Las Vegas Invitational Continues to Grow

By Ted Hardy

With roughly twenty days to go until the Las Vegas Sevens stop on the IRB World Series, the tournament field at the popular Las Vegas Invitational continues to grow in size and competition level.

Presented by Station Casinos, The Las Vegas Invitational takes place February 7 - 10, 2013 and played alongside the USA Sevens, which has grown into one of the top destinations on the North American rugby calendar. Considered one of the premier tournaments in the United States, the LVI features athletes and match ups across a wide-range of rugby divisions and age groups.

This year, the LVI boasts a whopping 21 different divisions and over 220 teams currently registered to participate. The LVI hosted 204 teams in 2012, so it continues to grow at an impressive rate.

Notable divisions in the tournament are the elite level brackets in men’s, women’s, and high school divisions. The men’s field has grown into a legitimate international level tournament and this year’s edition includes national teams from Russia, Chile, Belgium, Peru, Mexico, and Iceland. Russia and Mexico both compete at IRB World Series events this season and Chile has participated on the series in recent years.

Joining the national teams are a host of developmental sides including American sides Tiger Rugby, Serevi Selects, Atlantis, and the USA Falcons. The US Army and US Air Force have also entered sides in the Elite division.

Also of note is the Men’s Collegiate 7’s bracket, which is the largest division at the LVI with 28 teams. In the past, the collegiate division has served as a qualifier for the Collegiate Championship Invitational, held in June at PPL Park in Philadelphia and broadcast on NBC. This year the CCI has expanded the playing field to 20 teams. There is still one remaining spot left open in the tournament, but there has not been any confirmation as to whether that spot goes to the winner of the LVI.

The LVI isn’t purely for 7’s teams either. The LVI have seven different divisions for 15’s including a strong Collegiate 15’s division. The Collegiate 15’s division includes BYU, Life, Utah, Texas A&M, and Arizona State among others.

Notable Divisions at the 2013 Las Vegas Invitational

Men’s Elite 7′s

1. Belgium
2. Peru
3. Mexico
4. Russia
5. Iceland
6. Chile
7. France Developmental Side
8. USA Falcons
9. Dog River Howlers
10. Emperor’s Atlantis
11. Combined Sea Services
12. US Army Cannibals
13. Tiger Rugby
14. Serevi Selects
15. Edmonton Elite
16. US Air Force

Women’s Elite 7′s

1. Trinidad & Tobago
2. USA Stars
3. USA Stripes
4. Canada
5. Canada 2
6. Argentina
7. Japan
8. Dog River Howlers
9. Emperor’s Atlantis
10. Beavers International Elite
11. Combined Services Select
12. Laie Parkside

Men’s Aces 7′s

1. Bermuda Irish
2. Oceanside Men’s Rugby Club
3. Ft. Worth Bonobos
4. NorthEast Legends
5. Chicago Lions
6. Okanagan Heat
7. Oregon Sturgeon
8. US Army Cannibals
9. Azul
10. University of Victoria
11. Tiger Cubs
12. Austin Blacks
13. Palmer College of Chiropractic
14. Denver Barbarians
15. Laie Lions RFC
16. OUA Barbarians

Men’s College 7′s

1. American International College
2. Northeastern University
3. Central Washington University
4. University of Missouri
5. University of Denver
6. University of San Francisco
7. University of Pittsburgh
8. San Diego State University
9. Colorado School of Mines
10. Yale University
11. Stony Brook University
12. University of Buffalo
13.University of Central Florida
14. Claremont Colleges
15. Northeastern University B
16. The University of Pennsylvania
17. Colorado School of Mines B
18. University of Victoria
19. University of Regina
20. Saint Joseph’s University
21. Humber College
22. US Air Force Academy
23. New Mexico State University
24. University of Oklahoma
25. University of Guelph A
26. University of Guelph B
27. University of Texas
28. Lindenwood University

 Men’s College Challenge 15′s

1. Arizona State University
2. Texas A&M University
3. University of Arizona
4. University of Victoria
5. UC San Diego
6. Life University
7. University of Utah
8. Brigham Young University
9. Santa Barbara CC
10. Dixie State College

High School Elite 7′s

1. Utah Cannibals
2. Dog River Howlers
3. British Columbia 1
4. British Columbia 2
5. Washington State Loggers
6. High School All-Americans 1
7. High School All-Americans 2
8. Ontario Selects