admin@texasrugbyunion.com 
It is my great pleasure to announce, in conjunction with Jim Wolfinger of the Texas Rugby Union, your promotion to the grade of B Panel.
I know you have worked long and hard to elevate your game along with your dedication to the game of rugby.
I look forward to seeing you work at a much higher level in the game. Thank you for your hard work and dedication to improving the Texas Rugby Union.
Gary Hartzell
West Referee Chairman
It is the recommendation of the TRU Executive Committee and the TRRA that all matches be cancelled this weekend where there is a material weather risk.
This is particularly true for all matches (1) North of Waco (2) Matches in the DFW region and (3) any teams traveling OUT OF or INTO to the DFW region for matches.
Weather Risks include: Road Icing, Field Icing, Frozen Rain or Sleet, Power Outages and Hypothermia (player, coach, ref or spectators)
The current forecast for Dallas is a High temperature of less than 32 on both FRI and SAT. The forecast includes 100% chance of moisture on Friday. Thereby the moisture received on Friday will be a factor on Saturday as the temperatures are not forecasted to be above 30 as noted below.
Dallas:
Thursday Night Low: 26 with AM Ice
Friday High 30 / Low 18 with Freezing Rain
Saturday High 30 / Low 18 with Light Freezing Rain
The Austin and Houston regions are both anticipated to have wet weather over the weekend with both regions having High temperatures in the 30’s. While the temps may not reach or stay below freezing for a long period of time the TRU cautions all teams against travelling and player safety (hypothermia).
As always the Home team should be in regular contact with the Visiting team, the TRU Admin and the Referee to confirm match cancellations and reschedule dates.
If there is any concerns, questions or disagreement between the parties (home, away & ref) regarding the playing of the match please contact David McPhail or Ron Watson directly for final resolution.
Regards,
Texas Rugby Union and Texas Rugby Referee Association
There seems to be some confusion about the use of a “Brain Bin” and I would like to help clear some of it up. The ‘Brain Bin’ is not endorsed by USA Rugby, and it is not recommended by the IRB for anything but Elite international play. It should not be used except at this level of play.
Reference: https://usarugby.org/concussions/irb
Rationale:
– The article viewable at the above website brings us all up to date. The article clearly states this procedure is in a TRIAL state for only INTERNATIONAL ELITE rugby. It is not policy. USA Rugby has not made any official endorsement of this trial and has not made any change in our policy.
– When used in international elite play, the only way a player can be returned to play is for a MEDICAL DOCTOR to administer a pitch side assessment that includes the Maddocks Questions (cognition), a balance assessment and a ‘symptoms and signs’ assessment. If the PHYSICIAN clears the player, the PHYSICIAN takes full responsibility for the medically cleared to play decision. The MW situation is much different: it is rare for us to have a ‘team physician’ on the sideline, and if they are present, most do not know what tests to administer nor realize the risk they are taking with ‘clearing’ an athlete. To repeat policy: Only a physician can clear an athlete to return to play. For a referee to take on this responsibility on the advice of other than a physician puts that referee in a huge risk zone.
IRB Regulation 10 continues to apply:
Regulation 10 features a two-pronged approach to protect players at both the elite and community levels. Where concussion is diagnosed, a player must be removed from the field of play and not return to play or train on the same day and must be guided through a dedicated return to play protocol.
All players with suspected concussion where there is no appropriately qualified person is present to diagnose concussion must be removed from the field of play and not return to play or train on the same day and should be reviewed by an appropriately qualified person and then should complete the graduated return to play protocol described in the IRB Concussion Guidelines
Summary. We all want fewer injuries, especially head injuries. Removing a player from play if there is any doubt is the safest way to realize that. A gradual return to play based on qualified medical assessments is the current policy and any decision to return to play is out of the referee’s hands. Until we get clearance from the IRB and USA Rugby on a policy change, we should not allow any time for a pitch side assessment for a questionable concussion in non-international elite games. That player comes off; period.
Please forward this to fellow referees and coaches.
Harry Laws, MD
IRB Medical Educator
harryflaws@gmail.com
On behalf of the TRRA and the Referee Advancement & Training Organization (RATO), it is our pleasure to announce that referee Scott Green have been promoted to B Panel as well as the USA Rugby National Panel of Referees.
Please join us in congratulating Scott.
Thank you for your hard work and dedication to improving the Texas Rugby Union.
Gary Hartzell
West Referee Chairman
RATO is proud to announce that effective Oct 1st, we have rolled out the Referee Coaches & Mentor program (as mentioned at the TRRA AGM). This program was implemented so that referees could have a direct link to a Referee Coach or a Mentor. Having a Referee Coach or Mentor is invaluable and we expect a rapid progression with our referees this season and going forward.
