Efforts are being made in various circles to revitalize all-star or select-side HS rugby, but the efforts have had to navigate COVID shutdowns, the emergence of the MLR, and the changing calendar.
While June has been the traditional time for select side events, and we’re seeing the emergence of the Buckeye Classic and the return of the Rocky Mountain Classic, there are other ways to go about it all.
We are seeing a drift away from state-based organizations running their own select sides, and at the same time MLR teams are, sometimes, taking up the baton with their academy sides. Those academy efforts have varied from team to team, mostly because it depends on what the MLR organization wants to focus on—young players? Players just short of top team selection? Community outreach?
So now we take a look at this past fall. The fall is a time where we see HS 7s, but we don’t see a lot of high-school-age selecting side play. The theory goes that many top players are playing another sport at that time. That’s a theory that, these days, doesn’t pass the real-world test.
North Carolina
In November, North Carolina hosted the Old North State Invitational at Raleigh Rugby Club which included select sides for boys and girls, with two North Carolina teams in each bracket, plus one Ohio Aviator Academy team in each bracket. Added to that were the Atlanta Valkyries in the Girls bracket and the Young Glory Academy, the academy team of the Old Glory MLR team. More on them in a moment.
North Carolina Blue won both brackets, with Ohio Aviators taking third in each. Atlanta took 2nd among the girls and Young Glory took 2nd among the boys.
The Boys Championship match was between Young Glory and NC All-Star Blue. Young Glory defeated NC All-Star Blue 22-21 to start Day Two with a decisive penalty goal from Kieran Downs (Gonzaga) making the difference. This made it so that Young Glory and NC-All Star Blue were both 2-1 overall at the tournament coming into the Championship match.
On Day One, Young Glory were edged by the Aviators 10-7 in the opening game.
In the Championship rematch between Young Glory and NC Blue, Quinlan Miller (Cardinals/South Meck) scored an early try off defensive pressure at a.lineout. Captain Zach Colson followed off that with a breakaway off a Young Glory turnover created by his younger brother Max Colson. Zach Colson would later slot a penalty goal with under a minute left to secure the lead for NC All-Star.
Charlotte Tiger Jameson Beatty led the tournament with four tries while Colby Marr (Hough/Cardinals) and Zach Colson (Hough/Cardinals) were top forward and back.
That was an excellent showing from North Carolina, being able to field two select sides each for boys and for girls. They won both brackets at this tournament, and showed that it is possible to provide a select-side experience even during the fall.
