Announcements

Ron Laszewski has been named the West Senior Men's All-Star Team coach. Ron is a longtime resident of St. Louis, Missouri where he is the head coach of the St. Louis Bombers Rugby Football Club. He successfully guided the Bombers during their transition from Division I into the Rugby Super League. Ron has also coached the Missouri Rugby Union Boys Under-19 All-Stars for the past couple years. Ron has a long history with the West, having played and coached with the West Seniors for over 20 years. He is a former backrow player for the West, and also served as Team Captain for several seasons. Ron was an assistant coach with Larry Naifeh, and together they guided the West to several National All-Star Championships in the 1980s and 1990s. Ron assumes responsibility for the team from Steve Lewis (Denver Highlanders) who has stepped-down due to conflicts with his professional responsibilities.

Ron is teaming up with long-time Senior Men's Team Manager, John Wolf, to assemble the coaching staff for the National All-Star Championships in December 2007. In preparation, the West Senior Men are holding a training and trials weekend in St. Louis on November 10-11. This weekend will feature matches against the Midwest Senior All-Stars.

The Western Rugby Union is pleased to announce the appointment of Andy Dixon as the West Technical Director. This is a new position within the West, and is designed to facilitate the delivery of technical information and coaching to the membership. Andy has a long history of service with the Rugby Football Union before coming to the United States. He is also a member of the USA Rugby Coach Development staff, and as such, he will be able to ensure that the West player development efforts are aligned with the USA Rugby coaching scheme and philosophy.

As the West Technical Director, Andy will be charged with conducting player development clinics, camps, and courses throughout the Western Rugby Union, with the aim of improving the playing standard and safety of all players in the Western Union. While not solely focused on youth and high school players, he will pay particular attention to helping grow the youth game. Andy will also be a lead person for coordinating and scheduling USA Rugby coaching development courses within the West. The position carries a modest annual stipend and incentive-based remuneration, plus travel and administrative expenses.

Development Camp (West)
Date: Sat, Jul 30, 2005 at Boulder, CO
Times: 8:00am – 12:00N, 2:00pm – 6:00pm
Local Coordinator: Sadie Thomas (E) sadie10thomas@yahoo.com (Tel): 303-579-9067

Development Camp (East)
Dates: Sat, Aug 6, 2005 at Austin, TX
Times: 8:00am – 12:00N, 2:00pm – 6:00pm
Local Coordinator: Emilie Stallings, (979) 574-1900, emiliestallings@yahoo.com

Development Camp (Central)
Dates: Sat, Aug 13, 2005 at Kansas City, MO
Times: 8:00am – 12:00N, 2:00pm – 6:00pm
Local Coordinator: KJ Abel (E) kjrstena@hotmail.com (Tel) 785-393-2131

Selection Camp (Selected Players Only)
Dates: Sep 3-4, 2005 at Kansas City, MO
Times: Sat, 8:00am – 11:30am, 1:00pm – 5:00pm; Sun, 8:00am – 1:00pm
Local Coordinator: KJ Abel (E) kjrstena@hotmail.com (Tel) 785-393-2131

All Star Warm-up Matches (Selected Players Only)
Dates: Oct 29-30, 2005 at Kansas City, MO
Local Coordinator: KJ Abel (E) kjrstena@hotmail.com (Tel) 785-393-2131

USA Rugby National All-Star Championships (Selected Players Only)
Dates: Dec 2-4, 2005 at Kissimmee, FL
USA Rugby Coordinator: TBD

RESULTS 2004 National Senior All-Stars Championships (NASC)
The West Senior Women rebounded from a Friday 20-0 loss to the Northeast, to topple perennial champions, the Midwest 12-3 to take 3rd Place in Tier I at the ITTs in Orlando this past weekend. This represents the best finish ever for a West Women's team at the NASC, and the 3rd place finish assures the West Women of staying in Tier I. The West Senior Men, playing in Tier II, demolished the South 67-13 on Friday. They came out in the Tier II final on Sunday and easily handled the Combined Services 49-8 to earn promotion back to Tier I for 2005.

WOMEN - DAY ONE Tier I U23 46 - Midwest 23 Northeast 20 - West 0 Tier II Pacific Coast 41 - So. Cal 17 South 13 - Mid-Atlantic 7	MEN - DAY ONE Tier I Pacific Coast 21 - Mid Atlantic 15 Midwest 39 - So. Cal 27 Tier II Combined Services 32 - Northeast 28 West 67 - South 13
DAY TWO Tier I U23 17 - Northeast 15 West 12 - Midwest 3 (West takes 3rd; Midwest to Tier II) Tier II Pacific Coast 21 - South 16 (Pacific Coast win Tier II and are promoted to Tier I) Mid-Atlantic 46 - So. Cal 0	DAY TWO Tier I Pacific Coast 37 - Midwest 34 Mid-Atlantic 50 - So. Cal 32 (So.Cal to Tier II) Tier II West 49 - Combined Services 8 (West win Tier II and are promoted to Tier I) Northeast 31 - South 10

2004 West Collegiate All-Star Championships
This past weekend, Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, OK hosted the West's Men's Collegiate All Star Championships. Under cloudless skies with temperatures in the upper 60's to low 70's, Eastern Rockies RFU repeated as champions. After an opening round loss to Ozark RFU, ER went on to defeat Rio Grande 41-12 in pool play. Rio Grande had previously defeated Ozark by 40-16. All three teams in the pool finished with identical one and one records. Tie breakers went to point spread. So ER advanced to the final with RG going to the consolation match.

Missouri RFU withdrew from the other pool leaving Heart of America and Texas to play a single match. Heart narrowly prevailed over a much bigger Texas squad 21-19. Unfortunately Heart lost their All American fly half and Captain -- Sean Foley - through a shin injury.

In the consolation match Texas defeated Rio Grande 32-6. Texas scored five tries, with two converted, and a single penalty goal. Texas scorers were: Prop Ken Hepburn, two from Winger Payne -- a freshman at TCU, Flyhalf Scheidler from UT, and center Yuga Kurihara from Sam Houston. Conversions and the PG were by Craig Ferguson of UT. RG responded with two PGs by Robert Harrison of New Mexico Tech.

The final was close for some time in the first half. Eastern Rockies' size and numbers took their toll on the undermanned Heart squad. Half time score was 17-3 with the final score at 50-15. ER ran in eight tries, five of which were converted. ER tries were scored by: Ryan Dombreck, Mark Burley with two, John Lockhard all from Air Force; two by Cory Sittner of Wyoming; one each from Dan Murphy of Colorado and Cory Lambert of UNC. Heart responded with two tries from Kevin Jones of Truman and Phil Connealy of Kansas State.

