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RUGBY FAN MADE EASY
JANUARY 11, 2021
In Today's Edition:
🏆 NCR Women's 7s National Cup Info
👏🏻 New UCLA Head Coach Harry Bennett
🏉 Latest MLR Player Moves
🛑 Seawolves Announce Schedule Change  

🇺🇸 Alev Kelter Signs for Saracens Women
🦠 Covid's Impact on Rugby

💰 Black Ferns Closer to Professionalism

Heads Up: The Rugby Hive will release an interview early next week with Broccoli Man. This should be a tasty number!

MLR Preseason Content: World Rugby commentator Dallen Stanford and MLR reporter Alexander Diegel preview season five of MLR and interview one of the newest Houston SaberCats, Danny Barrett

Reminder: The National Collegiate Rugby All Star Shield Challenge is this Saturday and Sunday at AVEVA Stadium in Houston, Texas. 

RugbyPass Top 100: RugbyPass compiled a list of the top 100 rugby players based on Test performances in 2021. Here's 40-31

MLR Regular Season Countdown: 25 days. 

📰 HEADLINES

COLLEGE RUGBY


National Collegiate Rugby: NCR Announces Conference All Star Teams to Compete for Women's National Cup
  • Details:
    • 1️⃣6️⃣ Conference All Star Teams
    • 2️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ Division I & Small College players
    • 📆 January 22-23
    • 💻 Live Stream: NCR YouTube
    • 🔑 Full rosters will be revealed next week. 

UCLA: UCLA Rugby Introduces New Head Coach Harry Bennett 
  • Quote: "I am extremely grateful to UCLA Rugby for the opportunity to be appointed Head Coach of such a prestigious program and I am beyond excited about the potential that lies ahead," said former RNY flyhalf Harry Bennett. "Can’t wait to start working closely with the players, alumni, and supporters!"

MAJOR LEAGUE RUGBY


Rugby ATL: Atlanta Re-Signs Tighthead Prop Will Burke
  • Takeaway: Prop Will Burke returns for a second season in Atlanta after playing for New York in 2020. 

Rugby New York: New York Welcomes Samoan Wing Ed Fidow 
  • Takeaway: Wing Ed Fidow, who started in all four matches at the 2019 Rugby World Cup for Samoa, joins MLR after plying his trade in the Premiership with Worcester. 

Seattle Seawolves: January 28 Preseason Update
  • Takeaway: The Seattle Seawolves will now face the Hartford Harpooners - led by former USA international Marcus Satavu - after rising cases of the omicron variant forced Rugby Canada West to stay home. 
  • Rugby Morning Take: We remain optimistic that the Toronto Arrows won't have a repeat of last season's experience, despite the CDC and the U.S. State Department's 'do not travel' warning for Canada. 

WOMEN'S EAGLES


Premier 15s: Alev Kelter Signs for Saracens Women
  • Takeaway: Center Alev Kelter joins USA teammate Carly Waters on the Saracens Women, who are in first place in the Premier 15s. 

🦠 COVID'S IMPACT ON RUGBY

CHAMPIONS & CHALLENGE CUP

Travel Restrictions: French Quarantine Rules Could Disrupt Champions and Challenge Cup Fixtures
  • Takeaway: English clubs (Newcastle, Bath, and Sale) are bulking at French quarantine rules that require a 48-hour isolation period upon arrival, casting doubt on their fixtures. 

🏉 WOMEN'S RUGBY

BLACK FERNS

Professionalism: Black Ferns Closer to Professionalism with New Contracts Set to be Announced
  • Takeaway: According to a report by Stuff, New Zealand Rugby will announce in the upcoming weeks that 30 players will receive full-time professional contracts. 
  • Part-Time No More: Since 2018, Black Ferns received part-time contracts that paid between $12,000 and $25,000. The new full-time professional contracts will pay players at least $60,000, with top players earning closer to $130,000. 

PREMIER 15s

Record-Setting Numbers: The Multiple Women's Rugby Records Harlequins Broke in Twickenham
  • Takeaway: The December 27th match at Twickenham between Harlequins Women and Wasps broke the record for the largest attendance (almost 9k) for a professional women's club rugby match. It also recorded a broadcast peak of 99,000 viewers, 25,000 more than the 2020/21 Premier 15s final. 

🏉 QUICK HITS

  • College Rugby: Liberty Conference announces All-Conference Selections (Goff Rugby Report)
  • Player Health & Safety: World Rugby urged to follow RFL's lead on concussion (RTE)
  • Premiership Rugby: Northampton boss Chris Boyd to leave at end of season (BBC News)
  • United Rugby Championship: Simon Zebo signs new two-year contract with Munster (Independent) 

📆 THIS WEEK IN RUGBY

THURSDAY, JANUARY 13
  • Pro D2
    • Round 17

FRIDAY, JANUARY 14
  • Challenge Cup
    • Round 3
  • Champions Cup 
    • Round 3
  • Currie Cup
    • Round 1
  • Pro D2
    • Round 17

SATURDAY, JANUARY 15
  • Challenge Cup
    • Round 3
  • Champions Cup
    • Round 3
  • Currie Cup
    • Round 1
  • Japan Rugby League One
    • Round 2 
  • National Collegiate Rugby
    • All Star Shield Challenge
  • Premier 15s
    • Round 11
  • RFU Championship
    • Round 15
  • USA Rugby South
    • Panthers vs. Pacific NW Selects

SUNDAY, JANUARY 16
  • Champions Cup 
    • Round 3
  • Japan Rugby League One
    • Round 2
  • National Collegiate Rugby
    • All Star Shield Challenge
  • Premier 15s
    • Round 11

🎧 THIS WEEK IN RUGBY PODCASTS

JACK'S RANGERS
🎧 Episode: Preseason Part I
📆 January 11


THE RUGBY NETWORK
🎥 Episode: MLR 2022 Preview
📆 January 10


SCRUM OF THE EARTH

🎧 Episode: Weekend Recap
📆 January 9
QUICK QUESTION

Are you concerned the Toronto Arrows might have a repeat of last season (entire season on the road) due to the U.S. issuing a travel warning for Canada? 

YES    NO 
MONDAY'S ANSWER 

76% of newsletter respondents voted for "go for win" instead of "play for tie" regarding the Raiders vs. Chargers game on Sunday night. On Twitter, 56% of respondents voted for "go for win."
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