Usavsco-Official-Program.Pdf

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Letter from the President 2 United States Roster 6-7 Scotland Roster 9-10 ‘Til the Motor Stops 13 An American Sporting Experience 22 Thank you to our sponsors 27

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston for tonight’s international game between the USA Eagles and Scotland. Once again we are expecting a warm Texas welcome for our visitors from Scotland and a superb day of rugby for everyone involved. Since the Eagles were last in Houston, they have been developing as a team, recording an impressive November Tour in 2013 where they ran the New Zealand Maori All Blacks close in Philadelphia before recording important wins against Georgia and Russia abroad. They then faced World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and we were all delighted for Coach Mike Tolkin and his team when they qualified for the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

The significance of tonight’s game is that in just over 12 months time, Scotland and the Eagles will be meeting again in the 2015 Rugby World Cup pool, a chance tonight perhaps for both teams to start their preparations for what will be a very important pool game in Leeds, England on September 27, 2015.

Our visitors from Scotland are currently ranked 10 in the World rankings, they had a disappointing RBS Six Nations tournament this year, but with a new coaching team led by former Clermont coach Verne Cotter, the Eagles know they are in for a severe test of their credentials tonight. Scotland have a proud rugby history and continue to compete at the top end of the global game, their regional professional sides are developing well and just last weekend, Glasgow played in the Final of the Rabo Direct Championship.

Included on the rugby agenda this weekend are two other events, the first being our first Elite City Sevens, 12 sevens teams competing for a place at the World Club Sevens in London this August. This has provided us with an opportunity to watch 144 of our best men’s sevens players in action and the Eagles Sevens coaches are in attendance looking for talent. The final will be played in the stadium tonight; I hope you get to see your cities all stars in action!

We have some very special guests joining us for the very first time at a major event. The USA Wheelchair Rugby team played a demonstration game last night in Houston as they prepare for their World Championships later this month. I know you will join me in welcoming them to our rugby family and wish them every success.

This weekend we also say goodbye to our Chairman, Kevin Roberts, who has been our main man since 2006. During his time in charge, the game has grown at every level, we now have more sponsors, bigger events, and record crowds, together with in- creased media and broadcast exposure for the game. I would like to thank him for his support of the game and wish him every success in the future.

Finally, thank you, the fans, who are supporting our efforts across the country to grow the game and to raise its visibility at every level. Our broadcast partners tonight love the passionate, special atmosphere that you create at our games and, without you, this would not be possible. We are so lucky to have such a passionate fan base for the Eagles that grows every year, I know the team are so proud of you and want to provide you with a winning performance this weekend.

Go Eagles!

Nigel Melville CEO and President of Rugby Operations USA Rugby 2 1401.042_AIG_AOTG_Ad_Rugby_8x10 1/24/14 4:18 PM Page 1

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NAME DOB HOMETOWN POSITION

OLIVE 9/28/1986 Seattle, WA Prop KILIFI

U PHIL THIEL 10/28/1984 Traverse City, MI Hooker @PhillipThiel

S ERIC FRY 9/13/1987 Davis, CA Prop @FryProp

LOUIS 5/29/1985 Sacramento, CA Second Row @LouStanfill A STANFILL

HAYDEN 4/10/1985 Sydney, AUS Second Row @Hayden_Smith_ SMITH

TODD 1/16/1983 Palm Springs, CA Flanker @ToddsClever R CLEVER

SCOTT 4/4/1988 Olympia, WA Flanker U LAVALLA CAMERON 3/6/1990 Ft. Myers, FL Number Eight @Cam_Dolan DOLAN

G MIKE PETRI 8/15/1984 Brooklyn, NY Scrum-half

SHALOM 6/4/1988 Auckland, NZL Fly-half @ShalomSuniula B SUNIULA

@Luke_Hume_ LUKE 1/26/1988 New York, NY Wing Y HUME Rugby

6 NAME DOB HOMETOWN POSITION

ANDREW 4/30/1982 American Samoa Center @Suni_3 SUNIULA

SEAMUS R 5/30/1991 Queens, NY Center KELLY

BLAINE 2/29/1988 Sacramento, CA Wing @blainescully1 O SCULLY

CHRIS 9/13/1983 Stamford, CT Fullback @ChrisWyles S WYLES

THOMAS 8/26/1988 Cleveland, OH Hooker T COOLICAN NICK 10/16/1989 Bellingham, WA Prop @NICKtheWALLace WALLACE

