The Widening Gap Between The Hemispheres

The Southern Hemisphere has gone 11-6 against the Northern Hemisphere this fall (including when Tonga, Samoa, and Fiji played Tier I nations). That mark is a bit flattering as well considering that France have three of those wins and England has a blowout win over Fiji. For the Home Countries the record is even worse having gone 2-9 and winless against South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. In my latest RugbyRugby piece I take a look at the widening gap between the two hemispheres and speculate whether its time the Northern Hemisphere make a significant change.

Dubai 7’s: Women Eagles Day One Review

It was a tough day for the Women Eagles 7’s team as they made their debut on the IRB Women Sevens Series. Despite having high hopes of even winning the Cup competition the team finished the day 1-2 and was relegated to tomorrow’s Bowl competition. It was a set backward for a program that is one of the few professional sides in women’s rugby and one that has been training together for quite awhile. On the bright side, the team did keep its results close and if it weren’t in the toughest pool in the competition it might have made it into the Cup competition as one of the top two third-place finishers.

Take the jump to read more recap, analysis, and Day Two look ahead.

Eagles Abroad: Weekend Preview & TV

Jason Law will play in the Varsity match this week for Oxford.

Things will return to normal this weekend for Americans overseas as the Eagles have now returned to their clubs. The biggest question facing the returning Eagles is whether they will be immediately slotted into lineup or whether they will be given a rest. It's beginning to be crunch time for a lot of teams as they want to make a move in the standings before Christmas and to either catch up to teams ahead of the or create space. 

One of the highlights in the coming week is the annual Varsity match between Oxford and Cambridge. This year the match will feature two Americans who may end up going head to head with each other. Jason Law will play for Oxford while Nate Brakely will play for Cambridge. It's always a fun match to watch but with this added dimension, it's even better. Take the jump to see the who is doing what this week as well as a busy television schedule.

Opening Kick

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

Remember our sponsors American Sin Bin and Winners & Losers when doing your holiday shopping this year.

Eagles:

The Eagles didn't have the best day they would have liked in Dubai, losing close matches to Australia and France, and a lopsided match to Canada. Here is our recap from day 1.

The team will face Spain on day 2 in the Bowl quarterfinals. You can follow all the action on U.S.A. Rugby's Eye on the Eagles page.

Women:

The Women Eagles 7's had a much better day than the men, downing France 27-7, but losing to the Netherlands 12-7. They play Australia later today.

John Swart reflects back on the Women Eagles tour or Europe from his point of view. It's an excellent read.

College:

The College 7's Nationals kick off today it what could be the highest quality college 7's anyone sees all year. Here is the schedule for today. Play begins at this morning at 9:00 a.m. with both Field 1 and Field 2 available on webstream starting at 8:30 a.m. et.

Here is our preview and predictions for the tournament. Pools A, B, and C. Pools D, E, and F.  We also take a look at some players to keep your eye on at the tournament.

Central Washington are headed to the tournament looking for a win, while the Cal Bears are looking for the same even though they are carrying several injuries.

World:

Bryan Habana has won the Try of the Year award for this beauty against New Zealand.

Wales have named their team to take on Australia this Saturday. It includes four changes from last week's team. Wales captain Sam Warburton wants a win over a Southern Hemisphere team.

The match also marks the end of Nathan Sharpe's outstanding career. He should go down as one of Australia's greats.

England insist they are not scared of the All Blacks ahead of their Saturday encounter. But being honest, they only things that seem to be able to stop New Zealand at the moment are germs.

Glasgow coach Gregor Townsend has dampened speculation that he is interested in the Scotland job.

Staying in Scotland, Scrum Sevens examines the roller coaster ride that was Andy Robinson.

The IRB has a great look back at Jonah Lomu's break out performance at the 1995 World Cup. They also remind us that Mike Catt was subsequently referred to as Lomu's "speedbump."

Dubai 7's: Eagles Day One Recap

Disappointing is the easiest and best way to describe the Eagles Day One of the Dubai 7’s. The team finished 0-3 in pool play for the second tournament in a row with narrow losses to Australia and France, and a blowout loss to Canada. The performance will be especially bitter to head coach Alex Magleby, who despite drilled his team on improving handling errors and playing more cohesive, saw his charges come out flat and disjointed. The offense struggled to get much going and only scored five tries all day. The defense was only marginally better. If the team is going to have success on Day Two they will have to be more efficient with the ball and find a combination that works.
Take the jump to read match recaps, analysis, and a Day Two look ahead.

College 7's Livestream

Field 1:



Field 2:

Dubai 7's: Eagles 26-7 Canada

The Eagles ended day one of the Dubai 7's winless in pool play after a 26-7 loss to Canada. In a game marked by wet and sloppy conditions, it was Canada to get on the board first through Sean Duke. The Canadians did a good job of keeping possession and eventually working the play out wide for Duke. The conversion was missed. The Eagles immediately struck back via Zach Test. In order to deal with the slippy conditions the Eagles committed significant numbers to the ruck in order to keep possession. It worked as they eventually found Test who broke though to race half the field for the score. The conversion was good to give the U.S. a 7-5. lead. That lead wouldn't last as Chauncey O'Toole scored before halftime. Hirayama's conversion was good to give Canada a 12-7 halftime lead.

The U.S. started the second half by keeping possession off the restart but were unable to make anything. At this point the rain began to come down in droves affecting the quality of the ball. Canada did a good job of pinning the U.S. back in their own half the rest of the match and were rewarded with tries by Ciaran Hearn and Phil Mack. Final: Canada 26-7 Eagles.

The U.S. was poor all over the field from making smart tackles to running good lines. Handling was again a problem as they were unable to string together good passes. Overall, the team looks disjointed and uncomfortable. They will need to improve a great deal if they are to have success on day 2. Tune in later for a full day 1 recap.

