Collegiate Rugby Player Mack Lewis’ Open Letter to all Collegiate Women’s Rugby Teams, West Rugby & USA Rugby

EDITOR’s NOTE (4/5/13): I’ve received many emails/calls/texts about this post. Unfortunately it appears that this letter is full of inaccuracies and is not a true account of all the facts. As such I am removing the link to the letter but leaving this post up as a placeholder. I don’t take removing posts or links lightly but in this case the letter is not accurate and this type of information only flames the fires. We have all had last minute field changes or circumstances that have cost our club or persons heartache and hurt us in the wallet. Happy to highlight those issues and bring them to light but all facts need to be in place.

UPDATE 4/5/13 at 5:43 CST: USA Rugby has issued a press release in regards to this issue, read their response here.

I humbly submit a letter from Mack Lewis, of the CMU women’s rugby team. Her letter is a personal account of a West/USA Rugby Playoff event that went bad (dare we say ludicrous!?). Unfortunately it seems that almost all rugby teams have experienced something similar. The letter does a great job of pointing out how devastating the split season and the idea of playing a 15s national championship in Spring can be for any team above the “snow line,”. Note that more than half the women’s colleges in the country are above the “snow line”.

Read the letter (see note above, link removed).

Update from Mack on 4/3/13: CMU was informed by Rich Cortez yesterday, March 27, 3012, that the original email from Sophia Karlsson stating that UVU was going to check in late Saturday night was a typo and she meant to say Friday night. CMU was unaware of this at the point when the letter was sent out this new information changes some of the context of my previous letter. 

by: Mack Lewis
Captain & Co-founder of the CMU women’s rugby team

Reviewed by CMU coaches Randy Lewis and Danno Lewis