Opening Kick

Opening Kick is a segment devoted to bringing you all Eagles and U.S.A. Rugby news in one location.

College:

The Varsity Cup has officially launched. Here is the press release. Teams slated for inclusion are Cal, BYU, Utah, Air Force, Navy, Notre Dame, and Dartmouth.

Lost in the shuffle of college news this past week was the fact that Notre Dame College (not University) has announced they will give out scholarships for rugby.

All-Americans:

The High School All-Americans are saying the right things down in South America. They were quick to compliment Chile after their recent win.

Club:

Like college rugby, the Super League has endured several changes. The Chicago Griffins have departed the league but the eight remaining teams have pledged to play next season.

Here is the Mid-Atlantic 7's table with Norfolk leading the way.

Women:

The Women's Premier League has set their schedule, which begins in September.

The Pacific Coast Championship was over the weekend and Seattle surprised all with the win. Berkeley, Seattle, and Emerald City all qualified for nationals, which was expected.

Pacific Coast head coach Laura Cabrera was excited for the level of talent on display at the tournament.

Tidbits:

The U.S. Maccabi rugby team tryouts are just around the corner and there is interest from several notable players.

Good news for Sevens fans, the number of broadcast hours for the IRB Sevens Series were up 17% over last year.