Hey there, Rugger!
👊 Happy Friday.
The dog days of summer. College rugby is stirring, RugbyTown is here, and we're already thinking about next spring because apparently we have a problem.
Packed with rugby. Let’s go 👇
RugbyTownUSA 7s
August 21-23
Glendale, CO
RugbyPass
Eagles vs Argentina XV
Celebrate the wins?
You know, there’s always this sense of caveat when USA Rugby accomplishes something. It’s painful, but often accurate.
This game was no different, as many pointed out that a close win over Argentina’s “development side” is nothing to write home about.
On the flip side, though, the Eagles also featured plenty of young, new faces and could probably be categorized as a half-development squad if you squint a little.
Maybe it’s a bit unfair. If we had lost this game, the naysayers would’ve been brutal in their assessment.
Instead, the Eagles won 25-24 down in Miami… and yet the boo-birds still flocked to Reddit and Instagram, intent on extinguishing any misplaced optimism.
What a delicate place we’re in, rugby friends.
Celebrate with caution.
One stat that stood out:
161 tackles made.
16 tackles missed.
177 total tackle opportunities.
Last fall, in the Eagles’ 85-0 loss to Scotland:
137 tackles made.
40 tackles missed.
177 total tackle opportunities.
Same number of opportunities. 24 fewer missed tackles.
It’s not a perfect comparison. Argentina XV ain’t Scotland. But hey — smells like progress.
And the Eagles are unbeaten this summer.
In Scotty we trust? TBD.
Note: Stats are from RugbyPass
RugbyTownUSA
RugbyTownUSA 7s kicks off today in Glendale, with a stacked field chasing $10,000 and three days of sevens action.
One matchup immediately caught our eye: NCR All Americans vs. USA Falcons.
The boys will surely let the rugby do the talking, but you can’t completely ignore the undertones of the simmering college rugby drama. 👀
Elsewhere, Casanovas Rugby opens against Belmont Shore. Former Eagle Nick Boyer captains a roster loaded with talent from around the country, while Max Orefice is the baby of the bunch. The Raptor Rugby (TN) alum gets a pretty awesome opportunity to test himself in this environment. Can’t wait to see how he does.
College rugby soon
College rugby is oh-so-close to being back, and this year we’ll be paying a little more attention than usual. That’s because an awful lot of names we’ve been covering for the past couple years have graduated into the college ranks. Funny how that happens.
Bottom line: our high school rugby obsession may be developing a college rugby side quest.
👓Read these:
A couple interesting/fun reads we found this week.
🎵Weekend Playlist:
A collection of hype songs from recent Rugby Riot Player Profiles
Sick Love | Red Hot Chili Peppers | Damien Mager
White Horse | Chris Stapleton | Liam Skennion
Noble | F3miii | Daniel Bennett
No Church In the Wild | Kanye West & Jay-Z | Orlando Isturis
Heating Up | Lil Baby & Gunna | Riley Scrogham
Scorpio | Moneybag Yo | Jamarcus Jayce Lee
Break Stuff | Limp Bizkit | Liam Hoey
Them Bones | Alice In Chains | Dylan Booker
Sabotage | Beastie Boys | Finn Dantzler
All of the Lights | Kanye West | Connor Blair
More player profiles:
This is still in beta, but if you’d like to take it for a spin yourself just shoot us a DM and we’ll hook you up.
Some school teams we’re excited to see in 2027
St. Ignatius (OH)
The Wildcats came up short in their bid for a national champs repeat this spring, but we have a good feeling about this team going into 2026/2027. It starts with the trust we have in their coaching staff, plus a certain Midwest chip on the old shoulder. But first we’ll see their sevens team attempt another Ohio demolition—something that’s become borderline routine for Ignatius in recent years.