Dubai 7's: France 17-14 Eagles

The U.S. put a major dent in their chances of advancing to the Cup quarterfinals in Dubai after losing to France 17-14 in their second match of the day. The match started out on a sour note for the Eagles as they surrendered a try just over a minute into the match. The Eagles had pushed all the way down to their gainline and were one movement away from scoring but Zach Test knocked the ball into French hands and they raced all the way down the field for the score. A lack of finishing would hurt the Eagles again a few minutes later after no one followed Test on a great down to the five metre line and he was pinged for holding on. The Eagles would take another lead into halftime after some patient buildup led to a try and conversion by Shalom Suniula. Still, the team should have been disappointed only to be up 7-5 at halftime when they should have had two more tries.

The second half started with the U.S. on the front foot but without much success. The French were resolute on defense and the new rule interpretations in the breakdown caused the rucks to become extremely sloppy, limiting the Eagles game plan. Things only began to pick up with Carlin Isles entered the match with five minutes left. However, France had most of the positive action. A great chip and chase by Terry Bouhraoua gave France their first lead to 12-7. The French coach was seen talking about that at halftime. They then added to their lead just a few minutes later. The U.S. were sloppy with the ball near the French tryline and eventually it was turned over for a French try in the corner. The conversion missed but the French still led 17-7 with two minutes remaining.

The Eagles were able to maintain possession of the restart and after doing a much better job of keeping the ball at the ruck the ball was eventually worked out wide to Isles. He burst around the French defense to score a try in the corner. Suniula converted to give the Eagles a shot at 17-14 with a minute to go. The U.S. managed to keep possession on the restart and after Bouhraoua was sent to the bin for pushing the ball away the Eagles had a real opportunity. However, like all match, their finishing and handling let them down. A U.S. penalty ended the match.

The Eagles have to hope that Australia beats Canada by a large margin and that they do the same to them in their last match. They play Canada next at 7:38 am et/4:38 am pt.

Dubai 7's: Australia 19-12 Eagles

The U.S. dropped their first match in the Duabi 7's 19-12 to Australia in an extremely sloppy match for both sides. The U.S. got on the board first courtesy of Zach Test less than a minute into the match. Suniula's conversion missed giving the Eagles a 5-0 lead. It was a good start from the team, especially from Test who struggled in the Gold Coast.  The lead was short-lived however Junior Laloifi peg a try right back for Australia. Cameron Clark hit the conversion to give them a 7-5 lead. Still, it was the U.S. who took the lead going into halftime after some great work by Matt Hawkins fed Colin Hawley for a try. This time Suniula hit his conversion to give the Eagles a 12-5 lead.

The second half began as sloppy as the first with both teams coughing up possession seemingly every time they touched the ball. It was Australia that struck first courtesy of Sean McMahon. After some back and forth dropping of possession deep in the U.S. own end, the ball managed to find itself out wide where there were no U.S. defenders. After the restart the Eagles managed a bit of possession but couldn't get out of their own half. The Australian tackling was strong but the Eagles offense was also stagnant, full of poor passes and poor offloads. The conditions didn't help but regardless it was still sloppy. This sloppy play led to the final try of the match as the U.S. coughed up the ball on a poor offload right into Peter Lee's hands for a try under the posts. Australia managed time well after that and the match finished Australia 19-12 Eagles.

Alex Magleby will not be pleased with the way the team surrendered easy possession and allowed Australia to have great field possession. Up next is France at 3:52. France lost to Canada in their first match 20-0.

College 7’s National Preview & Predictions, Part 2

Jimmy Kowalski

The College 7's Nationals kick off tomorrow. Yesterday we previewed Pools A, B, and C. Today at RugbyRugby we previewed Pools D, E, and F. And for a teaser, here is who we think will make the quarterfinals.

There are some pretty clear cut pool winners, such as Life (Pool A), Central Washington (Pool C), and Dartmouth (Pool D). The others are a bit more of a toss-up. Pool B should come down to Cal and Arkansas State. We’ll give the Cal the advantage due to their experience. Pool E seems likely for St. Mary’s, but it’s hard to discount the home team. Texas A&M goes through. Pool F is the most even of all the pools but San Diego State should emerge the winner.

As for the two remaining spots, they will likely come from pools where there isn’t as much parity. That means teams like Davenport and Arkansas State could miss out. St. Mary’s and Kutztown are our choices for who goes through.

Dubai 7's: Eagles Preview

Even though there has already been one event already on this year’s IRB Seven Series, this weekend in Dubai feels like a season opener. Originally, Argentina was supposed to be the second stop on the Series after the Gold Coast but their late pullout has meant that there has been a month and half gap between stops. That’s not extremely unusual for the Series, but it is for a one off tournament at the beginning of the season. However, for the Eagles a fresh start isn’t exactly a bad thing. They went into the Gold Coast with high hopes and even played tough against New Zealand, but ultimately they suffered their tournament spiraled out of control ending in a Shield final blowout loss to Scotland. Now with more than a month to prepare and some key players returning to health, mild optimism is beginning to come back to the team.

Take the jump to read more.

Dubai 7’s: Women Eagles Preview

It’s exciting times for the Women Eagles 7’s program as they kick off the first leg of the inaugural IRB Women Sevens Series this weekend in Dubai. The Women Eagles have certainly been active prior to this tournament, but it still marks the first time that they will be playing for points. It will also be the first time that all of the top women 7’s teams in the world are together in the same tournament outside the World Cup. That will be quite a challenge, but Ric Suggitt and his team seem up to the task.

Take the jump to read the rest of our preview.

