USA College Rugby

American college rugby is governed by the International Rugby Board, USA Rugby, and the respective territorial and local area unions. Local area unions usually set up "league" matches in the primary season, while the teams set up their own "friendly" matches in the secondary season. In the northeast, midatlantic and midwest, the league season is played in the fall; while in the south, northwest and pacific regions, the spring is the primary season.

For most US players, college rugby represents the first level competition, but because rugby is the fastest growing high school sport, this may change in the next ten years. Rugby is also growing at the collegiate level. There are currently 5 NCAA Varsity Women's Rugby Programs: Eastern Illinois University (Division 1); West Chester University (Division 2); and Bowdoin College, Southern Vermont College, and Norwich University (Division 3).

History

Shortly after the 1924 Olympics, however, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) removed rugby as an Olympic sport. Without the Olympic incentive, the sport's growth in America collapsed and the game remained dormant for the next half century. However, during the 1960's and '70's, the sport enjoyed a renaissance. With this renewed interest there became a need for a national governing body to represent the USA in the International rugby community. In response to the need for a centralized national structure, four territorial organizations gathered in Chicago, Ill., in 1975 and formed the United States of America Rugby Football Union (now known as USA Rugby) to serve as the game's national governing body.

U.S. National Teams

The USA Men's National Team, nicknamed the Eagles, won the Gold Medal in Olympic rugby in 1920 and 1924. After that time, rugby in the US stagnated while continuing to grow in the rest of the world and only recently has rugby started to become popular again in the US. Beginning in the 1960s and continuing through the 1970s the sport of rugby union enjoyed a renaissance in the USA. This created the need for a national governing body to represent the USA. In 1975 four territorial organizations (Pacific Coast, West, Midwest and East) gathered in Chicago, Illinois to form the United States of America Rugby Football Union (now known as USA Rugby).

The early Eagles sides were renowned for their fearless and aggressive American football-style tackling technique. From 1976 to 2007, the Eagles have played 149 tests, winning 47 of them. And, although they have yet to beat a founding IRB country (England, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, France, New Zealand, Australia, or South Africa) over the years they've defeated several Tier 2 nations such as Canada, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and Japan. 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 five of the six Rugby World Cups, most recently with the Rugby World Cup Qualifier (home and away) Series against Uruguay in the fall of 2006.

Popularity

The International Rugby Board has also announced that a record number of countries have formally expressed an interest to host IRB Rugby World Cup Sevens 2009. IRB Member Unions Arabian Gulf, Australia, Hong Kong, Kenya, Netherlands, Portugal, Russia and USA have all informed the IRB of their interest to tender for the tournament that will incorporate both a men's and a women's competition. For the first time women will have their own Rugby World Cup Sevens, taking place alongside the men's event in the same host city. Indeed USA College Rugby is getting all the popularity.