St. Paul’s (LA)
The Wolves were a nice story this spring. They were so improved from the previous season that they even briefly jumped into the top 10 in the Rugby Riot rankings. An eventual 38-18 loss to Brother Martin knocked them out of the state playoff race, but we love the trajectory of this team. Louisiana isn’t always talked about as a rugby hotspot, but if teams like St. Paul’s can continue improving — and maybe play a couple games outside the region — it might be a sign of things to come for the Louisiana scene.
Celina (TX)
Another surprise of the year. Celina burst onto the Texas scene and captured the state title this spring with a 33-29 win over St. Thomas Houston. They’re one of the teams that we would have loved to see at nationals in the school division. It’ll be fun to see how they shape up as 2027 approaches.
St. Martin’s (KS)
The four-peat Kansas state champs might not have anything to prove in Kansas at this point — they’re the bona fide team to beat until further notice. However, with head coach John Prezzia now located in Ohio with the Franciscan Barons, the task of continuing their dominant run lies in the hands of new head coach John Bascom. It’ll be fascinating to see how the Kingfishers perform under his tutelage in year one.
Charlotte Catholic (NC)
It’s hard to believe that in 2024 this team went 0-7. Since then they’ve had two appearances in the state final, capturing the trophy in 2026. It’s a bit early for predictions, but a returning senior class that includes the likes of Luke Zehmke, Will Bishop, and Thomas McKillop bodes well for the Cougars.
Torrey Pines (CA)
You don’t make back-to-back appearances in the CA state final by accident. Historically on the smaller side, the Falcons have a habit of punching above their weight each year, and we’re excited to see what they put together this upcoming season. Returning starters like Rees Curtis and Bryson Waterhouse give them a solid chance, no matter who they face.
Rio Americano (CA)
From relatively unknown to repeat customers in the rankings. The Raiders will need to overcome the loss of recent grads Sam Enochian, Devin Pointes, and Isaac Gomez, among others, but the return of ballers like Cash Lazard, Noah Gomez, and Seti Peroni should keep them firmly in the mix in NorCal. We’ll get our first look at them in the West Coast Sevens circuit this fall.
Herriman (UT)
The reigning national champs will begin their 2027 campaign with a target on their backs — heavy is the crown. And even though graduation claimed several studs this spring, it would be foolish to predict a major drop off. Herriman knows what they’re doing.
St. Francis (CA)
For a team that’s won the CA state title two years in a row it feels funny to say this, but St. Francis might be one of the most underrated teams in America. A lot of that is simply visibility — they don’t play the same volume of games as many other teams, and very few of their games get the livestream treatment. But then they show up in the state final and put on a fireworks show. And… then they go quiet for 12 months. Well, let it be known — we see you and we’re paying attention.
We had planned on only having 3 teams in this section… lol. We’ll do a follow up with some more squads next week.
This sevens circuit was amazing last year, and it helped put several teams on the radar before the spring 15s season. We highly recommend attending if you can.
There are still a few high school spots open for West Coast Sevens, but they’re filling up fast.
Check out the website to find dates and registration info.
2026 REWIND: Big man on the edge
Questionable hair-do. Badass finish.
Carson Bischoff (SD Mustangs) finds space out wide at Nationals.
When was the last time a drop-goal was attempted in the NFL?
Oddball musings, thanks to the cold tub.
🏉 Does anyone know a good podcast editor? You know, someone who can clean up all the “umms” and “ahhs” and help me get episodes published on time? Shoot me a message if you know a rockstar I should talk to.
🏉 Bananas. That’s the most common pre-game food mentioned by players who have created profiles on Rugby Riot. Sometimes it’s with toast and peanut butter, sometimes with candy (curious choice), but bananas are leading the charge.
🏉 Half-baked thought:
I think the ROI for money coming into rugby ought to be excellence. Sports are different from other investments. Build something excellent first and the value has a chance to follow. We seem to want rugby to make money before we’ve made it great.
That’s a wrap, gang!
Next week we’ll have more dope rugby stuff to share with you; scores, highlights, stories… all the goods.
If you like this, share it with your friends!
Be well, ruck with gusto, and may your compression shorts always stay in place.
-The Rugby Riot Team