Alex Elkins, former standout player for Alliance talks about his journey to college football via rugby.
Alex Elkins, OSU Linebacker & Former Alliance Player Interviewed
January 20, 2012 By Leave a Comment
2012 Jesuit Dallas Rugby Showdown, March 10-11
November 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Attention All High School Rugby Teams, SBRO’s or Union Administrators;
Check out the attached FLYER for the 2012 Jesuit Dallas Rugby Showdown and let us know if your team or teams in your region are interested. All are welcome to attend and this year we will have the stadium as well as the lower grass fields available.
This year’s tournament will have 2 divisions – High School and Club based on entries!
We already have commitments from teams in Canada and Texas.
For information contact Anthony Mattacchione
Rugby Night in America, Tues. September 27
September 24, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Take Part in Rugby Night in America at
The Stag’s Head Restaurant
Proceeds From September 27 Event Benefits Youth Rugby in Houston
Mark your calendars now for Tuesday night, September 27, 2011. Not only will the USA face Italy in the last Pool C match for the Eagles at the Rugby World Cup, but that night will also be the first ever Rugby Night in America.
The United States Rugby Football Foundation is asking all Houston area rugby players and fans to help support youth and high school rugby in the area by coming out to The Stag’s Head to watch the rebroadcast of the USA-Italy match on Tuesday, September 27 at 7:00 pm. The Stag’s Head is one of many restaurants around the country taking part in the fundraiser and will be donating 10% of their sales on that night to the USRFF for its A Ball 4 All Campaign. The goal of the USRFF’s A Ball 4 All program is to provide 50,000 youth and high school rugby players in the U.S. with their own rugby ball.
Proceeds from The Stag’s Head Pub will be used to purchase rugby balls for kids in the Houston area. In addition, the establishment from around the country that raises the most money will receive an additional 20 balls for young rugby players in that area.
Also, those in attendance will have the opportunity to win two tickets to the 2012 USA 7s Tournament in Las Vegas. That’s two tickets for Friday, Saturday and Sunday’s action, courtesy of USA Sevens, LLC.
It’s a win-win situation for all. The fans get to watch the USA-Italy match with all their clubates in what could be a very important final Pool C game. Young rugby players in Houston will be receiving their very own rugby ball. The Stag’s Head will see an increase in sales (not to mention the great feeling they’ll have from giving back to the sport). The USRFF benefits from staging the first of what will hopefully become an annual fundraising event.
Please take part in this first ever Rugby Night in America. And help spread the word about Rugby Night in America at The Stag’s Head by forwarding this link to your friends and family. If you’re associated with an adult team, please make sure your players are aware. If you’re a youth/HS coach, please forward to the parents.
The Stag’s Head is located near near 59 and Shepherd
2128 Portsmouth
Houston, TX 77098
713-533-1199
AT&T Uverse Sports Coverage of US Eagles
July 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment
AT&T is currently running a special as a buildup for the World Cup. It is well done with interviews with many of the Eagles like Todd Clever, scrumhalf Mike Petri, head coach Eddie O’Sullivan and assistant Dave Williams. It is the rugby version of Hard Knocks. If you have AT&T Uverse in Houston go to channel 1600. It is running on AT&T Uverse Sports and hosted by Heidi Androl. If you don’t you can watch it here.
http://uverseonline.att.net/play/tv/show/u-verse-exclusive/p/video/dk___dk_exc_sp7012_jul11.mp4
Also Uverse currently is not offering Universal which is carrying the Rugby World Cup. If you have AT&T Uverse go here & ask them to add it.
http://www.universalsports.com/tv-listings/channel-finder.html
Allbritton (Alliance) & Ostberg (Stony Point) Named To HS All American Team
July 6, 2011 By 1 Comment
USA Rugby announced the 2011 Boy’s High School All-Americans Touring Squad. As part of the selection was Christian Ostberg of Stony Point (Round Rock, TX) and Bear Allbritton of Alliance and Keller HS.
Bear Allbritton 3 year letterman for Keller HS
Bear Allbritton was a 3 year Keller HS Varsity Football letterman and starting RB. Bear has played Rugby for Alliance Rugby Club of Keller, Texas since he was nine years old and was a starting center on Alliance’s 2009 and 2011 State Championship teams. He was a member of the Texas U17 All Star team as a 14 year old & a member of the 2011 Texas U19 All Star team that traveled to Denver and placed 3rd. He was chosen to the All Tournament team as a Fullback. Bear will be attending Arkansas State in the Fall and hoping to help that team claim a national title.
Ostberg Advances The Ball Against Strake Jesuit
Christian Ostberg is 16 years old, 6’4.5″, 225 lbs and played lock for Stony Point but played 8-man for the Texas High Perfomance U-17 team in Colorado this year. He also made the All Tournament team in Colorado as 8-man this year. At 15, he made the All Tournament team for the U-17 High Performance but at lock. In 2011 he was All-District and All-State and was nominated for “Player of the Year”. He was the leading forward scorer for his team this past year and will be captain for his high school team next year.