College 7’s Nationals: Players to Watch

One of the purposes behind the College 7’s Nationals is to give Eagles 7’s head coach Alex Magleby a chance to scout players for possible selection to the national team (let’s put aside the fact that the tournament is one the same weekend as the Dubai 7’s, that’s a whole other issue that we don’t have time to get into right now). Most of the top players at the tournament will be first be hoping to catch the eye of the 7’ College All-Americans team, which is seen as one of the vehicles for getting on the national team. Another thing to consider is that soon a new system will be implemented in which certain teams around the country will act as feeder teams for the Eagles and a strong performance at this tournament could lead to an opportunity with one of these teams.

All that being said, which players should fans keep their eye on this weekend? Take the jump to find out.

Game of the Week: Dubai 7's

This week’s Game of the Week was a tough choice with the Dubai 7’s, College 7’s Nationals, and the All Blacks vs. England all taking place, but in the end it all comes back to the Eagles. Not only are the men’s Eagles 7’s playing this weekend, but the women’s team will be in action as well in the very first stop on the IRB Women Sevens Series. The men are looking to do better than their performance in the Gold Coast while the women are hoping to make a statement with a win. The men are in a tough pool with France, Australia, and Canada. The women are in a pool with France, Australia, and the Netherlands. A strong performance by the men’s team could but their season back and track and give then a shot of momentum. It will be difficult, but definitely worth watching.

Who: Men’s and Women’s 7’s Eagles
What: Dubai 7’s
When: 30 November and 1 December (Dubai is 12 hours ahead of the U.S. Pacific Time Zone so the matches on 30 November are in the evening of 29 November (today)).
Where: Dubai
Why: Because
How: NBC Universal will be showing the finals on day 2 so you are on your own until then.

Opening Kick

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

Remember our sponsors American Sin Bin and Winners & Losers when doing your holiday shopping this year.

We also want your Movember photos!

Eagles:

Nigel Melville tired to put the breaks on the Lions announced tour of the U.S. saying nothing is finalized and that the Lions are still looking for sponsors.

U.S.A. Rugby has all the information you need to follow the Eagles 7's men and women in Dubai.

The IRB wants to know if you will be a "#SevensFan?" It's time to show your pride in the Eagles.

The latest Ruggamatrix is out. The boys look ahead to the College 7's and Dubai, as well as look back at the Eagles win over Romania.

The Grand Prix 7's website is now live and offering tickets. It also has a list of countries participating as well as the dates for the tournament: July 12-14, 2013.

Women:

The fact that this is the first IRB Women Sevens Series event means that it is wide open and any team can win the title, according to the IRB.

Scrumqueens has their preview of the Women Eagles, along with their Pool C opponents.

College:

The College 7's Nationals kick off tomorrow. Here is our preview and predictions for Pools A, B, and C.

The boys at Rugbymag preview Pool F (Membership required) and give their predictions as well.

Jackie Finlan previews Pools B, C, and D on the women's side.

Club:

Serevi Rugby just completed a trip down to Fiji. Check out this news story on founder Waisale Serevi's trip back home.

Canada:

Rugby Canada boss Mike Chu sat down for an interview to talk about the ARC, Canada's fall tour, and more.

World:

The shortlist for IRB Player of the Year has been revealed. The nominees are Richie McCaw, Dan Carter, Owen Farrell, and Frederic Michalak.

Three of those players will be on the same pitch this weekend as Farrell has been named to the England starting lineup, while both McCaw and Carter are in the All Blacks lineup.

Chris Robshaw could be left out of the British & Irish Lions tour next summer after Warren Gatland has said he wants a pure openside flanker.

New Zealand and Italy have been awarded the rights to host the 2014 and 2015 Junior World Championship.

Andrew Hore has been hit with a five week suspension following his hit on Bradley Davies.  Apparently the hit gave Davies three days of memory loss.

Barrick Barnes hopes that a win over Wales this weekend will propel them into second place in the IRB rankings.

Fiji's coach has questioned players patriotism is they stayed with the clubs during the fall rather than tour with the team.

ESPNScrum's Nick Mullins has a terrific article on the long winter ahead for Sale and new boss John Mitchell.

Tidbits:

In another example of the growth of rugby in this country, another high school program has gone varsity.

College 7’s National Preview & Predictions, Part 1

Players will hope to emulate Colin Hawley's success and make it onto the Eagles.

With the College 7’s Nationals this Friday and Saturday in College Station, Texas (the tournament will be available live on YouTube with the semi-finals and finals on ESPN3) it’s time to preview the tournament and make predictions. In our latest article on RugbyRugby we tackle Pools A, B, and C. To tease/preview, in Pool A we have Life and Colorado State advancing. In Pool B we have Cal and Arkansas State. And in Pool C we have Central Washington and Kutztown. Give it a read and share what you think.

Looking Ahead At The Eagles 2013 Schedule And World Cup Qualifying

With its 2012 schedule now complete, it’s time to look ahead at what’s in store for the Eagles in 2013. First and foremost is Rugby World Cup qualifying. The U.S. is set to take on Canada sometime next summer, presumably in July, in a home and away series for a chance to get to the World Cup. Everything the U.S. has done since the 2011 World Cup has been leading up to that series of matches. If they can beat Canada they can possibly get a more favorable draw in the World Cup, as well as an improved ranking (rankings are important for arranging matches and funding).

Take the jump to read more.

The Importance Of The College 7’s Nationals

The College 7’s Nationals are only in their second year, but already the tournament is growing by leaps and bounds. The most prominent of these changes is that the semi-finals and finals of both the men’s and women’s tournaments will be available on ESPN3. The rest of the tournament will be available on YouTube. Additionally, more teams have committed to the tournament than last year and there seems to be a bigger buzz as well. The tournament still has a long way to go, but as a whole, things are looking up, especially from last year where the tournament was a just short of a disaster.

Take the jump to read more.

Opening Kick

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

Remember our sponsors American Sin Bin and Winners & Losers when doing your holiday shopping this year.

We also want your Movember photos!

Eagles:

The Eagle 7's are in Dubai prepping for this weekend, but they found time to learn a bit more about falconry, yes, falconry. We'll be honest, it looks pretty cool.