E TITI LAM- 2/10/1995 Bellingham, WA Prop @titilamo OSITELE

TAI 8/28/1980 San Diego, CA Lock @sole_uso R TUISAMOA

@bookemshaaark- DANNY 3/23/1990 Pacifica, CA Wing BARRETT ie

FOLAU 1/27/1985 East Palo Alto, CA Center NIUA

CHAD 9/27/1988 Johannesburg, RSA Center LONDON

TIM 3/23/1989 Danville, CA Wing MAUPIN 7 TICKETS: starting at $15 TICKETMASTER.COM

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GROUP TICKETS START @ $12! (916) 307-6105 OR [email protected] NAME DOB HOMETOWN POSITION

GORDON 3/4/1987 Irvine, SCO Prop REID

SCOTT 9/28/1981 Lanark, SCO Hooker S LAWSON

GEOFF 12/11/1982 Edinburgh, SCO Prop C CROSS RICHIE 8/24/1989 Rutherglen, SCO Second Row GRAY

O JIM 11/17/1982 Swindon, ENG Second Row HAMILTON

ALASDAIR 2/21/1983 Paisley, SCO Flanker T STROKOSCH

BLAIR 4/21/1986 Upper Hutt, NZL Flanker L COWAN

JOHNNIE 11/21/1985 Glasgow, SCO Number Eight BEATTIE

A GREIG 10/12/1985 Edinburgh, SCO Scrum-half LAIDLAW

FINN 9/23/1992 Stirling, SCO Fly-half N RUSSELL

TIM 5/29/1987 Zeewolde, NED Wing D VISSER

9 NAME DOB HOMETOWN POSITION

DUNCAN 5/9/1989 Northampton, ENG Center TAYLOR

SEAN R 1/15/1981 Perth, SCO Center LAMONT

SEAN 9/14/1988 Tokoroa, NZL Wing O MAITLAND

STUART 6/24/1992 Melrose, SCO Full-back S HOGG PAT MACAR- 4/27/1987 Irvine, SCO Hooker THUR

ALEX T 2/28/1992 Harrogate, ENG Prop ALLAN

MORAY 11/28/1984 Torphins, SCO Prop E LOW

GRANT 8/9/1990 Stirling, SCO Lock R GILCHRIST KIERAN 1/27/1991 Chichester, ENG Lock LOW

GRAYSON 6/19/1988 Kaitaia, NZL Scrum-half HART

RUARIDH 2/12/1988 Northampton, ENG Fly-half JACKSON

MAX 9/28/1983 Torquay, ENG Wing EVANS

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DOLAN: “i’ll go ‘til the motor stops” n ice skates, Cameron of 2008, his senior year of high school, year, prompting Dolan to get in contact Dolan would be a couple of Dolan reconnected with O’Leary at a with O’Leary. inches taller than his already U18s camp. towering, 6-foot-6 frame. Dolan took the fall off, working and Luckily, ice hockey in Florida “I saw Sean and I said, ‘Hey, I want to go training with the club team, instead of was not as popular as it is now. to college, but I want to be able to play beginning his collegiate career. Without oDolan played hockey growing up in rugby,’” Dolan recollected. “’What’s your an undergraduate program, he was free Estero before realizing it would be take on that?’ to travel to Kenya with the U20s in the difficult to become a professional spring of 2009 for the IRB Junior World while playing in the Sunshine State. He The current Notre Dame Rugby Coach Rugby Trophy. Dolan captained the team tested his developing athletic abilities told Dolan he would recommend him to a second-place finish in its first year of on the baseball diamond and American to Life University Director of Rugby Scott the competition and returned home to football gridiron, but none of the sports Lawrence, who was overseeing exciting good news: former Eagle Dan Payne was the young Eagle played captured the growth in the Marietta, Ga., school’s club bringing an undergraduate program to passion he felt when he first went to program. The Running Eagles won the Life. rugby practice. Division I National Championship that “I saw Sean and I said, ‘Hey, I want to go to college, but I want to be able to play rugby,’” Dolan

