3 Bay Area rugby players will represent the USA at an International rugby tournament in Vegas this weekend

USA Rugby have announced the Men's Eagles Sevens Rugby team that will be competing in Las Vegas in the International Rugby Board Sevens championship this weekend. Half of the 12 man roster comprise of Californian players and 3 are from right here in the Bay area.

The Sevens Rugby Eagles, who reached the semi-final stage at last years event in Vegas are well positioned to add to their current tally of 18 points when they battle Samoa, Spain, and Australia on Friday and Saturday. Six Californian players make up the backbone of the Eagles squad.   

"California is and has always been a power-house of rugby in the USA”, said Eagles Sevens star Colin Hawley, “so it no surprise to see such a strong representation from the golden state in this promising squad of players” 

Colin who was born in Trowbridge, Sutter County CA, is a graduate of Cal. Berkley has accumulated 19 caps for his country. Colin added, “The recent inclusion of rugby sevens in the 2016 Summer Olympics games has resulted in an explosion of interest in this exciting and fast paced form of rugby across the entire USA.”  Colin is one of 32 players (16 men and 16 Women) who are now contracted as full time residents at the Olympic Training Center in Chula vista CA. 

"This is a great time to be a rugby player in the United States; we are now able work works alongside top class Olympians and we are fully committed to regaining the Olympic gold medals that our country won back in the 1920‘s," continued Hawley. 

Colin will be battling for the stars and stripes in Vegas along side fellow Californians Blaine Scully from Sacramento, Folau Niua and Jack Hallaio both from East Palo Alto, Zach Test from Redwood City and Matthew Hawkins from San Diego.

Blaine Scully, another USA Rugby 7‘s star, who is also a graduate of the University of California, Berkley agrees with Colin Hawley, “We find ourselves in the most exciting period for rugby in the USA, the game is “on fire” coast to coast, particularly at the youth level and there are clear pathways opening up to help our high school kids into active university and colleges programs”.  

The Eagles Sevens will open their Las Vegas Sevens schedule against Australia at 6:34 P.M. Pacific Time on Friday, February 8. NBC Sports and Universal Sports will be broadcasting the tournament. Check here for times.

For live updates follow the official USA Rugby Twitter account @USAEaglesRugby. Use hashtag #USA7s to join the conversation. For the full schedule of matches visit www.usasevens.com/las-vegas.

USA Men’s Eagles Sevens | Las Vegas Sevens

(Californian Players in Bold) 

Andrew Durutalo

Nick Edwards

Jack Halalilo

Matt Hawkins (Captain)

Colin Hawley

Luke Hume

Carlin Isles

Rocco Mauer

Folau Niua

Blaine Scully

Shalom Suniula

Zach Test

Eagles Schedule | Las Vegas Sevens

vs. Australia – 6:34 P.M. PT Friday, February 8

vs. Samoa – 9:30 P.M. PT Friday, February 8

vs. Spain – 2:34 P.M. PT Saturday, February 9 

 About USA Rugby

Established in 1975, USA Rugby is the governing body for the sport of rugby in America. Currently headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, USA Rugby is charged with developing the game on all levels and has over 110,000 active members. USA Rugby oversees four national teams, multiple collegiate and high school All-American sides, and an emerging Olympic development pathway for elite athletes. It also hosts over 30 national playoff and championship events every year as a service to its members. In October 2009, the International Olympic Committee announced that Rugby Sevens (the seven-a-side version of the game) will appear in the 2016 Olympic Games to be held in Rio de Janeiro. USA Rugby became an official Olympic Sport member of the United States Olympic Committee in 2010. Visit www.usarugby.org for more.