The South African Lions have confirmed a three-match tour of North America. They will play a USA Invitational side in California, Vancouver, and will take on the Chicago Lions.

Yesterday we brought you the Eagles player stats from the fall tour as well as part 2 of what we learned about the Eagles from the tour.

Women:

Like the men, the Women Eagles 7's have been in Dubai preparing. The tournament promises to be the toughest yet for the team. (Membership required)

Pete Steinberg shares some insights from the second match against France, as well as what's ahead in the next seven months for the Women Eagles.

Even though the team is a bit disappointed at the results of the tour, they are still staying positive. (Membership required)

Houston has signed a multi-year deal to host the U.S.-leg of the IRB Women Sevens Series. Volunteers are needed for the event and tickets have gone on sale.

Alex Goff has more on why Houston was selected as a host city.

College:

In what is absolutely fantastic news, the College 7's Nationals will be available on the web in their entirety this weekend. Both the men's and women's semi-finals and finals will air on ESPN3.

The boys at Rugbymag preview Pool E and Pool D, while their own Jackie Finlan previews Pool A in the women's bracket. (Membership required)

Curious as to what a NSCRO team is like? Steve Cohen and Darrin Barner have an answer.

Club:

Check out what the Glendale Raptors have been up to in the offseason.

Serevi Rugby has partnered with U.S.A. Rugby to offer coaching clinic in conjunction with the LVI.

Canada:

Connor Braid has joined the Doncaster Knights for the rest of the season.

World:

Ray's Rugby has the latest 'bits & pieces' from the weekend's international action.

The IRB are pushing their rankings hard ahead of the December 3rd draw. Today they talk about Wales struggle to maintain their place.

Speaking of Wales, prop Aaron Jarvis has been ruled out for the season after suffering a knee injury against New Zealand.

Courtney Lawes has earned a re-call to the England team as Stuart Lancaster has named his side for the weekend.

With the Dubai 7's this weekend, the IRB has a preview of Pool A and Pool B. Russia won't be in Dubai. Instead, they have their sights set on the World Cup.

The Sale Sharks have struggled mightily this season. Looking to turn that around in John Mitchell, who just arrived at the club.

South Afrian Bakkies Botha has signed a new deal with Toulon, while his fellow countryman has made a move to Stade Francais in what could mean more competition for Scott LaValla.

After splitting off from Arab Gulf team a couple of years ago, the UAE has finally gained full membership in the IRB.

What We Learned About The Eagles On Their Fall Tour: Part 2

Yesterday in Part 1 of our two part series examining the things we learned from the Eagles fall tour to Europe, we talked about the improved play of props Eric Fry and Shawn Pittman, the future captaincy of Scott LaValla, fitness, and depth issues. Today in Part 2 we talk about the emergence of Toby L'Estrange, the battle at scrumhalf, the Eagles defense, fans, Mike Tolkin, and consistency. Check it out and share your thoughts.

Lions Three-match Tour Of North American Confirmed, Will Play USA Invitational Side

The long-rumored tour of the Lions to North America has been confirmed. The club is set to take on a USA Invitational team in Irvine, California on April 13th and in Vancouver on April 20th. They will also play the Chicago Lions on April 27th. No word yet on who will be on the U.S. team, but it is probably safe to assume it will include several members of the Eagles that are based in the U.S., as well as some other players based in the U.S. or Canada. According to Paki's Corner, who broke the story in the U.S., Todd Clever is rumored to be involved in the tour. Clever played for the Lions from 2009-10. No word yet on if the matches will be televised.

The Lions were relegated from Super Rugby last year to make way for the Eastern Province Kings. They will have a chance to gain promotion back into the competition next July. In the meantime, they have put together a provision schedule that includes the the national teams of Russia, Namibia, Samoa, the French Barbarians, French clubs Mont-de-Marsan, Agen, Montpellier, and Grenoble. They will also play the other five South African Super Rugby teams.

This is a great development for rugby in the United States as it means that in addition to the Elite Cup, domestic based Eagles to get in good competition ahead of World Cup Qualifiers next summer. 

Eagles Fall Tour Player Stats

Hopefully Quill learned to give the ball to Ngwenya if he is calling for it!

Below we've complied individual player stats* from the Eagles fall tour of Europe. You'll have to take the jump to see the full statistics, but here are a few things we found interesting.

• Only five players (Pittman, Fry, Hume, LaValla, L'Estrange) played every single minute of the tour. It's interesting to note that both props made the list.
• Point scorers: Wyles (34), Shaw (15), Pangelinan (8), six tied at (5).
• 15 players appeared in all three matches. That number jumps up to 21 when it's two matches, and  24 when it's three.
• That means that four players (Wallace, Purpura, McDonald, Chapman) did not make an appearance. Only Chris Chapman didn't make a gameday roster.
• 10 players played over 200 minutes.
• Five players earned their first cap (Dirksen, Fenoglio, Harriman, L'Estrange, Quill)

*We know these stats aren't perfect, so if you have a definitive correction, post it in the comments please.

Take the jump to see the full stats.

Poll Tuesday: College 7's Nationals

Now that the Eagles fall tour is over we can switch gears a little bit. Normally with the Dubai 7's coming up this weekend we'd ask about the Eagles 7's chances, but with the Women Eagles 7's also competeting, we'd thought we'd make it a bit more fair and ask you who you think will win the College 7's Nationals this weekend. But first, let's check in on last week's poll.

We asked you if the Eagles would win, lose, or draw against Romania last Saturday. With an overwhelming 90%, most of you thought that the Eagles would win. 10% thought they would lose while no one thought they would draw. Congrats! Nine in ten of you were correct.