In all, 34 different collegiate programs were represented on the five squads.

John McConnell ably organized the officials for all matches. He was assisted by Steve Weeks, Joe Zevin, Chris Holloway, Mark Woods, and Calum Pender. Bill Haffner acted as the #4 official for all the matches.

Western selectors will be picking an all tournament squad. Announced at the trophy ceremony were the recipients of the Outstanding Forward - Fraser Leavasa of UNM and RG -- and Outstanding Back -- John Feely of Air Force and Eastern Rockies.

The 2006 event will be played on the weekend of 5 and 6 November.

Western RFU Summer Board Meeting
The summer meeting of the Western Rugby Union Board of Directors will be held August 21-22 in Austin, TX. The Board will meet from 12:00 to 6:00 PM on Saturday, August 21 and from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM on Sunday, August 22. The Executive Committee will meet Saturday morning at 9:00 to 11:00 AM before the Board meeting at a location to be announced. We will be using the Hampton Inn & Suites - Downtown at 200 San Jacinto Blvd. (at 2nd and San Jacinto). The rate is $89 per night. Call 512-472-1500. Use the registration number: 560074601 (the "Hun's Rugby Deal").

On Friday, August 20, there will be a special meeting between Texas collegiate rec sports representatives, the West and USA Rugby to address USA Rugby's "Collegiate Commitment" and to work towards a better working relationship between the colleges, the coaches, and regional and national governing bodies. If you plan to attend, please be sure to arrive on Thursday evening, as this meeting will begin Friday morning at approximately 9:00 AM in the Chicano Culture Room on campus at the University of Texas.

Bill Brandt Passes Away
It is with great sadness that we report the death of Bill Brandt, the long-time coach of both St. Louis University Men's Rugby and the Druids Youth in St. Louis. Bill passed away on Wednesday, July 14, 2004. He had lapsed into a coma following a massive heart attack the day before. A memorial service is being held for Bill in St. Louis on Monday, July 19 (unfortunately, I do not have any details). Bill was a passionate coach who loved his players and worked endless hours with these young men, who are all no doubt better for their relationship with Bill. While some might have disagreed with Bill's style, none can find fault with his commitment and dedication to the sport of rugby - especially teaching the game to young high school and college players. Bill's SLU College team was always competitive and hard-working, and they made numerous appearances over the years in the Western Collegiate Championships. His work with the Druids Youth program produced one of the finest boys high school programs in the West, and they made numerous appearances at the USA Rugby National High School Championships, making it to the national finals more than once. Many young players from SLU and the Druids emerged to compete at the top club and collegiate levels, and serve as a testament to Bill's teaching and passion for the game. If a man's legacy can be measured by the number of lives he has touched and the influence he has had, then Bill has a truly outstanding legacy. Bill Brandt is one of a small few who accepted the hard challenge, and whose commitment and perseverance never wavered.

Rest well, Bill Brandt.
Bill Sexton
President, Western Rugby Union

2004 Western Women's Development Camps The purpose of these camps is two-fold, to provide an avenue for training and evaluation of both collegiate and club players, as well as to serve as a preliminary selection vehicle for the WRFU All Star Side. The camps will be open to all players who have a desire to play at the All Star level either this year or in the near future. Attendance is mandatory for consideration for All Star Selection. The dates are fixed for all but the warm-up matches, locations are pending confirmation of local hosts.

Western Women's Team Tryout will be held Sept 4-5, 2004 in Norman, OK (this will rotate to Lawrence, KS for 2005). Attendance at this tryout will be by invitation only, following the development camps. The tryout will involve skill development, game patterns and scrimmages. The final WRFU All-Star Squad will be selected following this tryout, up to 28 players will be selected.

WRFU All Star Warm-up matches - October 30-31, 2004 (Kansas City, MO). The purposes of these matches are to view different combinations in full-length game situations. The date for this weekend is tentative, pending confirmation from potential opposition teams. The hope is to play two matches that weekend against rival all-star teams.

Western Women win USA Rugby Challenge Matches
Representatives from the West competed in two matches as part of the new "challenge" system for the Women's Club Championships. On April 3, the Harlequin Olde Girls defeated visiting ORSU (Pacific Coast) 25-14, thus defending a West seed. On April 10, the St. Louis Sabres traveled to LA and defeated UCLA 36-11, thus gaining a seed for the West. This means that the West will have 3 seeds in the Women's Club Championships Round of 16. Seeds are #6, #13, and #15. This also means that the West teams will have their work cut out for them to retain these seeds for the future. The West Women's Club Championships are scheduled for April 24-25 in Colorado Springs. For more event information, go to Championship information - Women's Club Championships.

All-Tournament Team named:
1. Kinsella, Scott (RG); Riedesel, Joe (ERRFU); Snider, Paul (HOA)
2. Hobson, Mike (ERRFU) "Outstanding Forward"; Masek, Josh (ERRFU)
3. Maday, Mike (RG), Boechkhout, Beau (ERRFU)
4. Diehl, Jard (RG), Hamrick, Nate (ERRFU), Dean, Ryan (ERRFU)
5. Dorman, Kirby (TX); Falkenberg, John (ERRFU)
6. Marlowe, Mike (ERRFU), Sanders, Ryan (ERRFU)
7. Gureckis, John (ERRFU); McKinley, Jacob (OZ)
8. Dean, Josh (ERRFU); Tipten, Nick (RG)
9. Mitchell, Travis (ERRFU)
10. Foley, Sean (HOA), "Outstanding Back"; Kwedar, Greg (TX)
11. Burley, Mark (ERRFU)
12. Fiaseu, Brandon (RG); Ingraham, Jake (ERRFU)
13. Giubardo, Tony (HOA); Faulk, Wade (ERRFU)
14. Boyd, Justin (TX); Tjsvold, Matt (ERRFU)
15. Yannacone, Nate (ERRFU); Reuther, Jeff (TX)

WRFU Senior Women's All Star Team Selections Announced
Coach Craig Coates and Manager Mary Graham have released the selection for the 2003 WRFU Women's Senior All-Stars for the 2003 USA Rugby ITTs. They are:

Abel, KJ (Kansas City Jazz)
Amundson, Linne (Colorado Springs Shewolves)
Barth, Suzanna (Harlequin Olde Girls)
Bishop, Angel (Kansas City Jazz)
Carlson, Emily (Kansas City Jazz)
Colson, Sarah (At Large)
Cook, Wendy (Harlequin Olde Girls)
Cranmore, Angie (Kansas City Jazz)
Deloy, Julianne (Colorado Springs Shewolves)
Demler, Mandee (Harlequin Olde Girls)
Gamble, Sharon (Austin Valkyries)
Hammond, Jess (New Orleans Halfmoons)
Joyce, Jennifer (Austin Valkyries)
Kimmel, Jennifer (Kansas City Jazz)
Kunkel, Anna (Austin Valkyries)
Lehman, Jules (Harlequin Olde Girls)
Luna, Bevin (Harlequin Olde Girls)
McDonald, Laura (San Antonio WRFC)
McKibben, Melissa (Kansas City Jazz)
Motch, Wendy (Kansas City Jazz)
Nesberg, Tina (Colorado Springs Shewolves)
Nichol, Kate (Austin Valkyries)
Price, Alison (Kansas City Jazz)
Rasmussen, Mandy (Kansas City Jazz)
Reed, Liz (St. Louis Sabres)
Root, Amy (Harlequin Olde Girls)
Therrien, Mari (St. Louis Sabres)
Tryals, Eve (Austin Valkyries)

For more information, contact Mary Graham, West Manager (c: 832-656-8753; h: 281-584-0462) or Craig Coates (c: 979-571-2784; w: 979-458-1219). Photo of the 2003 West Senior Women

The Denver Barbarians and the Gentlemen of Aspen repeat as the top two in the WRFU Men's 7s Championships. Denver defeated Aspen in the finals of the WRFU Men's Club 7s championships in Ft. Worth, TX July 19th. Both teams will advance to the USA Rugby Club 7s Championships to be held in Pittsburgh, PA on August 9-10. HARC finished in 3rd place after close loses to both Denver and Aspen.

WRFU Board of Directors Summer meeting will be held in Denver, CO on August 16-17. The meeting will convene from 12:00-6:00 PM on Saturday, August 16th and from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM on Sunday, August 17. We will meet at the Red Lion Hotel at 4040 Quebec Street (303-321-6666). The rate is $59 per night. In addition to regular business and the state of the WRFU for 2003 to date, reports will be delivered by both the Men's Collegiate All-Stars representative (Rich Cortez) and the Women's Under-23 All-Stars representative (Dustin George). The meeting is open to all members of the WRFU. If you are not a member of the Board and plan to attend, please contact either Bill Haffner (wthaffner@aol.com), David Jenkins (txrfu@attglobal.net), or Bill Sexton (wsexton@kcom.edu).

WRFU Senior Men's All-Star Team Training - The West men will hold a select side camp for senior and developmental players in Ft. Worth, TX on August 2-3, 2003. The Saturday session will start at 8:30 A.M. and last until 4:30 P.M. The Sunday session will Start at 9:00 A.M. and last until 1:00P.M. We will be staying at the Holiday Inn North and South Ft. Worth. For reservation call 817-759-4601 and ask for Lisa or Andrea. Ask for the RUGBY RATE. It is $69.00 per night. Make your Reservations ASAP. DIRECTIONS: From DFW exit the South Entrance, take Hwy 360 south about 10 miles to I-20. Go west towards Ft. Worth about 10 minutes. At I-35W go south one exit to #44 Altamesa Blvd. The hotel is on the corner at 100 Altamesa. For questions, contact John Wolf (Manager) at Jawolf4@aol.com.

WRFU Senior Women's All-Star Team Training - For information on the 2003 summer Women's Select Side training camps go to
http://www.westselect.org/calendar.html. Contact: Craig J. Coates, coach (W: 979-458-1219, H: 979-589-2590, C: 979-571-2784) or e-mail: c-coates@tamu.edu

Air Force Academy score double - Men and Women both win respective National Collegiate Championships!!!
Semifinals news / Finals news // University of Northern Colorado - 2nd Place in Men's Division II National Championships

WRFU Women's Collegiate Championships - All-Tournament Team Dustin George, coach of the WRFU Women's U-23 team, observed the Women's Collegiate Championships in Lawrence, KS on April 6-7, 2003. He and his selectors have announced the All-Tournament Team (15 starters, and 8 honorable mention) for 2003. Congratulations to all!

WRFU Women's 7s Team Camp - The West Women's 7's Select tryouts will be held May 3-4, 2003 in Kansas City, MO. The actual training venue will be announced closer to the camp date. The camp will run from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Saturday, May 3rd and from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM on Sunday, May 4th. The camp fee will be $15.00 per attendee, payable in cash prior to participation. Bring with you; a light color jersey, a dark color jersey, and your fitness. For questions, contact Coach, Jules McCoy Julesmccoy@cs.com or Manager, Chris Franz, ccfranz@dstsystems.com.

West Women's Under-23 Team tryouts have been scheduled for April 26-27 and will be held at the Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO. For further information, contact Dustin George by e-mail or phone (home: 720-493-9368). The West U23 Women will compete in the USA Rugby U23 All-Stars Championships in June 2003 (specific date is TBA).

West appoints new coaches for Senior Women and Under-23 Women The West has appointed Craig Coates, Texas A&M University (Texas) to coach the WRFU Senior Women, effective February 1, 2003. Additionally, the West has appointed Dustin George (Eastern Rockies) to coach the WRFU Under-23 Women, effective February 1, 2003.

WRFU Referee's Association has announced the promotion of five referees. WRFU Referee Development Officer and former USA Rugby A-Panel referee, Mike Geach, announced on January 21, 2003 that Jim Wolfinger (Texas) has been promoted from B3 to B2. In addition, the following referees have been promoted from C1 to B3: Larry Johnson (Eastern Rockies), Richard Parker (Texas), Joe Zevin (Eastern Rockies), and Steve Glentzer (Heart of America). Congratulations to you all!!!

WRFU Men's and Women's All-Star 7s Rosters
The USA Rugby National 7's Interterritorial Trials are August 24 & 25 in Long Beach, CA. The Western Rugby Union is represented by both our senior men's and women's all-star 7s teams. The men are the defending National 7s ITT Champions after a miraculous run from 8th seed to the title in 2001. They are hopeful for a repeat performance this year. The women are a young team entering only their second ITTs and look to surprise some teams with their youth and speed. On Saturday evening, the men's and women's teams got together for dinner - see photo below. USA Rugby press release.

West Men
1. Clark, Justin Denver Barbarians
2. Crabtree, Steven Tyler Houston Athletic Rugby Club
3. Earley, William Houston Athletic Rugby Club
4. Fischer, Robert Austin RFC
5. Fredella, Joe University of Texas
6. Hamiltion, Riaan Denver Barbarians
7. Kendel, Richard Denver Barbarians
8. Liberman, Jacob Austin RFC
9. Martindale, Steve Houston Athletic Rugby Club
10. Rowe, Doug Denver Barbarians
11. Shifflett, Joseph Houston Athletic Rugby Club
12. Wells, Tom Houston Athletic Rugby Club
Coach, Ty Landry, University of Texas
Program Director and Manager, David McPhail, Houston Athletic Rugby Club

2002 Men's VIIs Team

2002 Women's VIIs Team

Men's and Women's teams get together for dinner!

