Rugby Here & There

Went to touch last night with the Austin Blacks and it was a blast. Except for the fire ants bites, it was quality rugby at a quick pace and the guys were very inviting. I don’t have a team, so I just whored with whoever would let me play, but towards the end of the first game the guys were asking my name and realizing that I was there to play. I’m not there to sit on the wing and get the ball when it comes my way, I work my way around the ball and make them pass to me! I am also a very vocal player and I think that is different for men to hear. I talk constantly whether it be on offense or defense, and it seemed very foreign for them to hear a female talking that much.

Ohh well, touch league happens until the middle of September so we will have plenty of time to get used to each other. I love touch and a bunch of guys isn’t going to keep me away! Touch at OU is where I learned to play fast hard rugby, so it makes sense that I would keep playing.

Wow, haven’t been doing much news on rugby, lets see what I can find!

• USA U23 Rumors…I emailed the coaches and a few other people and have found out that the rumors are FALSE. The program will go through changes, as all programs go through changes, but they will be for the advancement of the program. If any information gets released about this it will be reported as such. Thanks!
• Via Goff (subscription required) , the Women may not be shut-out of the Pan Am Games! Exciting news! USA Rugby Congress Chairman Bob Latham said this about the Pan Am Games, “No determination has yet been made regarding the format of the competition, including whether a women’s competition will be included,” Latham told ERugbyNews. “We, of course, are advocating for a women’s competition. Not only is it the right thing to do, but it also would help with the Olympic effort.”
• Lousia Wall, a former Black Fern and Silver Fern Player is speaking out for Women’s Rugby in New Zealand. Check out her thoughts here. It appears that she writes lots of articles about rugby, if you put her name in Google she pops up all the place.
• Ryan Jones, member of the Welsh Rugby World Cup Team is out, the doctors think that the risk of playing on his newly mended shoulder would only cause more injury. He is their first choice for 8-man, so they are out a valuable player. Check it out here.
• Looking for rugby this weekend in the west? Kansas City is hosting a HUGE tournament, it is a Super Qualifier for the men and the women’s bracket is filling up as well. I have heard that the Women’s Team are Arkansas, Little Rock, St. Louis, and the West Select side team.

  July 21 – July 22, 2007
  Location: Blue River Soccer Complex-South Kansas City, Missouri
  122nd & Blue River Road

  Melissa McKibben MMCKIBBEN@cerner.com

• Corpus Christi 7s – July 28, 2007
  I have heard that there is going to be a pretty big Women’s bracket with Alamo City, San Antonio, Satiated Beavers (Austin Valkyries), Houston, Baton Rouge and Corpus Christi. Sounds like a TON of fun! Last year the Beavers won it, so hopefully we can bring home the victory again.
• via Adventures in Rugby, Turls gives a rundown on the most recent Alex Williams Rugby Camp. I am so jealous! I wish there was one close enough that I could drive too! And Against the Head, KLK talks about her experiences when she attended the camp as well.
• Training For Rugby talks about the purpose of her blog and the ups and downs of training for high level rugby. I sympathize as we are training for the same event and it is hard to train by yourself and even more difficult to work and train.
• Put Me in Coach continues her discussion on High Level Coaching. It seems that a lot of teams are searching for coaches right now. The Bruins, KC Jazz, Austin Valkyries, Texas State and more…the list goes on forever.

That looks like all I’ve got…keep it real.