This weekend sees the College 7's nationals in College Station, Texas. The tournament features 24 teams on the men's side and 16 on the women's side. Some of the notable names in the men's tournament include, Life, Cal, Arkansas State, Central Washington, Dartmouth, Air Force, St. Mary's, Davenport, and San Diego State. You can see the full pools here. College 7's is always an open affair with several different teams capable of winning. However, we are still going to ask you who you think will win. Go out, do your research, vote in our poll, and share who you think will win and why. Here are the choices:

Life
Cal
Central Washington
Dartmouth
Davenport
Arkansas State
San Diego State
Other

Opening Kick

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

Remember our sponsors American Sin Bin and Winners & Losers when doing your holiday shopping this year.

We also want your Movember photos!

Eagles:

Keeping possession is going to extremely important for the Eagles in Dubai. Alex Magleby has be centering trainings around not dropping the ball.

Paul Emerick will be out 10-12 weeks with an ankle injury. He suffered the injury late in the match against Romania. He may miss several LV= Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup matches, as well as a handful of Premiership matches.

He also missed last night's Wasps 'A' match against Exeter. However, both Derek Asbun and Robbie Shaw played.

Congrats to Chris Wyles, who along with Izzy Cerullo, have been named the Rhino Rugby Players of the Week.

Here is part 1 of our two part series on what we learned from the Eagles fall tour.

Women:

The IRB profiles U.S. star Deven Owsiany, proclaims that the Women's Series has room to grow, and reaffirms its commitment to the XV's game.

College/Club:

Rugbymag previews Pool C of the College 7's Nationals. The pool includes Central Washington, Kutztown, Virginia, and Texas. (Membership required)

Check out the list of winners from last weekend's New York 7's. The Ninjas from New Jersey won the men's competition.

The Northeastern University rugby team has the feeling of a family despite having players from all over the world.

World:

Nigel Starmer-Smith says that having both a men's and women's tournament in Dubai is "glorious."

Could Scotland turn to former Eagles coach Scott Johnson for an interim coach while they search for a permanent coach?

Not only is Dan Carter is hoping to be fit enough to play against England this weekend, but he's going to be a dad!

New Zealand may be without Andrew Hore, who Wales assistant Rob Howley labels as an "absolute disgrace."

It may not be the most interesting news to everyone, but Allianz Park has laid down its artificial turf.

The lure of players to the Top 14 continues as Northampton could lose two of their props to France.

Check out who's hot and who's not according to Planet Rugby.

Tidbits:

Have you ever wondered what referees do in the offseason? Well, wonder no longer. (Membership required)

What We Learned About The Eagles On Their Fall Tour: Part 1

In my latest column at RugbyRugby I take a look at some of the things we learned from the Eagles fall tour. I begin with the play of the props Eric Fry and Shawn Pittman, in particular their efforts to go out and finding meaningful training and matches. Second, I look at the growth of Scott LaValla. Third, I examine the need to build depth around the team. Lastly, I look at fitness. Part 2 is up tomorrow.

Give it a read and share what you think.

Wanted: Movember Photos!

With Movember winding down, we wanted to check in a see how everyone's mustache is coming along. So, send us a picture of your stash to [email protected] and we'll select the best and then put them up to you for a vote. The deadline to send your photos in is this Thursday, November 29th at midnight. (As a note, please try to center your mustache in the photo.) Please include your name and e-mail.

The purpose of Movember is to raise awareness and fund of men's health issues. Too often men feel that they can live with the pain or that they don't need to see a doctor. They do. So please, take care of yourself and encourage others to do the same. We need more rugby players out there, not less.

Player Grades: Eagles 24-3 Romania

The Eagles conducted a thorough 34-3 demolition of Romania last Friday in what was truly was a team effort. The win means that the Eagles finished their fall tour with a winning record and the year with a 3-3 record. Here are our player grades from the match:

Shawn Pittman (7)- Another strong outing by the prop. He was extremely active in cleaning out rucks when he needed to, was efficient on pick and go's, and did very well in the scrum until the last 20 minutes of the match.

Chris Biller (7)- Impressive once again, Biller has firmly locked down the hooking spot for the Eagles for years to come. His throws were spot on and he was good in the scrum. Fitness lagged a bit but that is expected coming off an injury.

Take the jump to read more.

Eagles Abroad: Weekend Review

Things began to return to normal for Americans overseas this week as several players were involved with their respective teams. The two biggest names involved were Samu Manoa and Tommy Seymour who both played for their teams in league play. Much has been made of Manoa's missing out on the Eagles tour, but it should be noted that while Seymour was called into Scotland camp, he was not capped and is therefore still eligible for the Eagles.  Things should return more to normal this next week as several players return to their clubs from Eagles camp. Also, it would be bad not to mention that Derek Asbun will be getting another run out with the London Wasps 'A' team tonight.

Derek Asbun & Robbie Shaw To Play For Wasps 'A'

Derek Asbun and Robbie Shaw have been included in the London Wasps 'A' team that will take on Exeter tonight in the Aviva 'A' League. It's the last match for the Wasps in the league as they sit in sixth place in the Southern Conference with only one win and four losses.

For Asbun, it's not the first time he has played for Wasps 'A,' having suited up for them earlier in the year as well as in the J.P. Morgan Premiership 7's. Since graduating from Oxford, Asbun had been training with Rosslyn Park in the greater London area. (Update: Asbun has stopped training with Rosslyn Park and is now training with the Wasps Academy.) For Shaw, it will be his second inclusion with the team (Update: We earlier said it was his first. Apparently that is not correct). He plays for Richmond, which like Rosslyn Park, is a National League 1 team based in greater London.

Their inclusion in the roster does not mean that either have signed for Wasps, simply they, along with several other guest players, are being given an opportunity as the Wasps squad is a bit thin at the moment with international call-ups, and having played on Sunday. Still, it is a great chance for both players to put themselves in the shop window.

Opening Kick

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

Remember our sponsors American Sin Bin and Winners & Losers when doing your holiday shopping this year.

