As we come to the end of 2013, we know we need to take the time to reflect on the events that have been important and impactful to us this past year. We find ourselves looking back and enjoy the positives that have happened, and learn from the negative things that have happened to us.
Within USA Rugby, we had so much happen that affected us. There was the good, with New Orleans Rugby Club getting third in the country in DI club rugby. We had Cameron Falcon getting his first test cap with the USA Eagles during the ARC Championships. We were able to enjoy two major USA Rugby matches in the south with USA facing Ireland in Houston, TX and them facing Canada in Blacksburg, SC. The UL-Lafayette collegiate team won their second consecutive Deep South Rugby Conference championship title going undefeated in the regular season. USA Eagles Women’s Sevens came in third place in the Rugby World Cup Seven’s this past summer. We also had some negatives from this year like the USA Men’s Eagles struggling a lot this season, with major losses during the Rugby World Cup Sevens and during the XV’s cap season.
I want to conclude this short note by taking this time to thank all of you who have followed this website in its inaugural year. I personally have learned more about rugby and the people who are involved in it than I ever imagined. I want to thank the teams, coaches, players, parents, watchers, USA Rugby press, and particularly just the ruggers from the state of Louisiana, for dealing with me, dealing with the cameras, dealing with blocked vision and more. 2013 has been a very revealing, and progressive year and I hope to build upon what has been started this year.
In 2014, I am expanding outside of the state of Louisiana and giving a fuller representation of what it means to live in the south and play rugby. We are going to make sure that this region, which has been undervalued for so long, will subsequently be seen in a new light.We have so much to look forward to. New rugby season, qualifier matches, players to be discovered, fun to be had and much much more. I hope everyone has a great New Years and always, always, always, LOOK TO GREAUX RUGBY, WHILE LIVING THE RUGGER LIFE!
– Gift Egbelu