Eagle Impact Rugby Academy (EIRA) Southern California has announced plans to field EIRA High School Boys All Star teams in the USA Rugby 2016 Regional Cup Tournaments (RCTs).

Under this new initiative, EIRA SoCal will create Junior Varsity, Varsity, and Developmental squads for the June 2016 RCTs in either Denver, Colo. or Portland, Ore. For EIRA SoCal Director Jeff Bonnett, this is a big step for the strong rugby region.

“In the last three years, we have gone from a handful of juniors and seniors to now a 28-player varsity and a 28-player junior varsity squad that competes at a very high level.” said Bonnett “SCYR is growing the game at such a rapid rate, we believe more spots and opportunities need to be opened up so that more players have the chance to showcase talents for HSAA and collegiate coaches.”

EIRA is not a replacement for the Southern California Youth Rugby (SCYR) Griffins program, which will continue to represent SCYR as an All Star program. SoCal Griffins have been led by Bonnett and his staff the past four years, with the team traveling to All-Star tournaments around the country and having great success in the development of players. Under their tenure, 17 players have been named High School All Americans with nearly fifty receiving camp invitations. That has continued this year with nearly 20 players receiving invitations to the assembly at the end of this month.

EIRA will resume training intermittently as the all start season heats up in May and June, focusing on a group of prospects aimed at developing core skills. EIRA So Cal has built a solid base developing core skills with 70-80 good prospects, ranging from freshmen to high school seniors throughout the off-season. With six locations across the country, the growth of EIRA in the first three years since its inception has provided a developmental vehicle for over 350 athletes this fall, with several other locations slated to soon officially launch having already commenced training.

The aim of the academy is to teach proper technique and skill work to support already existing clubs in their respective areas, with tours and additional assemblies to be announced shortly. EIRA has also established strategic partnerships around the country to assist in player development, with Canterbury of New Zealand the latest to assist in the delivery of first-class education and coach development. EIRA is passionate about developing the best young prospects in the country and helping them compete at a national and international level. With over 95% of its graduates playing collegiately, Eagle Impact Rugby Academy is succeeding in its mission of developing players for the next generation.

For more information on EIRA, head to www.eirarugby.org.