Eagles:

In an excellent article, Alex Goff says that the U.S. victories over Romania and Russia were not due to bad opposition, but good preparation by the Eagles. (Membership required)

Paul Emerick had to come out of the match late against Romania with a sprained ankle. Check out this picture of the injury.

Ted Hardy wraps up the Fall Tour season over at Rugby America.

The IRB previews Pool D at the Dubai 7's, which includes the U.S., Canada, France, and Australia. The Aussies will be without some of their top players due to injury.

UR7s sat down with Alex Magleby to talk about rugby in the U.S. and the IRB Sevens Series.

In speaking with Rugbymag, Magleby says that the team is looking to find the right combination in Dubai.

Women:

The Women Eagles didn't finish on the high note they would have liked as they lost to France last Saturday. Still, Pete Steinberg singled out Sarah Chabot for her outstanding play.

The 7's team is in Dubai preparing for this week's tournament. Meanwhile, pool opponents Australia have named their team.

The teams for the Girl's 2013 High School National Invitational Tournament have been set. The tournament will be held next May.

College:

The Bellingham Herald says that the Western Washington University 7's team is bringing credibility to the school.

The boys at Rugbymag break down Pool B in the College 7's Nationals. The pool includes powerhouses Cal and Arkansas State. (Membership required)

World:

The top four for the World Cup draw early next month have been settled. France makes the grade along with New Zealand, South Africa, and Australia.

For all the success of the Pacific Islands in Europe these last few weeks, it doesn't look like they will be getting a shot at the All Blacks for seven years.

Graham Jenkins says that Richie McCaw is doing the opposite of winding down ahead of his sabbatical.

Ray's Rugby has its team of the week as well as a recap of the international action.

South Africa are riding high after their win over England. Tom Hamilton explains that Pat Lambie is the team's "unsung hero."

That game of course was marked by a curious decision by England captain Chris Robshaw to take three points when a try was needed. Nevertheless, he is getting the backing of his coach.

Planet Rugby takes a closer look at that decision and more in their "Loose Pass."

ESPNScrum looks at who might become the next Scotland coach in the wake of Andy Robinson's resignation. Former Eagles coach Scott Johnson tops the list. Iain Morrison says Robinson was "undone by leading players."

Italy got some bad news this weekend as Mirco Bergamasco ha been ruled out of the Six Nations.

Quade Cooper believes fans will want to see him get beat up in the ring as he confirms he will by the undercard to Sonny Bill's match.

Warren Gatland claims that he would love a chance to coach Super Rugby one day.

Opening Kick

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

Remember our sponsors American Sin Bin and Winners & Losers when doing your holiday shopping this year.

Typically we don't have an Opening Kick on the weekend, but with all of the news coming down yesterday, we simply had to!

Eagles:

The Eagles capped off their fall tour with a winning record and achieved a .500 record for the first time since 2003 yesterday as they defeated Romania 34-3.

Check out our recap, analysis, and three stars of the match as well as the video highlights put together by Martin Oropeza.

In case you missed the match, here is how things unfolded.

Mike Tolkin was especially proud of his team, saying "the guys really wanted to walk away with a winning record for this test series and it showed on the field."

In the end it was an "excellent end of year for the Eagles." Mike Tolkin singled out players like Scott LaValla and Chris Biller for their hard work.

Alex Goff has compiled the Eagles box scores from 2012 and then gives an update on the all-time stats.

Check out the Eagle 7's getting some time in the pool thanks to Fiji.

Women:

The Women Eagles also wrapped up their fall tour but couldn't finish on the same positive note. They lost to France 27-3. The women finish their tour 1-3 with two losses to France and a win against Italy.

Alex Goff has his reaction to the women's tough outing. He also has quotes from head coach Pete Steinberg.

The IRB has 60 seconds with the Netherlands Kelly Harskamp.

World:

It was also a big day around the world, beginning in Aberdeen where Tonga defeated Scotland 21-15. That result has led to Andy Robinson's resignation as Scotland manager.

Down in France, Samoa also pulled off their second big upset of the fall but ultimately came up on the losing end of a 22-14 result.

The Tongan upset and Samoa's play means that the islanders are now 11th and 8th in the rankings respectively.

New Zealand topped Wales 33-10 in a match that will likely be remembered for Andrew Hore's swinging arm that sent Bradley Davis to the hospital.

South Africa defeated England 16-15 in a match that marked by a curious decision by England to kick for points when down four with only two minutes to go.

In other scores Ireland defeated Argentina 46-24 and Australia narrowly beat Italy 22-19.

Lastly, the Queensland Reds have allowed Quade Cooper to be the undercard for Sonny Bill Williams fight against Francois Botha.

Video Highlights: Eagles 34-3 Romania

Big credit should go to Martin Or0peza for putting these together.

Eagles 34-3 Romania: Recap, Analysis, and Three Stars of the Match

From start to finish the Eagles controlled the ball and kept Romania from doing much of anything to pick up a 34-3 win against Romania and to end their fall tour with a 2-1 record. The win also marks the first time the Eagles have compiled a .500 or better record since 2003. With Todd Clever and Scott LaValla leading the way, the Eagles put up a dominating defensive effort that rarely allowed Romania into danger areas and only surrendered three points off Romania's only kick at goal. It was a great way to end the year and should help the team build momentum going into 2013.

The game started off shaky for the Eagles as they allowed Romania a deep foray into their territory resulting in a penalty on the Eagles. Romania converted to take an early 3-0 lead, but it would be the last points they would score all day. The U.S. responded quickly by keeping solid possession and involving most of the team. Eventually this work was rewarded by an Andrew Suniula try in the corner. The Eagles were patient on the build-up and worked the ball across the field multiple times until they got the match-up they wanted. Wyles made the conversion to give the Eagles an early 7-3 lead.

Take the jump to read more recap, analysis, and to find out our three stars of the match.