West Women
1. Barth, Suzanna Harlequin Olde Girls
2. Bishop, Angel Kansas City Jazz
3. Hammond, Jess New Orleans Halfmoons
4. Herrmann, Christine St. Louis Women
5. Price, Alison Kansas City Jazz
6. Reed, Liz St. Louis Women
7. Root, Amy Harlequin Olde Girls
8. Russell, Ann-Marie Springfield Women
9. Shields, Jen Ozark Ladies
10. Walker, Rachel New Orleans Halfmoons
11. White, Karima Ozark Ladies *
Coach, Julie McCoy, Ozark Ladies
Manager, Chris Franz, Kansas City Jazz

WRFU Women's All-Stars Regional Camp Schedule and contacts.
Chris Franz, the WRFU Women's Team Manager has announced the camp schedule and primary contacts for the lead-up to the 2002 ITTs in December. The camps are being run on a regional basis to spare excessive travel for all team members. The camps will commence in August and run through September. More information about these camps can be found at www.westselect.org under calendar and contacts.

USA Rugby Announces Men's Collegiate All-American and Women's Collegiate All-American Team selections. The West is represented on the Men's team by; Joshua Dean (Air Force Academy), Jonathan Eccles (Air Force Academy), Matthew Lathrop (Texas A&M), and Grant Statton (Wyoming). Honorable Mention honors went to: Brad Gifford (Wyoming), Sean Hansen (Air Force Academy), Gentry Mercer (Wyoming), Wes Whatley (Texas A&M), Joseph P. Davies (Wyoming), and Dan Fitch (Wyoming). The West is represented on the Women's team by "first-team" selections; Erin Harms (Air Force Academy), Andrinae Hudson (New Mexico State), Laura McDonald (Air Force Academy), and Karima White (New Mexico State), and "second-team" selections; Val Griffeth (Colorado College), Tess Labowitch (Air Force Academy), and Christina Williams (Air Force Academy). Congratulations to all. This is a fine showing for the Western Rugby Union!!

WRFU Referee Tom Coburn promoted to the USA Rugby "A Panel"
Congratulations to long-time WRFU Referee, Tom Coburn (ERRFU), has been promoted by USA Rugby to the rarified air of the "A Panel" referees. Tom has been a consistent performer at the LAU and TU level for years and was placed on the "short list" last year. Tom follows fellow ERRFU referee, Bob Woerner, who was promoted to the "A Panel" late last year.

WRFU Referees promoted
WRFU Evaluation Chair, Mike Geach, recently announced that referees David Ardrey (Missouri) and Graeme Bullen (Texas) have been promoted from "B3" to "B2". Congratulations to Dave and Graeme on their deserved promotions!

WRFU Women's 7's Camp (from Chris Franz, West Manager)
The West Women's 7's camp will be held June 1 & 2 in Little Rock, Arkansas. This year's Head Coach is Julie McCoy and Jules has invited as her guest coach Billy Russell. The camp fee is $15.00 per person. The usual 7's camp schedule will be followed with fitness testing in the morning on Saturday June 1 followed by drills and scrimmages. Sunday will be more scrimmages with the session ending at 3:00pm Make your travel plans accordingly. There will also be a camp in Colorado whose date has not yet been decided. For more information contact Jules McCoy at julesmccoy@cs.com. Selections will be made from talent attending either of the two camp venues in addition to local or national tournaments that Head Coach Julie McCoy attends. This year's 7's ITT event will be held in San Diego, CA, August 24 - 25. However, for practice purposes you should block the 23rd - 25th of August on your West Select calendars. Questions? Email ccfranz@dstsystems.com or julesmccoy@cs.com.

WRFU Women's Under-23 Camp (from Karl Barth, WRFU U-23 Coach)
The WRFU Women's Under-23 team trials will be held at the United States Air Force Academy on Saturday and Sunday, April 27-28, 2002. The Air Force Academy Women's Rugby Club will be hosting a camp/trial to select the 2002 WEST U-23 team for the USA U-23 ITT's June 16-21st in Davis, CA. The West U-23 coaching staff will administer the selection camp. The camp is open to all players who had not turned 23 prior to January 1st, 2002 and will be beneficial to both the promising talent and established players. The camp will focus on skill development and players will be expected to demonstrate their learning during the trials.

The camp will run from 9:00am to 5:00pm on Saturday and will include testing of athleticism and rugby techniques, communication, evaluation of skills and decision making, defense, sub unit and positional skills, patterns of play and the trials. Local high school teams from Summit and Littleton will play during break the 2 hour lunch break on Saturday. On Sunday (9:00am to 1:00pm) there will be a focus on patterns of play followed by a series of short games. Clinic sign-in runs from 8:30-9:00AM on Saturday; all players and teams must present proof of insurance and CIPP with a western college/club. Cost: For Registration by April 15: $15 per individual; for Registration after April 15: $25 per individual (all monies help defray costs of U-23 ITT's). For more details go to Camp Details or contact Karl Barth for further information by either E-mail: smerfsat@yahoo.com or phone: 970-513-6647. For a registration form, go to Registration Form on the WRFU U-23 website.

WRFU Director Bob Latham Elected Vice President of USA Rugby Bob Latham was elected to a two-year term as Vice President of USA Rugby. Latham has served as a WRFU Director to USA Rugby since 1996, and has been the key figure in USA Rugby's relationship with the USOC, where he is the representative to the USOC for all affiliated sports organizations. For story, click here.

WRFU Senior Men's Team Assistant Coach gets National Appointment Ron Laszewski, who with Larry Naifeh, has coached the WRFU Senior Men to the USA Rugby National Championship in seven of the last eight years, was recently named an assistant coach to the USA Rugby Boy's Under-19 team. The U-19 Boys will participate in the 2002 U-19 Junior World Championships in Venice, Italy in March 2002. For story, click here.

Mabry and Jenkins receive USA Rugby recognition. West Director Paul Mabry and Texas RU President David Jenkins were recently presented awards in recognition of their efforts surrounding the USA versus South Africa match in Houston, TX on December 1, 2001. USA Rugby President, Anne Barry, made the presentations while attending the WRFU Board of Directors meeting in Kansas City on January 27, 2002 in Kansas City. For photos, click here.

WRFU Board Meeting - will be held Saturday, November 4, 2001 in Norman, OK in conjunction with the WRFU Collegiate All-Stars Championship and Trials. The meeting will begin at 7:00 PM and last until 10:30 PM. If needed and deemed necessary by the Board, we will meet briefly Sunday morning to close business and/or discussions.

