DI
With most of the top club teams in the country participating in the DI playoffs this year, there are quite a few tasty match-ups to choose from. Near the top of the list in a match-up of Elite Cup teams is Old Blue and Life. Life got the better of Old Blue during the regular season but with an upcoming Elite Cup final Life could be distracted, opening the door for a solid Old Blue team. The winner of that match will play the winner of Boston vs. Palmer. Palmer surprised a few teams already in these playoffs but Boston is a solid side of their own. The other side of the bracket in Virginia Beach features Potomac Athletic Club playing New Orleans, and Middlsex versus Metropolis.
Take the jump to read more and see all the DI, DII, and DIII match-ups.
Over in Texas, a huge clash between Belmont Shore and Glendale will certainly draw attention. Both teams had solid DI seasons and feature plenty of players in U.S. camp*. Belmont has had the advantage in the recent past but Glendale has added a few pieces and played well at times in the Elite Cup. Having Shaun Davies available for Saturday will be huge for the Raptors. Awaiting the winner of that match is the winner of the Austin Blacks vs. Seattle-OPSB match. Seattle-OPSB were eliminated by SFGG in the Elite Cup playoffs last week and will be looking to bring their best players in an effort to win silverware. But don’t count out the Blacks, who have plenty of talent of their own. The Denver Barbarians will take on Santa Monica in an enticing match. The Barbarians finished in first place in the West while Santa Monica were strong in SoCal. The last match in the West features OMBAC versus the Dallas Harlequins.
*As Alex Goff noted on Rugbymag, players called into Eagles camp will be with their clubs on Saturday but not on Sunday.
Virginia Beach: Boston vs. Palmer, Old Blue vs. Life, PAC vs. New Orleans, Middlesex vs. Metropolis
Texas: Austin Blacks vs. Seattle-OPSB, Belmont Shore vs. Glendale Raptors, OMBAC vs. Dallas Harlequins, Denver Barbarians vs. Santa Monica
DII
Defending champions Rocky Gorge will have to get past Worcester in the first round and then will take on the winner of Wilmington and Pittsburgh. The other bracket in Virginia Beach sees Wisconsin make the long journey to take on Naples, while Princeton faces a stern challenge in Atlanta Old White.
Snake River have been a team on the rise the last few years. They will take on a difficult team in Red Mountain out of Arizona. The St. Louis Bombers won their appeal over Glendale’s use of Nese Malifa in a DII match. They will play Santa Rosa. The winner of that match will play the winner of Pasadena versus Frisco. Tulsa against South Bay rounds out the West bracket.
Virginia Beach: Wisconsin vs. Naples, Princeton vs. Atlanta Old White, Wilmington (DE) vs. Pittsburgh, Rocky Gorge vs. Worcester
Texas: Snake River vs. Red Mountain, Tulsa vs. South Bay, Pasadena vs. Frisco, Santa Rosa vs. St. Louis Bombers
DIII
There are a lot of first time playoff teams in DIII along with some very experienced sides. Belmont Shore, San Francisco Golden Gate, Austin Blacks, and Old Blue have all entered teams.
Virginia Beach: Philadelphia-Whitemarsh vs. Saratoga, Chicago Riot vs. Hilton Head, Montgomery Yellowhammers vs. Kalamazoo Dogs, Old Blue D3 vs. North Bay
Texas: New Mexico Highlanders vs. Kansas City Islanders, Belmont Shore D3 vs. SFGG D3, Oceanside Chiefs vs. Sierra Foothills, Wichita Barbarians vs. Austin Blacks D3
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