Live Commentary: Eagles vs. Romania

The match can be watched live in a couple of places. Here's one and here's the other.

*Please refresh for updates.*

Sorry to all the USA Women Eagles fans but we only have limited resources and will only be covering the Eagles this morning.

U.S. Starting Lineup: Pittman, Biller, Fry, LaValla, Stanfill, Quill, Dahl, Clever, Petri, L'Estrange, Hume, A. Suniula, Emerick, Ngwenya, Wyles

Bench: Asbun, Wallace, Fenoglio, Harriman, Basauri, Shaw, R. Suniula, Pangelinan

Romania Starting Lineup: Tamba, Turashvili, Lazar, Ratiu, Coste, Rus, Macovei, Tonita, Surugiu, Filip, Batezatu, Gal, Cazan, Lemnaru, Fercu

Bench: Radoi, Pungea, Badalicescu, Manta, Lucaci, Diaconescu, Florea, Gheara

Pre-game: Today marks the first time the Eagles can finish a year with a .500 record or better since 2003, and it is the first time Ngwenya and Wyles have been in the same backfield since the World Cup.
Pre-game: The stream is up on the second link and the boys are belting out the national anthem! Even the Romanian bear is getting in on the singing. You don't see that everyday.
-And we're underway! No clock on the stream so bear with us on the time. We'll have to approximate.
-Romania with an early breakaway and looking dangerous. Strong defense by the Eagles is forcing them back.
-Penalty on the Eagles. Romania will kick. The kick is good. Romania 3-0 Eagles.
-Knock-on Romania. Scrum to the Eagles in a good position. First scrum looked decent.
-Try! Andrew Suniula in the corner! Very nice work by the Eagles to spread the field and get Romania disorganized. The kick from Wyles is good. Romania 3-7 Eagles! Tough angle that kick.
-The scrum looks decent so far against a big Romanian pack.
-John Quill with a nice steal! He almost takes it all the way. The Eagles earn a penalty.
-The Eagles with more good movement near the tryline but a knock-on stops the momentum.
-Scott LaValla dumped in the air from a lineout. Could be a card to Romania here.
-And it is. Romania down to 14 men for 10 minutes.
-Wyles kick is no good. Still 7-3 Eagles. That was a kick he should have made.
-So close! The Eagles with a near try but a handling error in the try zone gets a scrum for Romania.
-Try! Paul Emerick! Great handling by the team leads to the team's second try of the day. Luke Hume with a great pass to set it up.
-The conversion is no good. Eagles 12-3 Romania.
-An dangerous move by Romania is thwarted by the Romanian player stepping into touch.
-The U.S. defense is coming up huge in this match. Twice a Romanian maul has resulted in a penalty on Romania.
-Both teams back to full strength. We had the score wrong earlier. Eagles 12-3 Romania.
-Penalty on Romania. The Eagles will kick from a good position. Wyles's kick is no good. Eagles 12-3 Romania. That's two kicks that should have been made.
-The ref is warning Romania for committing too many penalties.
-Wyles with another attempt from a good location. This time the kick is good. Eagles 15-3 Romania.
-A Romanian player just collapsed. But he's now up and playing.
-Try! Chris Wyles! More good passing by the Eagles leads to their third try of the half.
-Wyles converts his own try from a tough angle. Romania 3-22 Eagles.
And that's the halftime whistle. Great way to end the half for the Eagles. They have looked dominant so far. The U.S. has had all the possession and the scrum has held up well. Almost a perfect half if not for a couple of missed kicks and errors.
-Teams are back out on the field.
-And we're underway in the second half.
-Romania getting a talking to. Could be another card soon.
-Try! Chris Wyles! Good patient work leads to Wyles second of the day. Excellent way to start the half.
-Wyles conversion is no good. Romania 3-27 USA.
-Fight! Let's see what happens out of this.
-John Quill and a Romanian player involved in a scuffle. Chris Wyles comes to Quill's aid. It look's like a red to John Quill and his Romania counterpart. That's Quill's second red in five matches in an Eagles uniform.
-And out of all that, Romania is credited for committing the penalty.
-You definitely get the sense that Romania is getting frustrated and they want to make this game extremely physical.
-Things are getting very sloppy at the moment. Both sides are coughing up the ball.
-Chris Wyles threatened with a yellow card if he keeps up his talking back. Very interesting game.
-Robbie Shaw on for Mike Petri.
-Zee Ngwenya with a burst of speed for the try!! Strong running by Wyles got good field position and quick ball found Zee.
-The conversion is good. Romania 3-34 Eagles.
-Asbun in for Biller. Roland Suniula in for his brother Andrew.
-By and large the Eagles defense has looked good this entire tour.
-The Eagles are tiring again but they aren't breaking. It helps to have a nice lead.
-Paul Emerick down injured. He seems to be in pain.
-In terms of play this match has gone back and forth over the last ten minutes without much happening.
-Emerick is back up and playing.
-Basauri on for Dahl.
-A breakaway by Shaw looks destined for a try but it's coughed up at the end. Emerick has cramps and will have to come off.
-Graham Harriman in for Lou Stanfill.
-Final! Eagles win 34-3. They finish a calendar year .500 or better for the first time since 2003.
Good offensive output from the team but credit must go to their defense which limited Romania's opportunities. Romania converted their only chance for points.

Stay tuned as we'll have a recap and analysis up shortly.

Opening Kick: Game Day Edition

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

Remember our sponsors American Sin Bin and Winners & Losers when doing your holiday shopping this year.

Eagles:

There are a couple of different options to try this morning to find links to the U.S. Women and Men's matches. Try this one or this one.

The Eagles of course take on Romania at 9:00 a.m. et/6:00 a.m. pt. Check out our preview of the match.

Alex Goff also has some last minute notes on the team.

Check out this post about the first time someone saw the Eagles in person.