“When I entered freshman year of high school, it was my school’s first year of existence,” Dolan said. “Then they started up a rugby team. I heard about it but didn’t really play or anything or watch any of the games. Come junior year I checked it out and went to practice. “It was kind of like all of the sports I had played put together. You’re able to be versatile, use your size, you had to be quick, you had to be athletic, you had to be agile. It all took off pretty quickly from there.”

Dolan proceeded through the USA Rugby All-American ranks with the U17s – coached by Sean O’Leary – in 2007 and the U18s a year later. During the spring

13 “He had good success at San Diego State, University – sent the Running Eagles No less than six current Eagles were in the and he wanted to use the resources that home in the semifinal. team, but Dolan captained the Selects in Life had to our advantage as players and matches against Argentina, Canada, and bring in young guys to give them a taste Colton Cariaga captained the team, Uruguay, though they were all losses. of college rugby,” Dolan said. “It’s tough but Dolan was certainly a leader after to be 18, a team of 18-year-olds playing learning from some of the best in the “It was always the ultimate goal – I men’s club rugby; it just doesn’t happen.” country. think it’s anyone’s ultimate goal in any sport to play for your national team and In 2011, Life finished second in Division “[Colton] didn’t really know much about represent your country in a sport on an 1A’s Mid-South Conference with a the forwards,” he said. “I called lineouts international stage,” Dolan said. 5-1 record and plus-243 point- When Dolan differential. It was returned to Life the first year of University for an the rebranded Eagles camp in competition and early 2013, he Life’s first foray proved he earned into the national a spot in the travel playoffs. squad for the Eagles’ summer Eventual lineup. Though champion he did not play a University of role in the match- California, day teams, Dolan Berkeley, ended provided ample what title hopes competition for the young program the 23 players who did have in the did go up against quarterfinal with a merciless, 43-10, win and played eight, so I was always at the Ireland and Tonga. Tolkin rewarded at home. The Golden Bears “spanked” back of scrums, calling scrum moves and Dolan with his first international cap the Running Eagles, as Dolan put it, but stuff like that. He was more of a lead-by- June 19, when the Eagles visited Japan the undergrads were just getting started. example kind of captain; I was more of for a match against Fiji. the vocal guy on the field, trying to lift the In 2012, Life wrangled the Mid-South boys up, bring them together.” Dolan started at number eight in place of Conference title away from Arkansas Todd Clever, but did not feel as though State with a perfect, 8-0 record. The It was not long until Dolan’s brief history he was replacing the team’s captain, Running Eagles took advantage of with rugby began a new chapter with holder of nearly 50 caps at the time. the higher seed and handily defeated the national team, with a selection for Pennsylvania State University in the the 2012 Americas Rugby Championship “He’s one of the best players to ever play quarterfinal. Another loss to an eventual calling from Eagles Head Coach Mike for the U.S.,” Dolan said. “I just try to do champion – this time Brigham Young Tolkin. my part as a team member. It’s a team “It was always the ultimate goal...to play for your national team and represent your country in a sport on an international stage,” continued on page 16