From the US Olympic website:
USA Rugby June 29, 2011
BOULDER, Colo. – USA Rugby is proud to announce the 2011 Boy’s High School All-Americans Touring Squad consisting of 30 of the best American high school rugby players. The team will depart for South Africa on July 12 to take on two top high schools and two developmental sides. The 20-day tour is made possible through the generous support of Aircraft Charter Solutions.
The Boy’s High School All-Americans (HSAAs) will travel to Durban to play George Campbell Tech College and Glenwood High School and then make their way to Cape Town to face Tygerburg Rugby Club and Durbanville High School.
HSAA Head Coach, Salty Thompson, and his staff have scouted the Regional All-Star Tournaments and the National High School Championships, looking to find the best young players in the country.
The selection cycle started with a winter camp in Santa Barbara, Calif. where the squad beat Canada’s Under-17s then moved onto Las Vegas in February for the first ever HSAA Sevens team assembly where two HSAA teams finished 1st and 3rd in their division. A spring assembly, sponsored by Aircraft Charter Solutions, provided a further 60 players an opportunity to compete for a place on the touring side.
Thompson and his staff aim to help players improve their overall skills and decision making to, ultimately, enable them to compete at the next level and further their development in the sport.
“Traveling internationally and playing quality teams in South Africa is the best development opportunity for aspiring young players”, added Thompson.
Selection to the High School All-Americans is a common entry point to the pathway to senior international rugby. The next progression is selection to the Junior All-Americans (Under-20s) then to the Collegiate All-Americans and eventually the Men’s National Team.
2011 BOY’S HIGH SCHOOL ALL-AMERICANS | SOUTH AFRICA TOUR
Forwards
Michael Bush (Sacramento Jesuit High School), Jeffrey Calzaretta (Marin Highlanders), Christian Castro (Davis Rugby), Joseph Corrado (Xavier High School), Pierce Dargan (Blackrock College, Dublin), Cameron Falcon (Shaw Eagle Rugby), Henry Hall (St. George’s School), Brendan Hardiman (Marin Highlanders), Richard Korvick (Kansas City Junior Blues), Titi Lamositele (Chuckanut Bay Rugby Club), Peyton Lauber (Southside U19 Rugby Club), Christian Ostberg (Stony Point High School), Andy Sandoval (Los Angeles Cougars), Blake Simons (De La Salle Rugby Club), Colin Snyder (Rugby Indiana), Seteone Vaitafa (Red Mountain Youth Rugby), Ekapatelisio Veamatahau (San Mateo Warriors)
Backs
Sione Aisea (Rugby Oregon), Taryn Allbritton (Alliance RFC), Gavin Brown (North Central H.S.), Matthew Chipman (Jesuit Rugby), Charlie Hutchings (Tampa Barbarians), Saaitua Laei (Lowland Varsity), Sione Letoi (Tempe U19 Rugby Club), Zachary Miller (Raiders Rugby), Jesse Milne (P.I.T.S Rugby), George Naufahu-Talakai (San Mateo Warriors), Michael Reid (Warrenton Wolfpack), Sakalia Alofagia (East Palo Alto Razorbacks), Alexander Taefu (Tempe U19 Rugby Club)
Coaching Staff
Salty Thompson (Head Coach), Michael Engelbrecht (Assistant Coach), David Fee (Assistant Coach), Jason Payne (Assistant Coach), Paule Barford (Assistant Coach), Mark Stephens (Trainer), Eric Taber (Manager)
2011 BOY’S HIGH SCHOOL ALL-AMERICANS SOUTH AFRICA TOUR
July 19: USA Boy’s High School All-Americans v. George Campbell Tech College| 4 p.m.
July 23: USA Boy’s High School All-Americans v. Glenwood High School | 3 p.m.
July 26: USA Boy’s High School All-Americans v. Tygerburg Rugby Club | Kickoff Time TBD
July 28: USA Boy’s High School All-Americans v. Durbanville High School | Kickoff Time TBD
ABOUT THE ALL-AMERICAN PROGRAM
The All-American program selects the best rugby players in the country based on performance in domestic rugby competitions. Selected players attend high performance training camps throughout the year and, unlike other sports in which All-Americans are named but never compete as a team, rugby All-Americans compete in domestic and international matches.
In addition to recognizing outstanding rugby players, the All-American program is a development pathway to international honors. The program identifies and develops talent and character in order to prepare athletes for higher levels of rugby and life outside of the game. Beginning with the High School All-Americans, a player may progress to the U20-Junior All-Americans, and finally reach the pinnacle of the All-American program and become a Collegiate All-American.
All-American rugby has been in existence for more than a century in the United States. The original Collegiate All-American team, originally titled an “American Universities” team, traveled to New Zealand and Australia in 1910, marking the first ever American rugby tour. The All-American crest, adorned with 13 stars and stripes is the same one those athletes wore on the inaugural All-American tour and the 1920 and 1924 Olympic Games, a nod to America’s rugby and national heritage.http://www.teamusa.org/news/2011/06/29/2011-boys-high-school-all-americans-touring-squad-announced/43162