Eagles 7's:

Shalom Suniula talks about the importance of leadership in his latest column. (Membership required)

Luke Hume and Peter Dahl are not with the team as they travel to Dubai. Head coach Alex Magleby explains why. (Membership required)

Women:

The team sheet is up for the Women Eagles rematch against France today in Paris. The team is looking forward to the match, but also lamenting its the end of their tour.

Ric Suggitt has named his team that will travel to Dubai for the inaugural event of the IRB Women Sevens World Series.

Both today's match and the Dubai 7's next week present two huge opportunities for women's rugby in this country.

Canada:

Canada took on the New Zealand Maori in Oxford yesterday and came out on the losing end of a 32-19 result.

College:

The College 7's Nationals are next week. Pat Clifton has a preview of Pool A. (Membership required)

World:

Here is the quick version of world events today: Dan Carter will miss today's match against Wales due to a leg injury, Adam Thompson's ban has been extended by one week, and Scotland have named their team for Dubai.

Tidbits:

The latest edition of Rugby Magazine is now available.

This is not rugby-related, but we love this story.

Preview: Eagles vs. Romania

Think about this ahead of the Eagles clash with Romania tomorrow. If they beat the Oaks, they will finish the calendar year with a .500 record for the first time since 2003 (they had a winning record that year). While it may seem like a modest accomplishment, heading into a new World Cup cycle under a new coach, this is exactly what needs to be happening. The match in Romania is all about momentum, not only in finishing off this year, but heading into next year. So with all of that on the line, can the Eagles beat Romania? Yes, but like all tests of foreign soil, it won't be easy.

Take the jump to find out lineups, keys to the match, and more.

Opportunities for U.S. Women's National Teams

The next two weeks are absolutely huge for the Women's Eagles and the Women's 7's team. The Eagles take on France in the morning in a match that will be webstreamed in the U.S. and available later on Universal Sports. The U.S. has gone 1-1 on their tour so far and will be looking for a big performance tomorrow. A win against France could be just what the team needs to propel them into next year. The Women's 7's team will depart for Dubai soon to participate in the first stop on the inaugural IRB Women Sevens World Series. It is the first tournament of their season that will run through next year's World Cup. A strong start will be a major boost to the program. With these big matches in mind, in my latest RugbyRugby piece I talk more in-depth about the challenges these teams face and what they can look forward to. Give it a read and share what you think.

Game of the Week: Eagles vs. Romania

The Eagles finish their three-match European tour tomorrow morning when they take on Romania in Bucharest. The Eagles have enjoyed a successful tour thus far by thoroughly beating Russia and holding a lead against Tonga for most of the match. However, if the team is to continue the momentum they have built in 2012, they will need a win against Romania. That is no easy feat but it's doable. Romania are missing some of the main players but do have a solid core that have been together for awhile. Their pack is especially strong and will be a focal point of the match. Mike Tolkin has already announced his starting lineup and it features the returns of Taku Ngwenya and Chris Wyles. Robbie Shaw is also dropped to the bench in favor of Mike Petri. Look for the Eagles to come out early and aggressive.

Who: Eagles vs. Romania
What: International test match
When: Saturday November 23, 2012 9:00 a.m. et/6:00 a.m. pt
Where: Bucharest, Romania
Why: Why not?
How: You'll have to find a stream on the internet. If you have one, please post in the comments.

Eagles Abroad: Weekend Preview & TV

The big thing surrounding Americans overseas this week was the news that Hanno Dirksen will be sidelined for six months due to a knee injury.* Conceivably this means that Dirksen will miss the rest of the 2012-13 season. Samu Manoa is also back in action as the Aviva Premiership resumes play. Take the jump to read the rest of the list and see the full slate of matches available on television this weekend.

*This is a good time to remind readers of our policy. We follow U.S.-eligible players until they are no longer eligible. So even though Dirksen has stated he wants to play for Wales, until he does so he is still U.S.-eligible. The same goes for Tommy Seymour, who was called into Scotland camp but has yet to play for them. You are free to disagree, but it's how we operate. If you know of some other U.S.-eligible players currently playing (so basically in Europe or Japan), let us know.

Opening Kick

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

Remember our sponsors American Sin Bin and Winners & Losers when doing your holiday shopping this year.

Eagles:

The Eagles have named their team that will take on Romania this weekend. Returning to the team are Taku Ngwenya and Chris Wyles. Romania have also named their lineup.

Scott LaValla says the team needs to improve on the little mistakes to beat Romania.

The Guam Sports Network has more from island hero Zach Pangelinan.

The Eagles celebrated Thanksgiving yesterday in Romania with a big turkey dinner while the 7's team enjoyed business class to Dubai.

Women:

Ric Suggitt has named the 12 players that will participate in the Dubai 7's next week. Most of the squad is holdovers from the team that went to China.

This also means that we're only one week away for the inaugural Women Sevens World Series.

World:

The IRB rankings will once again play a major part of this weekend's matches. Here is a run down of the various factors.

Not all are concerned with the rankings, Ireland captain Jamie Heaslip says not to put too much weight into them.

Ray's Rugby has a preview of Canada's match with New Zealand Maori, as well as its predictions for the weekend.

Here are some other previews to help get your weekend started: Samoa vs. France, Ireland vs. Argentina, Wales vs. Argentina, England vs. South Africa, and Scotland vs. Tonga.

There is some concern that Dan Carter may not be ready to go this weekend against Wales.

Bryan Habana has offered advice to his English counterpart Chris Ashton.

The Cardiff Blues have said that they cannot afford to bid for Gethin Jenkins.

Will Genia has committed to Australia by signing a new three year contract.

In women's world news, New Zealand play England this weekend in a highly anticipated match-up.

The Fourth IRB Medical Commission will convene next week.

Finally, The Sin Bin takes a look at some of the more lighthearted stories from the world of rugby this week.