14 DATE OPPONENT TIME LOCATION

JUNE 29 Wales TBA Cardiﬀ, Wales, UK JULY 2 England TBA Surrey, ENG, UK JULY 6 England TBA Surrey, ENG, UK AUGUST 1 Ireland 11 AM ET FFR Headquarters - Marcoussis 2 AUGUST 5 Kazakhstan 7 AM ET FFR Headquarters - Marcoussis 2 AUGUST 9 New Zealand 12 PM ET FFR Headquarters - Marcoussis 2

usarugby.org/wrwc Eagles’ highest-profile rugby match in definitely beneficial.” years against the New Zealand Maori All Blacks. Dolan wore the number eight shirt The Eagles qualified for the 2015 World while scoring a try in a Man of the Match Cup earlier this year, defeating Uruguay performance for the Eagles in the loss at just miles away from Life University after a PPL Park. tough draw in the first leg in Montevideo. Before the Eagles can set their sights on The Eagles continued their Fall Tour England, however, they will host Scotland, to Europe for matches against Georgia Japan, and Canada during the Summer and Russia with Dolan starting in both Series, with the New Zealand All Blacks victories. The match against Russia was waiting for their American return at Soldier held at Saracens’ Allianz Park in England, Field in November. where the Eagles’ Chris Wyles plies his trade in the Aviva Premiership. In the win, “We have a strong team right now,” Dolan Dolan shared try-scoring duties with Samu said. “When we’re clicking on all cylinders, Manoa, who was no stranger to Allianz we can be one of the top 10 teams in the Park after signing with Northampton world. We’ve got to figure out what works Saints in 2011. for us and just stick with it.”

A month after the final match of 2013, It might be useful to keep Dolan in the game.” the Saints signed Dolan to a professional team, then, as he holds one of the higher contract. win percentages on the international level, Dolan finished the summer with substitute albeit with just seven caps. appearances in the Eagles’ match against “I felt very honored and blessed to just Japan in Tokyo and both legs of the IRB have that chance to go to one of the more With a busy schedule ahead as the Eagles Rugby World Cup 2015 Qualifier against prestigious rugby clubs in the world with prepare for their seventh World Cup and Canada, all losses. some of the best players in the world,” his professional career at Northampton Dolan said. “I always wanted to be a continues, Dolan is in line for many The capped Eagle served as captain for professional athlete. It was very surreal, national team appearances. one of the Selects’ three matches at the but it’s not the end goal.” 2013 Americas Rugby Championship “I’m gonna play as long as my body will and was among the starting XV for the Dolan’s end goal? Being the best. In being let me play,” he said. “The game changes the best, the Eagle every year, so I’ve got to adapt to it. Being of eight caps at Northampton’s definitely going to help wants to take the me be able to do that more easily and national team up more efficiently than another place. the ladder with him. “I’ll go ‘til the “I missed out on the 2011 World motor stops.” Cup,” he said. “I’m in a better place now, I’ve aged, I’m a little more mature physically and mentally as a player; that’s

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CREATING AN american sporting experience

hen Nigel Melville took on the role of Chief club competitions. The World Cup Qualifier was a stark reality Executive Officer at USA Rugby, he wrote an op- of, ‘We’re qualifying for the same tournament England were in. ed piece for The Guardian in the UK detailing How can it be connected?’ his goals for rugby in America, stating “it involves the game from top to bottom, from grassroots to “It just didn’t seem like the same thing. It didn’t seem right. international level.” Little did he know the New Fans didn’t need to buy tickets and they didn’t need to because WZealand All Blacks, the No. 1-ranked team in the there were 500 people there. By asking to bring a can, it made world and Rugby World Cup Champions, would come calling it seem like it wasn’t worth anything or it had no value. For me, for a match in the United States. it meant something.”

Before taking the job, Melville attended the USA Eagles’ IRB Rugby Rugby has come a long way in the United States since 2007. World Cup 2007 Qualifier against Uruguay in Stanford, Calif., Last year, the Eagles drew a record-breaking 20,181 fans much like his attendance at the same fixture in Atlanta in March to BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston, Texas, for a match of this year. against Ireland. The difference The Eagles’ between the “Our goal was to make international games look like they matchup matches seven do now: to make full stadiums, make it an American sporting against the New years apart Zealand Maori went beyond experience that aligns to people’s expectations for sport,” All Blacks set the entry fee; a record for a the Eagles sold-out crowd were not visible to the general and rugby-playing public of 18,500 fans at PPL Park in Philadelphia, Pa. enough to even warrant a ticket. “Our goal was to make international games look like they do “I came from England, where I was coaching a pro team and now: to make full stadiums, make it an American sporting involved with the national setup, which was 85,000 people experience that aligns to people’s expectations for sport,” filling a stadium at Twickenham,” he said. “You had, every Melville said. week, 15,000 people in the stands in these tight stadiums for