Hotel Information: We will meet in and stay at the Ramada Inn at I-35 and W. Lindsey in Norman, OK. The phone number is (405) 321-0110. The rate is $70 per room (up to quad occupancy). Please call ASAP as the rooms are held, but they will go fast.

WRFU Men's All-Star 7's takes National Championship
In 2000, the WRFU Men's All-Stars 7's team raised eyebrows and hackles around USA Rugby when they did not compete in the 2000 All-Star 7's Championships. The reasons for not competing were many, but were aptly addressed by WRFU Men's 7's Program Coordinator (and WRFU Treasurer), David McPhail. This past weekend, the WRFU Men's 7's Team went from the 8th seed in the tournament to Champions!! Quite an accomplishment by any standards. Contributing to the success this season was the appointment of a new coach (Ty Landry, University of Texas), early season player identification and selection, an early season trip to compete in the PAC 7's, and a commitment to making this team work.

Despite an opening round loss to the Pacific Coast (21-33), the West rebounded to defeat their other Pool A opponents - Mid-Atlantic 21-19 and Midwest 19-14. As the #2 team in Pool A (2-1 record), they took on and defeated Pool B #1, Southern California 26-14. They then defeated Mid-Atlantic for the second time (17-15) to capture the title. This marks the first even National 7's All-Stars Championship for the West, and means that the West currently holds both the National 15's and 7's All-Stars National titles!! Pretty impressive by any standards.

WRFU 7's All-Stars Team Roster - The "Great Eight":
William Earley (Houston Area RFC)
Robert Fischer (University of Texas)
Steve Martindale (Oklahoma University)
Bruce Miglaccio (Oklahoma University)
Lance Houia (St. Louis Bombers)
Sean Knight (Denver Barbarians)
Jone Naqica (Denver Barbarians)
Jay Pirette (Houston Area RFC)

Coach Ty Landry (left) and team captain Lance Houia (right) with Championship medals and National 7's All-Star Championship trophy.

To add to their accolades, the WRFU 7's All-Stars TEAM was named the "Tullamore Dew Player of the Month" for August by Alex Goff on his Goff on Rugby web site. For the complete article, go to http://www.eldengoff.com/GoffonRugby/Articles/tullamorep-o-m4.htm. In addition, you can read earlier report by Goff reviewing the results of the championships (http://www.goffonrugby.com/Articles/allstar7sreportm.htm) and where he lauded the team as the "Great Eight", noting that they played and won the championship with only 8 players (as two failed to appear at the event), and that rather than pick-up additional players, they played "iron man" rugby - and won (http://www.goffonrugby.com/Articles/greateight.htm).

WRFU Women's All-Star 7's take 4th Place at the National Championships
The WRFU Women's 7's All-Stars took 4th place this past weekend. With coach Jules McCoy at the helm, the West lost to Pacific Coast (0-17) and Northeast (0-10). [Note: The Pacific Coast and Northeast would go on to take 1st and 2nd places, respectively.] The West defeated Midatlantic 19-14, Midwest 26-5, and Southern California (12-0). The West then lost the re-match with the Miadtlantic by a conversion (5-7) to take 4th place. Congratualtions to the players, coaches and staff! We will publish the team roster as soon as it is available.

WRFU Women's Development Camp
The West will once again host its womens 15's select camp in Norman, OK, September 29th & 30th. Camp coaches are Jules McCoy, head coach, Karl Barth, forwards coach, Erika Knott, backs coach. The clinic will begin at 9:00am on Saturday, September 29 and run through 5:00pm. Sunday's session starting time will be decided that weekend we plan to wrap up Sunday's session at around 2:00pm. Make your arrangements accordingly.

In order to participate your LAU must present a check for $175.00 made payable to the Oklahoma Roses RFC. Motel information will follow in another post soon. In an effort to improve our level of play the West select has scheduled a tour to England in March 2002. Those who qualify for the select side will be involved with this tour. For more information, contact Christine Franz (ccfranz@dstsystems.com), West Manager.

WESTERN WOMEN'S UNDER-23 TERRITORIAL TEAM TRIALS
The University of Colorado Women's Rugby Club will host a camp/trial to select the 2001 WEST U-23 team on April 28-29, 2001. The West U-23 Team will compete in the U-23 ITT's June 19-26 in Chicago, IL. The West U-23 coaching staff will administer the selection camp and several National and Territorial players will act as positional skill coaches. The camp is open to all players who had not turned 23 years before January 1, 2001 and will be beneficial to both the promising talent and established players. The camp will focus on communication, skill development, and positional play and players will be expected to demonstrate their learning during the trials.

Clinic sign-in starts at 8:30-9:00AM on Saturday. All players and teams must present proof of insurance and CIPP with a western college/club. The camp will run from 9 AM to noon and 2 PM to 5 PM on Saturday, with a two-hour lunch break. The morning session will include testing and general skill development, while the afternoon session will focus on sub unit tactics and decision making. University of Colorado and University of South Dakota will play during break. On Sunday there will be a morning session from 9 AM to 11 AM with positional coaches followed by a series of short games.

Cost: For Registration by April 10: $20 per individual ; For Registration after April 10: $30 per individual. Each player registering will be provided with a book outlining drills and skills covered at the clinic. For more information, contact Karl Barth - Western U-23 Coach at smerfsat@yahoo.com or by phone at 970-389-4670. Send your name, date of brith, mailing address, e-mail address, telephone number, position played, years experience, strengths, and your height and weight - along with your check payable to "Western Rugby Football Union/Women's U-23 Team" - to Karl Barth at P.O. Box 1352 Frisco, CO 80443.

USA Women's 7's Team Four members of the Western Rugby Union were selected to accompany the USA Rugby Women's National 7's Team to New Zealand. Yancy Graf and Emily Carlson, both members of teh Kansas City Jazz, were selected to the team. In addition, WRFU Women's head coach, Julie McCoy was invited as an assistant coach. Dr. Sue Bercuk, who also works with the WRFU Senior Men and the ERRFU select teams, accompanies the team as physician and trainer. The West contributed $250 each to Carlson and Bock to assist with their travel expenses.

Senior Men Regain ITT National Championship Title The WRFU Senior Men's All-Star Team regained the National Championship in a rematch of the 1998 and 1999 Championship Finals, with a 21-15 decision over defending champions, the Pacific Coast. The West defeated the Midwest RFU 17-10 in the semifinals. The last second loss to the Pacific Coast in 1999 ended the West's five consecutive championships (1992, 1993, 1994, 1997, 1998 - The ITTs were not played in 1995 and 1996). With the 2000 title, the West Men have now claimed 5 of the last 6 national championships. For the USA Rugby press release, go to: http://www.usarugby.org/cgi-bin/press/display.pl?releaseId=34 .

