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BOULDER, Colo. - Marking the 100th year since the first American Universities side traveled abroad, the U.S. Men's Collegiate All-America program has announced the team it will take for its 2010 Centennial Tour to England, presented by Royall Lyme.
While the 1910 American Universities Team traveled to both New Zealand and Australia in its first tour, this year, the Collegiate All-American Team will certainly find all it can handle across the pond. “We have organized a challenging tour, which will make a quality experience for our All-Americans as they earn the opportunity to return to their collegiate and club ranks having been tested in an international level environment,” All-American Coach Alex Magleby said. "The tour will also be a nice finish to a robust collegiate season,” Magleby added. “It’s an exciting time to be a collegiate player, or coach for that matter, and with the next Rugby World Cup on the horizon, it’s a worthwhile endeavor to expose these athletes to the challenges, pressures and excitement of international play.” During the course of this tour, the Collegiate All-Americans will be joined by the U.S. Men’s National Team Coach, Eddie O’Sullivan, in addition to several guest/specialty coaches from professional teams across London. Although the team will actually have a week and a half in England, the U.S. Collegiate All-Americans will play three matches in just seven days. The first match will be held on Saturday, August 14 against the Richmond Rugby Football Club at 2 p.m. The side will get a four-day break before booting up for its second match on August 18at 7:30 p.m. against the Saracens Academy Development Team at St. Albans, and in their third and final match, the All-Americans will take on Leicester Academy’s Development Team on Saturday, August 21 at 1 p.m. at Welford Road. (all times are local) The All-American Team is made up of the nation’s best collegiate rugby players who are picked annually. The All-American team has long been a precursor to international honors, with many All-Americans graduating to the USA National Team. The following National Teams have been made up of the following current or former Collegiate All Americans: 2003 Rugby World Cup XV’s Senior National Team (15), 2007 Rugby World Cup XV’s Senior National Team (8), 2009 American Rugby Championship Team (10), 2009 Senior National XV’s Team (17), and the 2008/2009 Senior National 7’s Team in the IRB World Series (14). "The elevated commitments that collegiate players, coaches, and our high-school programs have been putting in continues to increase the number of All-Americans that are pushing for international honors,” added Magleby. “A classic brand like Royall Lyme recognizes these All-American virtues of hard-work, entrepreneurialism, and grit. We are excited about this partnership between these two quality brands and encourage others to get on board to help keep this touring tradition going strong.” The All-Americans are continuing to fundraise for the ‘Centennial Tour.’ Join All-American Tour sponsor Royal Lyme and National Team sponsor Emirates Airline in supporting the development of our best collegiate players by donating in $100 increments. Each donation will allow supporters the opportunity to be drawn for one of several phenomenal prizes, including a trip to the 2011 RWC in New Zealand as well as a trip for two to the 2011 Dubai 7’s event. For more information, please visit http://www.usarugby.org/goto/mens_aa_fundrainsing. 2010 U.S. Collegiate All-American Touring Team: David Caswell (Arkansas State) Nicolas Anthony Civetta (Notre Dame) Shaun Michael Davies (BYU) Keegan Bevan Engelbrecht (California) Roland Evans (Arkansas State) Roan Farr (Arkansas State) Zachary Tyler Fenoglio (Loyola Marymount) Eric Christopher Fry (California) Colin Hawley (California) Gareth James Jones (Temple) Duncan George Kelm (San Diego State) Kevin James Kimble (Penn State) Scott Coble Lavalla (Trinity) David Hunter Leland (Texas A&M) Dylan Lubbe (BYU) Ryan David McTiernan (Fordham) Taylor James Mokate (Oklahoma) Christopher Scott Parker (Texas A&M) Randy Pati (Utah) Brendan Michael Purcell (San Diego State) Anthony John Purpura III (Maine) Hamish Eliot Roberts (Texas A&M) Alexander Ross (San Diego State) Ryan Sean Roundy (BYU) Tyler Salamon (Life University) Michael Joseph Shephard (Indiana) Ross Samuel Silverman* (UC Santa Barbara) Zachary Test* (Loughborough) Nardus Wessels (Arkansas State) Tiberio Peter (Arizona) Selection Criteria: The All-American Touring Team’s selection criteria is separate to that of the All-American honor and is inclusive of players who might have been injured during the season, part-time students, a registered student, who may not be playing for their University, or an American eligible player playing at a University abroad.
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