USA Military Team To Tour UK, Play British Army
USA Military Team To Tour UK, Play British Army
A USA Military Rugby team will be touring England in November of this year.
This team, which revitalizes a long history of an all-military rugby team of USA servicemen, will play the British Army senior men’s 15 in November to honor the Armistice and Soldier Remembrance period of recognition in both countries. This match will be played in London and the British Army will host the USA Military Team at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst (Britain’s West Point). The Americans will stay there and train in preparation for the match on November 12, the day after Remembrance Day.
Former USA Men’s 15s Head Coach and current General Manager of PR7s, Mike Tolkin, will serve as Head Coach.
"It is an honor and privilege to be named Head Coach of USA Military Rugby in its match with the British Army Rugby Union Senior Men’s XV to Honor the Armistice and Soldier Remembrance,” said Tolkin. “Our men and women of the Armed Services in America, along with their families, make supreme sacrifices each day to maintain our freedom and way of life. I am thrilled to be welcomed into their ranks. There is no better way to honor and remember our brave veterans and soldiers than on the pitch against our close friends and allies in the UK.”
“We have a long history of co-operation,” added Brigadier James P Cook OBE, Chairman, Army Rugby Union. “So I very much hope that this opportunity to use sport to further those bonds of friendship is one that you are able to accept. There is work to be done to add the flesh to the bones of this foundation, however we are standing by to make it so.”
The USA Military Rugby team will be made up of current or former players from the USA National Team, Major League Rugby, Services Academies, Military Service Teams, Men’s Clubs, and University programs. It will include active duty, reserve, National Guard, and veterans from the United States Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Air Force, and Space Force.
USA Military Rugby teams have toured before but COVID cut into that tradition. It is time, said USA Military Rugby GM Col. (Retired) Mark Drown, to bring that tradition back.
“This has been in the works for several years and now that we have a sense of normalcy regarding day-to-day activities, with the support of the British Army Rugby Union, this will now become a reality,” said Drown. “Having the caliber of a Coach like Mike Tolkin taking time off to support our veterans in this match is exceptional. There are several other key individuals who will be joining the staff as we move forward.”
The British Army Rugby Union was formed in 1906 and is funded through corporate donations. Rugby is a Varsity Sport in the British Military Sports Department and the team plays a full regular schedule against University, Club, and Service teams. For more go to www.armyrugbyunion.org.uk
The USA Military Team is not funded by the DoD and must raise funds through partnerships, donations, and player contributions. The US Army Rugby Union is a 501c3 non-profit entity where donations and inquiries can be made to assist the USA Military Team. Inquiries for partnerships, financial support, or player inquiries may be made to USA Military Rugby General Manager Mark Drown at markdrown@live.com.