2000 Western Rugby Union Senior Men ITT Roster	Click on picture to see a larger version.
Robbie Dawe Aspen Brian Dix St. Louis Bombers Mark Dunning Kansas City Rugby Club Mike Harvey Fort Worth Pat Hess St. Louis Bombers Guy Johnson Baton Rouge Rich Kindel Denver Harlequins Tim Kluempers Kansas City Blues Sean Knight Denver Barbarians Eric Masterson Kansas City Blues	John McBride St. Louis Bombers Isaac Mbereko Aspen Sean Maguire Aspen Chris Morrow Aspen Jade Opfer Denver Barbarians Brad Pollock Kansas City Blues John Tarpoff Truman State University Scott Schmidt Dallas Harlequins PJ Sheridan Springfield (MO) Link Wilfley Denver Barbarians
Larry Naifeh Coach (Oklahoma) Ron Laszewski Coach (St. Louis Bombers)	Sue Bercuk Trainer (Breckenridge) John Wolf Manager (St. Louis Bombers)

Senior Women place 4th in ITT Championship pool In 1999, the WRFU Senior Women won the "Plate" ITT championship with victories over the Midwest and South unions, which advanced them into the "Cup" division for 2000. As the 4th seed, the West Women faced the unenviable task of plaaying defending champion Pacific Coast Women in the first round (PCRFU repeated as champions in 2000). The young West team played well, but was topped by a 7-51 score. On Sunday, the West came out against a very strong Mid-Atlantic team and were unlucky to lose 9-14. Unfortunately, this means that the West will be relegated to the "plate" division for 2001. However, the youth of the team and the developmental programs in place are providing a continuously improving team. For the USA Rugby press release, go to: http://www.usarugby.org/cgi-bin/press/display.pl?releaseId=35 . Coach Julie McCoy said, "I was encouraged with how the team played." To to some player transfers "our back line was not as seasoned as years' past." Jules concluded with the affirmation, "we'll be in the upper division year after next, you watch."

2000 Western Rugby Union Senior Women ITT Roster	Click on picture to see a larger version.
KJ Abel Kansas City Jazz Angel Bishop Kansas City Jazz Emily Carlson Kansas City Jazz Hilary Carlson Harlequin Olde Girls Wendy Cook Harlequin Olde Girls Angie Cranmore Kansas City Jazz Danielle DeGarie Fort Collins Flash Mandee Demler Harlequin Olde Girls Steph Duemmel Kansas City Jazz Jules Dukat Harlequin Olde Girls Yancy Graf Kansas City Jazz Chris Herrmann St. Louis Women	Laura Hertel Harlequin Olde Girls Liz Knight Harlequin Olde Girls Rose Livingston Ozark Ladies Kim Manthei Kansas City Jazz Tracey Mertens Kansas City Jazz Suzanna Percy Harlequin Olde Girls Michelle Persica Ozark Ladies Sonia Rios Kansas City Jazz Cynthia Rohrbaugh Kasnas State Amy Root Harlequin Olde Girls Mari Therrien St. Louis Women
Jules Mc Coy Head Coach (Ozark Ladies) Janet Marshall Asst Coach Backs (Ozark Ladies) Karl Barth Asst Coach Forwards (ERRFU)	Christine Franz Manager (KC Irish) Ilean Blake Assy Manager (Ozark Ladies)

Kansas City Blues awarded 2nd Place in USA Rugby Club VII's National Championships As is noted below in the original coverage of the USA Club VII's Championships, USA Rugby discovered that three Sacramento players presented false citizenship documentation at check-in for this event and competed. Consequently, USA Rugby has stripped Sacramento of their 2nd place finish, awarding it to the Kansas City Blues, while NOVA is promoted to 3rd place. See press release at http://www.usarugby.org/cgi-bin/press/display.pl?releaseId=27 .

ERRFU Collegiate All-Stars Win the WRFU Collegiate All-Stars Championships
The Eastern Rockies Collegiate All-Stars defeated Texas-I in the finals 29-10 to win their third consecutive WRFU Collegiate All-Stars Championship. The event was held at Gateway Park in Ft. Worth, TX and was hosted by the Ft. Worth Rugby Club. ERRFU-I advanced to the finals with wins over Texas-II (22-3) and Heart of America (32-13). Texas-I got the finals with wins over Great Plains (31-3) and ERRFU-II (17-11). Heart of America defeated ERRFU -II (29-20) to take third place, while GP defeated MO (34-7) to capture the consolation final. See below for full results.

Thanks to John Via and Buddy Taylor and the rest of the Ft. Worth RFC who hosted the event. Special thanks to Charlie Haupt, Steve Glentzer, Dave Ardrey, and Bob Lesnanski who officiated the matches and the WRFURA.

POOL A Eastern Rockies-I 22 - Texas-II 3 Heart of America 32 - Missouri 10	POOL B Texas-I 31- Great Plains 3 Eastern Rockies-II 24 - Ozark 18

ER-I 32 - HOA - 13 MO 16 - TX-II 14	TX-I 17 - ER-II 11 GP 19 - OZ 13

1st/2nd Place - ER-I 29 - TX-I 10 3rd/4th Place - HOA 29 - ER-II 20	5th/6th Place - GP 34 - MO 7 7th/8th Place - OZ 32 - TX-II 22

Kansas City Blues take 3rd in USA Rugby Club VII's National Championships The Blues posted Pool A wins over Charlotte (56-0), Huntington Beach (21-12), and NOVA (24-19). In the Cup Division quaterfinals, the Blues defeated Elvis at the Opry (7-5). The Blues then lost to eventual champions, OMBAC (17-26) in the semifinal, before rebounding over NOVA (26-14) to take 3rd. The Blues "B" were in arguably the toughest pool in the tournament, having to face eventual finalist OMBAC (0-48) and Sacramento (5-26), and also losing to Orlando (14-16). The Blues "B" side was not able to play out their final two matches because of rain delays on Sunday. ADDENDUM: It was recently discovered that Sacramento used three players who presented falsified citizenship documentation at check-in and have been stripped of their 2nd place finish. Thus, the Kansas City Blues will be promoted to the 2nd Place finish.

WRFU Women's VII's Team The WRFU Women's All-Star VII's team competed in an invitational championship event in Conshohocken, PA August 12-13. The West Women cruised through Pool B winning all their games - they defeated Braandywine (24-0), Tidewater Storm (24-0), Chicago (26-0), and a Philly-Combined team (42-7). THe West team advanced to the semifinal where they lost a close one to Atlantis by 7-5. Atlantis scored first and made their conversion. A late try by Laura Hertel brought it close, but the conversion was no good. The West went on to beat the Tidewater Storm 14-0 to take 3rd Place. Atlantis defeated the Maryland Stingers in the final, again by a 7-5 score. Congratulations! For complete tournament wrap-up go to: rugby7.com/ .

