Evening Notes: USRFF Hall of Fame Inductees, London Welsh Penalized, Changes To Fox Soccer Plus

Fox Sports Announces Changes To Programming

It's long been rumored but Fox Sports made it official yesterday that it was launching FOX Sports 1, a channel it hopes will compete with ESPN. The channel will feature a variety of programming. College basketball, college football, NASCAR, soccer, and UFC were all mentioned in the press release. The network will also air baseball beginning in 2014. FOX Sports 1 will replace Speed while Fuel will become FOX Sports 2. Fox Soccer Channel will become a comedy channel and Fox Sports Plus is also expected to be replaced.

How these changes affect rugby is unclear at the moment. However, with more programming--the station will also be airing sports talk shows--condensed into two networks, rugby could feel the squeeze. Currently Fox Soccer Plus airs the Aviva Premiership, RaboDirect Pro12, Heineken Cup, Amlin Challenge Cup, and the LV= Cup.

Take the jump to read more.


London Welsh Hit With Point Deduction, Fine

The RFU has given London Welsh an immediate five point deduction, a five point deduction for next season, and a 15,000 pound fine for failing to register Tyson Keats. The decision moves the Exiles from 11th place to 12th in the relegation zone. That will surely come as a relief to Sale who looked the most likely candidate to be relegated. With five matches remaining London Welsh will have to work hard to keep their place in the Premiership that they worked so hard to get.

The RFU acknowledge that the blame for failing to register Keats rests with former manager Mike Scott but that they still had to penalize the team. Scott failed to register Keats, an Kiwi, after he brough him over from liquidated Aironi. London Welsh can appeal the decision. You can read the official RFU decision here.

USRFF Announced 2013 Hall of Fame Inductees


The U.S. Rugby Football Foundation has announced their Hall of Fame class of 2013. Among the most notable inductees are Babe Slater, a member of the 1920 and 1924 (in which he was captain) Olympic gold medal teams, rugby journalism pioneers Ed Hagerty and John Prusmack, and Eagles legend Kevin Higgins. Congratulations to all the inductees and if you haven't already, make sure to visit the well done USRFF Hall of Fame website. Check out the official press release below.

San Diego, CA (March 6, 2013) - The United States Rugby Football Foundation Board of Trustees and Directors is proud to announce its 2013 inductees to the U.S. Rugby Hall of Fame (www.usrugbyhalloffame.org). Following the polling of Foundation Directors and voted on by the Trustees, the following will be inducted into the United States Rugby Hall of Fame at the USRFF U.S. Rugby Hall of Fame Induction Dinner at the Inn at the Ballpark in Houston, Texas on Saturday, June 8, 2013 prior to the U.S. Eagles match against Ireland.

The Class of 2013 is:

• Colby “Babe” Slater, member of the 1920 US Olympic Gold Medal winning rugby team and captain of the 1924 US Men’s Gold Medal winning rugby team.
• Harry Langenberg, Co-Founder of the Missouri Rugby Football Union in 1933 and was Secretary of the MRFU from 1933-1983; Co-Founder of the St. Louis Ramblers Rugby Club.
• Ed Lee, Founding member of the United States of America Rugby Football Union; past president of the Eastern Rugby Union.
• Rob Bordley, the first man to captain the United States Eagles. He did so against Australia on January 31, 1976. He also captained the Eagles in their second test ever, against France in Chicago on June 12, 1976.
• R.W. “Dick” Smith, Founding member of the United States of America Rugby Football Union; past president of the Midwest and Pacific Northwest Rugby Unions; past president of the Chicago Lions RFC and Old Puget Sound Beach.
• Craig Sweeney, a U.S. National Team second row player and captain of the Eagles against Canada on May 21, 1977 and against England XV at Twickenham on October 15, 1977.
• Vic Hilarov, Founding member of the United States of America Rugby Football Union and the Union’s first ever president; past president of the Midwest Rugby Union.
• Ed Hagerty and Jon Prusmack, pioneers of U.S. rugby media. They are the founders of Rugby Magazine.
• Ray Cornbill, coached the United States National Team from 1976-1983.
• Ian Nixon, the first U.S. international referee and a past president of the United States of America Rugby Football Union.
• Kevin Higgins, an Eagle 15s and 7s player and the first American player invited to play for the Barbarians. Kevin also captained the Eagles on three occasions.

The Class of 2013 joins the following who have already been inducted into the U.S. Rugby Hall of Fame: first U.S. National Team Coach Dennis Storer; former St. Mary’s College Coach Pat Vincent; former University of California Coach Miles “Doc” Hudson; former United States of America Rugby Football Union and Midwest Rugby Union official Keith Seaber; and the 1920 and 1924 Gold Medal Winning Olympic Teams.

The results of the balloting was submitted to the USRFF Board of Trustees and Directors at its Fall meeting and certified by a unanimous vote. Nominations are solicited by the Hall of Fame/USRFF Board and reviewed by a committee of the Board. Requirements for nominations for future inductees will be announced on the USRFF website (www.usrugbyfoundation.org) effective June 1, 2013.

The U.S. Rugby hall of Fame and its Foundation is a 501 c 3 non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the history of U.S. Rugby; supporting the development of the game by funding programs for youth, high school and collegiate rugby; and individual player development programs.