22 Fan festivals, tailgating events, and an overall sense of or a fan.” professionalism crept into Eagles international tests on domestic soil. Facilities like Infinity Park in Glendale, Colo., a In 2009, Rookie Rugby, a program aimed at teaching the youth rugby-specific venue self-titled as “RugbyTown USA,” became of the United States the basics of rugby in a safe, non-contact common destinations for top-level rugby. form of the sport, was launched. Five years later, with more and more high school state championships held across the It did not happen overnight, however. Matches were scheduled country and the creation of the Boys and Girls High School All- for other venues, like Toyota Park, a Major League Soccer Americans, the seeds of Melville’s plans have begun to flower. stadium in Chicago, Ill., only to be told the match could not be played due to fear of tearing up the playing surface. “A lot of these players coming up – every year they’ve been playing longer,” he said. “The perception is we would just make a mess of the ground, and then you’re convincing the groundsmen to tell other “The youth programs in the UK started when I was a kid in the groundsmen across the country it’s all right. It was all a bit of 1970s. There were six of us in it in my town. Now the program’s a challenge.” been going for forty years and they get 200 kids a week. It’s a thriving community they’ve developed. These were all over the Getting into stadiums became easier with more exposure for country and now we’re getting them here.” the Eagles. The 2007 World Cup helped players like Eagles captain Todd Clever become a face for the Eagles “franchise,” The pathway from youth rugby to the national team has but there were still a majority of rugby fans in the United States never been clearer. Young Eagles Scott Lavalla and Seamus unaware a national team was competing in multiple matches Kelly have each played for one of the USA Rugby All-American at home each year. teams, while experienced veterans like Clever and Louis Stanfill have also represented USA Rugby at the under-20 level. “If I were a kid playing the game, I probably wouldn’t know what the Eagles were and I wouldn’t know what the World Cup was,” The 2014 Emirates Airline USA Rugby College National Melville said. “Now I think the kids get it. We’ve developed a Championships were held in May at Steuber Rugby Stadium following for the Eagles and the events and made them events. on the campus of Stanford University as part of USA Rugby’s If you can broaden its appeal and make it look like it should National Championship Series, which also consists of Club look, then people will aspire to be involved in it, be it a player National Championships and domestic sevens competition.

23 While the events are attracting a steadily-increasing number of fans each year, the trend didn’t happen overnight.

“We realized our national championships weren’t going to become these huge events filling huge stadiums. That’s not what the NCS is about. It’s about players trying to get to the national finals at different levels. We wanted to make the experience of going to the national championships special to those who go to the national championships and for the local market to see the games and follow their teams, and have a place to have fun and have a good weekend.

“I’ve been here seven years. It’s more visible than it ever was, there’s more awareness, more television. As a result of that, we’re getting more high school players, we’re getting more college players. More and better.”

The Eagles have qualified for seven of the eight World Cups since the inaugural tournament in 1987, though they have yet to make it out of the pool round. Despite the majority of players in the last Eagles domestic camp playing professional rugby overseas and stronger, more visible opponents traveling to America, the Eagles are still ranked 18th in the IRB World Rankings.

“You want instant success,” Melville said. “Everyone does. It’s so much easier that way.

“It’s like planting seeds in the ground. You’re growing and will have to harvest it in a few years’ time. It’s like wine, I suppose. You grow your vines; they don’t really fruit for three years. Now there are kids coming through who have been playing for five years, but it also depends on good coaching, good refereeing, good competition. They all take time.”

The fruits of Melville’s labor can be seen in attendance figures for domestic and international competition, the amount of kids picking up a rugby ball on a daily basis, and in the upcoming, marquee matchup with the All Blacks at Soldier Field.

For more information on the Nov. 1 match at Soldier Field, please visit the event website at www.usavallblacks.com.

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