Kansas City Blues take two WRFU slots for USA Rugby National Club VIIs Championship. The Kansas City Blues qualifed two independent 10-man VIIs teams - "A" and "B" - for the WRFU Club VIIs Championships July 29th in Lawrence, KS. The Blues were issued two invitations by WRFU VIIs Coordinator, David McPhail, after several teams became unavailable for the finals, and in recognition of their entry and performance in several of the qualifying tournaments this summer.

The upset of the day saw the KC Blues "B" team defeat the St. Louis Bombers in a very close first-round match. KC Blues "B" went on to defeat The Woodlands, and got a forfeit win over the Aardvarks. The KC Blues "A defeated Jayhawks/County, University of Texas, and HARC. In the semifinals, the winner of Pool A (KC Blues "A") defeated the runner-up in Pool B (St. Louis Bombers), while the winner of Pool B (KC Blues "B") defeated the runner-up in Pool A (University of Texas). Both KC Blues teams won in convincing fashion, to qualify both for the National Championships August 12-13 in Conshohocken, PA. Third Place went to the St. Louis Bombers who defeated a young, but talented University of Texas side. In the finals, KC Blues "A" prevailed over KC Blues "B", in a match that was largely uncontested. (Sorry, I do not have all the scores - I will post these when I receive them from David McPhail.).

POSTSCRIPT: Notable was the fact that both the Dallas Harlequins and Austin Blacks, who each won a qualifying tournament and qualified for the Championships, declined to participate. Furthermore, there were no clubs from the Eastern Rockies RFU. The Albuquerque Aardvarks confirmed attendance with David McPhail the week before, but were a "no show". In case there is some concern about the KC Blues supporting two sides, it should be known that the Blues consistently have 30-35 players at VIIs training, and have entered two sides in several tournaments this summer. They were invited to complete the championships on the basis of consistent tournament performance only after several teams withdrew. The rosters submitted for the A & B teams in Saturday's championship were completely separate and no mixing of the tournament rosters was allowed. For complete VIIs results go to 2000 Summer VII's.

WRFU Under-23 Women reach Finals of the unofficial ITTs Coach Julie McCoy lead a team of dedicated young women into the second unofficial women's under-23 ITTs to a 2-1 record and a spot in the finals. The West were beaten by the Midwest 27-17 in the finals. Seven players were invited to the Elite Camp to be held in Colorado Springs, CO. Those players are: Stephanie Spiker (KC Jazz), Laura McDonald, (Air Force Academy), Lisa Gravina (U. of Denver), Sara Corcoran (Truman State), Donna Thomas (U. Northern Colorado), Ande Hudson (New Mexico State), and Karima White (New Mexicos State). Congratulations!

WRFU Men's Collegiate All-Stars take 3rd Place at the National Collegiate All-Conference Championships held June 9-10 at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. The West lost a 17-20 opening round match to the Pacific Coast, a game that they held the lead for much of the second half and probably should have won. Unfortunately, the West got out to a very slow start and by 20 minutes in the score was 0-15 for the PCRFU. The West began to put more pressure and took the lead early in the second half 17-15. A late try saved the match for the PC. In their second match, the West defeated the Northeast Collegiates by a 43-10 margin. Coach Rich Cortez was able to get all 30 players on the roster into Friday's matches. The West team then won a solid 53-25 victory over the Mid-Atlantic RFU on Saturday to take third. A total of 8 WRFU players made it into the "probable vs. possibles" match on Sunday morning. The West came away with four Collegiate All-American selections - the most in years - Gibson (flyhalf), Gifford (flanker), Fitch (wing), and Patolo (wing), all members of the the Unviersity of Wyoming team. Unfortunately, only Fitch was able to stay for the All-American Camp, and was the only to receive "All-American Honors". The 2-1 finish and the 4 All-Americans is the best the West has realized in years. Congratulations to the players, and coaches (Rich Cortez, Jesse Porter, and John Velie). FYI - in the finals, the South dominated the PCRFU 21-6 to break the PC's streak of nine straight championships. It was the South's first championhip.

The WRFU Senior Men's All-Star Team training and trials camp June 24-25 in Norman, OK. If you are interested in attending and trying-out for the team, you must contact the evaluator from your local area union for more information (see contacts below). Please don't wait until the last minute to contact them. Team manager: John Wolf (W: 314-381-2242; jawolf4@aol.com ).

The Western RFU - Home to the National Division I - and - Division II Champions!
The Gentlemen of Aspen won their 4th consecutive National Club Championship in as many years last weekend by defeating the Hayward Griffins 42-34 in Manchester, NH. Aspen defeated Golden Gate 33-23 in their semifinal, while Hayward held off OMBAC 36-29. Hayward reached the final four by defeating Austin RFC in the pool B finals. Aspen's victory, coupled with Austin RFC and the Kansas City Blues' showing in the Sweet 16 and the success of WRFU teams in the Super League, would seem to be more than enough for the West to retain three seeds in the Division Sweet 16 for 2001.

Meanwhile, the Ft. Worth RFC won the National Division II Club Championship. Ft. Worth bested Graand Rapids 22-17 to take the title. Ft. Worth advanced by defeating the Tacoma Nomads 30-9 in the semis, while Grand Rapids defeated Riverside 22-8. Riverside had defeated The Woodlands in the opening round of the Sweet 16. The Woodlands finished 3rd in their pool by topping the Eastside Axemen (PCRFU) 20-16. This year's strong showing in both the national championships and the WRFU championships would appear to make a case for the WRFU to finally gain that long-awaited third seed in the Division II Sweet 16 for 2001.

Note about WRFU reps to the Men's Div I and II and Women's Sweet 16 Championships... It is worth noting that of the seven teams representing the WRFU this past weekend in their respective championships, the overal record was 9-5 -- very impressive! Moreover, the KC Blues, The Woodlands, KC Jazz, and the Ozark Ladies - teams who lost their Saturday match - ALL bounced back to win the all-important Sunday games in style. Complete results of all USA Rugby Championships can be found on the USA Rugby web site at: www.usarugby.org/competitions/competitionsbrac.html.

