lost to the Phoenix club 7-4. This was the start of the Californian rugby tradition.
The sport of rugby union in the United States has always had a close relationship with the sport of American football. Games of rugby, soccer and hybrid games had always been played between American universities, the first recorded game took place in May 1874 between Harvard University and McGill University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. While there are no records of the match and no one remembers who won, the game sparked an interest on college campuses nationwide.
In 1876 Yale, Harvard, Princeton, and Columbia formed the Intercollegiate Football Association, which used the rugby code, except for a slight difference in scoring. The modern sport of American football is a descendant of these rules. in 1886 when Harvard's Oscar Shafter Howard introduced these rules to the Berkeley campus. Rugby union continues to be played in American universities, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton being two of the most famous players.
American football was fierce, and as time went on and injuries mounted, the public became alarmed at its brutalities. President Theodore Roosevelt threatened to outlaw the sport unless the national rules committee made changes that satisfied the Eastern schools. Beginning with the season of 1906, rugby union became the game of choice at Stanford University, the University of California and several other colleges in California but the sport had died out by the outbreak of World War I.
USA at the Olympics
Rugby union hadn't been played competitively in most of the USA for more than a decade prior to the 1920 Olympics, the US Olympic committee replied, "due to the fact that California is the only state playing Rugby in the US, the Committee will give sanction but no financial aid". Money was raised in San Francisco to send a rugby union team from California to the games. By the time the US Rugby team arrived in Europe, Czechoslovakia and Romania had withdrawn from the competition, France and USA were the only teams left to compete. The USA won a shock 8-0 victory and the gold medal. The stunned French suggested that the US team tour France, which they did; winning three out of the four matches they played.
Between 1920 and 1924, Rugby union virtually disappeared once again as American-style football soared in popularity. But the 1924 Paris Olympics caused France to challenge the US to defend its title. Once again, the US Olympic Committee granted permission but no funds. Nonetheless, seven players of the 1920 team dusted off their boots, raised $20,000, and found some American football players who had never even seen a rugby union match, and headed for England-where they were trounced four times in practice sessions. The French Olympic Committee (FOC) had scheduled the rugby event to kick off the 1924 Paris Games, and lowly Romania and the USA were expected to provide only token opposition for the European Champions. On Sunday, May 11th , the US pounded Romania 39 to 0, including nine tries, at Colombes Stadium. The final was played at Colombes stadium, Paris on 18 May 1924 before a crowd of 50,000. Paris bookmakers set the odds at twenty to one: The French team was one of the strongest ever assembled. To everybody's surprise the Americans were victorious again by 17 points to 3.
Shortly after the 1924 Olympics, however, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) removed rugby union as an Olympic sport. Without the Olympic incentive, the sport’s growth in America collapsed and the game remained dormant.
Post war
However, the sport then enjoyed a renaissance, beginning in the 1960s and continuing through the 1970s. This created the need for a national governing body to represent the USA in the International rugby community. Four territorial organizations formed the United States of America Rugby Football Union (now known as USA Rugby) in 1975.
The first Eagles match was played in Anaheim in 1976 against Australia, the Wallabies won 24-12. This as close as the Eagles got to beating a major nation at rugby union until another match against Australia at Riverside in 1994 when USA lost 22-26.
Competing in international tournaments like the Churchill Cup and the Pan American Championship, as well as specially scheduled matches against world powers such as France and Ireland, the Eagles have qualified for four of the five Rugby World Cups, missing out in 1995.
The Eagles qualified for the 2003 Rugby World Cup by beating Spain twice in April followed by victories over Japan and Canada. This was the first time the Eagles had won four consecutive tests since making their international debut in 1976.
Famous players
Women's National Team
The U.S. Women's National Team, officially formed in 1987, has been an international powerhouse since its inception. The Eagles won the first official World Cup in 1991, and finished second in the two following World Cups (1994, 1998).
The Eagles have set the standard for international competition, leading an ensuing wave of women's rugby growth and game development worldwide.
The next Women's Rugby World Cup is in August/September 2006 in Edmonton, Canada. Despite finishing 7th in the 2002 tournament, the USA is actually seeded 6th. They are bumped up ahead of Australia, who beat the USA in the 2002 tournament 17-5, because Australia hasn't played any international matches since the last World Cup.
The USA Rugby Women’s National Team will have its first test matches in over a year when the Women Eagles travel to the United Kingdom in January to play Scotland (Jan. 21), Ireland (Jan. 25) and England (Jan. 29). The Eagles’ travel squad includes 30 players, including 19-capped veterans.