OUTCOME: A Rocky Mountain Rugby Newsletter

Article by Bernie Decker of This Is Colorado Rugby

The Rocky Mountain Rugby (RMR) Annual General Meeting was held in June at the Radisson Hotel, Aurora. The event, which reviews the past season’s actions and effectively sets up next year’s play, was well-attended and even better run by incoming president, Erik Geib. Outgoing president, Rich Cortez, will keep his valued hand in as RMR Chairman.

A number of items were sorted at the assembly, not the least of which was the revival of the RMR Hall of Fame, begun at the end of last century through the efforts of Rocky Mountain Rugby steward, Dr. Bill Gregg. The Hall will celebrate the accomplishments of RMR’s members who’ve exemplified the spirit and substance of rugby covering better than 50 years of our game. More to come on this...

​Boulder RFC, Glendale Merlins and Queen City Rams, our divisional champions, were off to playoffs at the end of their respective league campaigns and represented our union with sportsmanship. Boulder dropped a tight contest to Wichita Barbarians in the first round of extra time; Rams made it to the Round of 8 in Texas before bowing out; and Merlins, the union’s Women’s Division 1 titlists, fell to defeat in the USA Rugby Semi-Final Match. Foundations to build on, to be sure!

​In the high school, emergent men’s competition, Tigers Rugby out of Broomfield and Denver’s northern tier, claimed the Division 2 championship, while Regis Raiders snatched victory at the death over Denver East High Angels in a thrilling premier bracket final.

Pacific Nations Cup, preliminary action to Rugby World Cup, kicks off Down the Kettle at Infinity Park with the USA Eagles taking on Canada in the opening round of the critical World Cup preparations, Saturday, July 27th with a boot at 6pm.

TRY Rugby
In the formative stages of rugby in the region, the spring TRY Rugby Jamborees provide the critical fundamentals for the future of our game through the selfless efforts of true rugby custodians. The events, which take place seasonally in May-June at a variety of venues, are open to boys and girls under eight years of age through under-15s.  

​2019 Rocky Mountain Rugby Challenge
The Rocky Mountain Challenge, held every year in June, is a regional competition that features emergent men’s and women’s elite XVs from around the country contesting the pill under critical observation by college representatives and United States Rugby selectors. 2019 results:

Boys Tier 1 (Varsity): EIRA SoCal defeated EIRA Midwest Blue 55-15
Girls Tier 1 (Varsity): Rhinos Academy, 55-14, over Team 5785
Boys Tier 2 (JV): EIRA Midwest Blue defeated EIRA SoCal 14-10
Girls Tier 2 (JV): Rugby Colorado
Boys Middle School: EIRA Midwest Blue
Girls Middle School: Team 5785

Major League Rugby in North America is all about Seattle SeaWolves and their Canadian talisman, Brock Staller, as the ‘Wolves are the young competition’s sole champions after topping San Diego Legion for their second title in succession, 26-23, in Southern California. Staller and the Seattle forwards proved to be too much for the Legion pack as ‘Wolves lineout win turned into a textbook maul-to-goal dropdown try at the death with Staller’s added deuce making the result.

​Current mountain table has the Gentlemen of Aspen sitting atop the highest continuously played 15s competition on the globe as we round and bound for Steamboat and the Cowpie Classic on Saturday the upcomer, July 13th, in the inimitable Colorado snow-riding town. Matches kick off at 8am in the quest for one of rugby’s most venerated and widely sought-after trophies, the CowPie.

​Denver 7s, the first step on the tri-tournament stairway to USA Rugby National Clubside 7s Championship, was won by Haggis RFC, the top 7-a-side squad in Utah and the tournament champion on the day. 

​Got something for next month’s OUTCOME? A rugby event or notification that’ll occur between August 15 and September 15?
Send content to: grecorugby@gmail.com
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