GRR: Rugby Maryland
Rugby Maryland is slowly bringing the gamer back on the field, playing some touch rugby league games.
Last weekend they held the Diamondback Sevens in Linthicum Heights, Md., and that event saw the Bethesda Roosters, West Carroll Marauders, Maryland Diamondbacks, Minutemen, and Maryland Exiles compete.
Photos by Lance Polcyn; click to enlarge.
Touch Rugby may be the best inroad into getting rugby on the field this fall.
High school and youth programs have probably been the first to officially get the OK to play touch rugby in a competitive format, but this certainly could be the way forward for college and club, as well.
Maryland Exiles Youth Rugby hosted the Yarm School this past weekend in their first match against the Rugby Maryland Select XV, as Yarm completed the first leg of their 18-day, five-fixture tour of the United States and Canada.
One of the top-tier high school teams in the UK, Yarm brought a tour party of 31 players and five coaches and administrators.
Former USA flanker Inaki Basauri is back in his home area working with players in a series of sessions in Burtonsville, MD.
USA Eagle #378, Basauri played for the Maryland Exiles U19 team and also the USA U19s before going on to play professionally in Europe and make the full Eagles squad. He played in the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France.
Rugby Maryland took the first tournament of the HS summer 7s season in the Mid-Atlantic, defeating West Carroll in an extremely tight final.
Comprised of players from teams that didn't field their own sevens squads, RM demonstrated solid passing and aggressive pressure defense all day.