CURRIE CUP

📰 HEADLINES

MAJOR LEAGUE RUGBY

• Takeaway: The Austin Gilgronis will host Rugby New York on January 29th for a final tune-up before the regular season begins a week later.  

• Takeaway: Former NOLA Gold center/flyhalf Taylor Howden returns to the club - where he played in 2018 and 2019 - as an assistant coach for the 2022 season. 

• Takeaway: Center/wing Tomas Aoake has played both codes in his native New Zealand. 

PREMIER RUGBY SEVENS

• Richie Walker Resume: 
  • Former head coach of USA Women's Sevens
  • Former head coach of the 2019 MLR champion Seattle Seawolves
  • Former assistant coach of Japan Women's 7s at the Tokyo Olympics

SIX NATIONS

• Squad Details: Center Owen Farrell will captain a squad that features three uncapped players, but does not include notables names like flyhalf George Ford, back Elliot Daly, center Manu Tuilagi, and brothers Mako and Billy Vunipola. 

• Takeaway: Scrumhalf Antoine Dupont will lead a squad of 42 uncapped players. France will miss the services of flanker Charles Ollivon and flyhalf Matthieu Jalibert. 

• Takeaway: Flyhalf Dan Biggar will captain in the absence of injured Alun Wyn Jones and lead a squad that features three uncapped players. 

🦠 COVID'S IMPACT ON RUGBY

• Takeaway: The Cal Bears have postponed their home match against Santa Clara on Saturday because of Covid protocols within the Broncos' program. 

• Takeaway: The Houston SaberCats will still host the Dallas Jackals at AVEVA Stadium on January 22 for a preseason fixture. 

• Takeaways: 
  • Jamaica Men will replace Samoa Men in Malaga.
  • Fiji Men won't compete in the pool stage at Malaga, but may compete later in the competition. 
  • Fiji Women will be unable to participate in Malaga. 

🏉 MAJOR LEAGUE RUGBY

1. Lauina Futi
   • Wing, Seattle Seawolves
2. Sam Klimkowski
   • Prop, LA Giltinis
3. James O'Neill
   • Flanker, Toronto Arrows
4. Bailey Wilson
   • Flanker, Utah Warriors
5. Joaquín de le Vega Mendía
   • Flyhalf, Rugby ATL

• Quote: "We are going to bring a mindset and an attitude to come out and actually dominate people. One of the things with Houston is that I got to sit with the ownership over lunch and over dinner to hear their thoughts about what they want from the team, said former USA Sevens star Danny Barrett. “They want to win so bad. That’s all it is about, what we have to do. For them to have the confidence in me and say that I am a key part of that, and they wanted me here to help them win is special.”
   

• Takeaway: MLR correspondent Joe Harvey shared his thoughts on where each Western Conference club will finish at the end of the regular season. 

  USA RUGBY

• Changes: Aaron Cummings will make his senior team debut to replace Marcus Tupuola, who will miss the Malaga tournament but return for Seville. 

• Takeaway: Men's Eagles Nick Civetta and Eric Fry led a forward pack that scored all five tries for Oxford in a 54-31 loss to England U20.  

📆 THIS WEEK IN RUGBY

• Champions Cup 
  • Round 4
• Major League Rugby
  • Preseason Fixtures
• World Rugby Sevens
  • Malaga, Spain 

• Champions Cup
  • Round 4
• Major League Rugby
  • Preseason Fixtures
• National Collegiate Rugby
  • Women's All Star 7s
• Premier 15s
  • Round 12
• World Rugby Sevens
  • Malaga, Spain

• Champions Cup 
  • Round 4
• National Collegiate Rugby
  • Women's All Star 7s
• World Rugby Sevens
  • Malaga Sevens

🎧 THIS WEEK IN RUGBY PODCASTS