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What dumbfounded me was the simplicity of the kit.
It actually looked like they went to the local soccer outfitter and had them add the USA Rugby insignia.
If they spent more than $40 a set, they were robbed. I hope this was just a quick fix to a new kit provider and they’ll look a little better than an AYSO team.
Lastly, is there anyone out there who would like to see our guys wearing blue as opposed to red; in which it seems almost every other country wears? Call me patriotic, but I’d like to see our red, white and blue utilized in our players’ kits.
David F. Cantu
Arlington, TX
I saw photos from the match against Uruguay from last week.
Do you know, or can you find out why were they wearing Adidas jerseys in the pictures, but there was no press release about the change?
Did they get a new sponsorship, was that a one-time deal, could they not find the Canterbury jerseys and those were the backups?
Are they going to start selling USA Adidas jerseys?
Stephen Hewer
San Marcos, Texas
ARN replies: According to USAR CEO Nigel Melville, the Adidas jerseys are being worn on a trial basis. A decision on whether to go down that road permanently is pending.
Brian Lowe made a pretty bold statement in stating that Uruguay and Jamaica are essentially on similar levels in their respective codes.
It is no secret that Lowe is a big league fan and has made great efforts to elevate the profile of the code here in the US. That is certainly his right.
That said, Lowe could be accused of stretching things more than a little by trying to place Uruguay and Jamaica on the same level. I did a quick check to find out a little about the histories of the Uruguay Rugby Union and the Jamaica Rugby League.
Uruguay has a history that goes back to the 1940's; which predates the US Rugby Union by about thirty years. Uruguay has competed in the RWC twice - in 1999 and 2003. This is a legitimate international competition that has an audience that is behind only the Olympics and the soccer World Cup.
The Jamaica Rugby League has been around since 2004. And let’s be honest - while there is a League World Cup it is not on a par with the RWC in terms of teams looking to qualify or in terms of the reach of the audience for the competition.
With regards to Lowe pointing out that the Tomahawks were home grown talent and the obvious inference that this is somehow better than the Eagles drawing from overseas professionals; that is just plain foolish.
It is a great credit to the Eagle players that have the talent to make it professionally overseas. It is not easy for an American to make it overseas and the experience they gain can only help US rugby.
Doug Lyons
ARN replies: There was no inference of any kind intended; we simply made a legitimate observation on the makeup of the respective rosters.
For the record, the 2008 RLWC drew a massive worldwide TV audience, one that the IRB would be glad to attract - and if you had seen the final you would understand why.
I really appreciate the podcasts and learn much each time but must take issue with some of the prima donna characteristics of your comments on the venues for the collegiate national championships, namely the blasts leveled against the New Mexico final 16 event in 2008.
As a coach of one of the teams who earned the right to go to that tournament (University of Florida Women) I have to say that the event was spectacular for our players.
Our results were not what we hoped for, but these players earned the chance to play for a national championship, something most of them never had the chance to do before or may likely get the chance to do again.
The folks in ABQ did a good job at hosting players, the fields were fine, and most importantly it mattered much to the players. It is ultimately about the players' development as athletes and as adults. Let's not miss this point ever.
The crowds, the press, etc., are secondary to the experience of competing in the national championships.
Did it do much to grow the game? Maybe not, but even those events in Northern California have not grown the game. Let's try to remember that we coach for the players.
Eric Keys
Head Coach, UF Women
