Dublin University's rugby team, Trinity, continues to be a useful proving ground for USA rugby players, and will be again this season.

Former HS All American Pierce Dargan is back at school to finish his Master's Degree, and will anchor the Trinity back row. Will Ben Sims, who spent the summer playing at the Randwick club in Sydney, Australia, is back for his third year as a center. Former USA U20 player Oisin Brady is pushing for a spot at flyhalf.

Two players on the USA radar have left for other things. Tim Maupin is back in the USA after playing some superb rugby for Trinity; and Conor Kearns, former USA U20 players, is now at Oxford University after starting all over the backline for the last three years at Trinity. And in fact he started for the Dark Blues on Tuesday against Esher.

But joining the Irish university team are three players from US colleges. Former Cal wing and center, and CRC 7s tournament MVP, Jesse Milne is now in Dublin to pursue a Master's Degree. Will Roberts, formerly of Yale, is also pursuing post-grad work. And former Central Washington University All American Tanner Barnes is also joining the program. Barnes, however, is currently nursing an injury.

Trinity opened their All Ireland D1A season with a 25-18 win over Terenure College - Dargan started - and then lost this past weekend lost to University College Dublin.