Aspen advances to Division I Final Four Three-time defending National Champs, Gentlemen of Aspen, defeated Old Blue NY 54-5 and Life 44-21 to secure their fifth straight trip to the USA Rugby Final Four. Austin, as West #2, defeated Washington 27-3, but lost to the Hayward Griffins 41-15. The KC Blues, lost their opener to San Mateo 23-36, but rebounded to defeat Cincinnati 42-28. These results give the Western Rugby Union 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places in the sweet 16, and an overal record of 4-2 in play, which will surely allow us to keep three seeds for 2001.

Ft. Worth advances to Div II Final Four WRFU Division II Champs, Ft. Worth RFC, knocked-off the Connecticut Yankess 47-17 before downing Las Vegas 39-13 to secure a return trip to the Div II Final Four after a three year hiatus. The Woodlands dropped a heart-breaking opener to Riverside 20-22, before coming back to take 3rd in their pool by defeating the Eastside Axemen (PCRFU) 20-16. The 1st and 3rd finished and the 3-1 record in sweet 16 play assure the West of two seeds for 2001, and may make a case for that long-sought third seed. As you recall, the top four Div II teams at the WRFU Finals were all very close and competitive.

KC Jazz and Ozark Ladies had tough opening matches at the Women's Sweet 16 competition. KC Jazz lost to New York 16-18, but rebounded on Sunday to defeat Philadelphia 27-17. The Ozark Ladies faced the Maryland Stingers, losing 10-48. The Ladies also rebounded strong to win their Sunday match over the Bay Area Shehawks 22-10. Both teams finished 3rd in their pool with a 2-2 record, and the West will most likely retain two slots in the sweet 16 for 2001.

Wyoming takes 2nd at the Men's Collegiate National Championships Wyoming, who just three weeks ago scored the upset of the Sweet 16 in defeating Navy in Annapolis, completed their dream season with a 2nd place finish at the Men's Collegiate National Championships in Tampa, FL. Wyoming sparred with Indiana University of Pennsylvania in the semifinal before pulling away to win 39-21. In the other bracket, Cal-Berkeley looked sloppy in the early going, but stepped up the pace to beat Army 49-19. Army and IUP stayed close during the consolation match before Army stretched out a comfortable 43-20 win. Despite abslute commitment and hard play from Wyoming, Cal had too much firepower and Wyoming wasn't able to contain them, as Cal went on to win their 10th consecutive National Collegiate title by a score of 62-16. However, no one can accuse Wyoming of ever quitting. They played with great spirit and intensity, and were a great credit to the WRFU collegiate programs. Wyoming flyhalf, Leif Gibson, was the crowd favorite hitting three penalty goals "from downtown" - all three from over 45 meters, and one from the halfway stripe with room to spare! Leif consistently cleared 40-60 m punts and kept Cal at bay as much as possible. It was a shame that he did not get the MVP award that he deserved.

In Men's Division II Collegiate play, the University of Northern Colorado lost to eventual champions, Sacramento State, 36-18 in the semifinals. They rebounded to defeat Colby College (NRU) 32-29 to take 3rd Place.

WRFU VII's Qualifying Tournaments for summer 2000 Announced David McPhail, the WRFU VII's Coordinator has just announced the VII's qualifiers for this summer. Go to 2000 SummerVIIs for all the WRFU VIIs information and results from Summer 2000.

MEN'S DIVISION I CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS - The Gentlemen of Aspen defeated the Austin RFC in the final of the WRFU Division I club championships (54-14) to win their fifth consecutive WRFU Division I Club Championship. The Kansas City Blues outlasted the Dallas Harlequins in a see-saw battle (43-35) to take third place. The top three Division I teams from the West advance to the USA Rugby Division I Sweet 16 - Aspen (Boulder, CO), Austin (Sacramento), and Kansas City (Dallas, TX). In other games, the St. Louis Bombers defeated the El Paso Scorpions (26-0) to take 5th place, while Oklahoma took 7th place on a forfeit. The Denver Barbarians were a disappointing no-show at the championships and finished in last place. For all pool scores, so to the WRFU Men's Club Division I & II Championships page.

The host El Paso Scorpions were marvelous hosts, and went well beyond the minimal requirements in their hosting efforts. Dave Pearlman marshalled the local players, supporters, and many youngsters into a "hosting machine" that provided water, soda, food, and beer to the players, coaches, referees, and administrators. They erected four large tents on-site for players, officials, and the title sponsor - Ionex Telecommunications. The pitch was outstanding and players raved about it as one of the best on which they have ever played in the United States. The pitch, which is situated inside a 5000 stadium, withstood 17 matches over three days, and still looked pristine at the conclusion of the finals on Sunday. WELL DONE, EL PASO SCORPIONS !!!

2004 West LAU All Star Collegiate Selections
Stillwater, OK
1	Prop	Paul Snider	Heart of America		South West Missouri State
2	Hook	Gilbert Marquez	Rio Grande		Univ. of New Mexico
3	Prop	Brian Lemay	Eastern Rockies		Air Force Academy
4	Lock	John Falkenberg	Eastern Rockies		Univ. of Wyoming
5	Lock	Kirby Dorman	Texas		Sam Houston State
6	Flanker	Ryan Dombrock	Eastern Rockies		Air Force Academy
7	Flanker	Jacob McKinley	Ozark		Oklahoma State
8	Eight	Fraser Leavasa	Rio Grande	MVP Forward	Univ. of New Mexico
9	Scrumhalf	Aaron McDonald	Ozark		John Brown Univ.
10	Flyhalf	Roger Gasset	Ozark		Oklahoma Univ.
11	Wing	Dan Murphy	Eastern Rockies		Colorado Univ.
12	Center	Mark Burley	Eastern Rockies		Air Force Academy
13	Center	Cory Sittner	Eastern Rockies		Univ. of Wyoming
14	Wing	Ryan Nichols	Ozark		Oklahoma Univ.
15	Fullback	John Feely	Eastern Rockies	MVP Back	Air Force Academy
16	Reserve	Kenneth Hepburn	Texas		Univ. of Houston at Clear Lake
17	Reserve	Brendan Delaney	Heart of America		Truman State
18	Reserve	Philip Hobbs	Ozark		Oklahoma Univ.
19	Reserve	Tom Tajkowski	Heart of America		Truman State
20	Reserve	Chris Sanford	Texas		LSU
21	Reserve	Justin Goonan	Texas		Texas A&M
22	Reserve	Mark Strauss	Ozark		John Brown Univ.
23	Reserve	Craig Ferguson	Texas		Univ. of Texas - Austin

Click on photo for a larger image.

#1 Denver Barbarians	#2 Gentlemen of Aspen

Pool A	Pool B
- Kansas City Blues "A" - Houston Area Rugby Club (HARC) - University of Texas - Kansas Jayhawks/County	- St. Louis Bombers - The Woodlands - Albuquerque Aardvarks (NO SHOW) - Kansas City Blues "B"