Also, RATO has approved a beta test of Referee Crews this fall. The crews will work together in units to mentor, learn and progress. Each crew has a C1 lead with promising referees of different levels working as a team undertaking matches together as Center and Assistant Referees.
If there are any questions or concerns about the Mentor/Coach or Crews, please contact Randy Campbell.
The Texas Cup is an All Star series that is designed to foster the best players within the Texas Rugby Union (TRU) in a regional competitive venue. The series is split up into three Geographical Regions and each has an All Star team. The North region includes teams from North of Waco to Oklahoma City and Midland and to Shreveport. The Central region includes South of Waco to San Antonio. The South region includes Stephen F. Austin/Woodlands to McAllen and east to New Orleans and Houston. The Texas Cup selections were based on active and CIPP’d Men’s Club members of the TRU.
See below for a word from each of the coaching staffs and their player rosters. Also see the complete Texas Cup schedule and the assigned referees below.
September 28
Texas Cup South vs Central, 7:00pm @ Alden Bridge Sports Park, Woodlands, TX [MAP]
Referee: Scott Green
October 5
Texas Cup North vs Central, 3:30pm @ Cowtown Tournament, Ft. Worth, TX [MAP]
Referee: Jon Savage
October 12
Texas Cup North vs South, 3:30pm @ Lake Highlands Park, Dallas, TX [MAP]
Referee: Shawn Martin
October 19
Texas Cup Central vs South, 3:00pm @ Huns Field, Austin, TX [MAP]
Referee: Scott Green
October 26
Texas Cup Central vs North, 3:00pm @ Burr Field, Austin, TX [MAP]
Referee: Wendy Young
November 2
Texas Cup South vs North, 6:00pm @ Alden Bridge Sports Park [MAP]
Referee: Jon Savage
**The TRRA is excited to partner with TRU High Performance Rugby in the inaugural Texas Cup competition. We have carefully chosen our top local referees and promising fast track refs to provide the very best in referee services.
We wish the players, coaches, fans and media a safe, exciting competition and look forward to the opportunities ahead of us.
Jim Wolfinger, Texas Rugby Referee Association Chairman
**The TRRA is excited to partner with Ruck Science for the upcoming 2016 season. We have carefully chosen this partnership as we believe it will provide an excellent opportunity for all the referees in Texas. Please visit ruckscience.com to see their range of supplements for rugby players and referees.
Follow all the updates on the #TexasCup on Twitter and Facebook.
The initiatives launched by the Texas Rugby Union to rapidly accelerate the development of the unions players is to be applauded. The recent IRANZ Academy courses run in three cities was a real coup for Texas. There is no exaggeration is saying that the opportunity for players in Texas to receive coaching from the hottest coach in the world in back to back Super Rugby Champion coach Dave Rennie and Jamie Joseph, another Super Coach who also has coached the Maori All Blacks, was as good as it gets. Those players who attended are the envy of thousands of Kiwi players who literally beg their clubs to get the chance to attend an IRANZ Academy course. It has become a gateway to the highest representative honours with their alumni now consisting of about 70 percent of the current All Black squad and most of the All Blacks Sevens and All Black U20 squads as well as several of the Springboks.
I am sure the enthusiasm shown by the Houston area players was matched by those in the other regions. However it would all have been of limited value if a program like the Texas Cup had not been put into place on the back of the IRANZ Academy. Texas elite players needed an opportunity to express the skills learnt and the sooner the better so they could become ingrained and replace inferior skills and bad habits. The Texas Cup is the perfect opportunity.
The Souths Select squad represents 6 clubs and the players and coaching and management staff have gelled extremely well. With limited time to learn new systems the side may take a game or two to hit their stride but there will be no doubting the players commitment. The team will be looking to play an attractive style of rugby that is enjoyable for players and a good advertisement for the game to those that attend games. While I am sure every team places winning the inaugural Texas Cup as their top priority; I feel it is of more importance that both players and spectators get to participate in a celebration of high quality, attractive rugby.
The excellent all weather surface of The Woodlands field couple with the first class lighting will provide an ideal venue to kick off what promises to be an exciting new era for Texas Rugby.
Roster:
Mike Wong, BARC
Taylor Kraft, Galveston
Chris Parker, HARC
Chris Saint, HARC
Andres Dias, HARC
Rafael Casas, HURT
Ben Teaney, HURT
Justin Blocker, HURT
Gary Eakin, HURT
Randy James, Katy
Paul Nieuwoudt, Woodlands
Chris Saxon, Woodlands
Connor Mills, Woodlands
Colby Kreft, Woodlands
Chris Tofte, Woodlands
Jadeon du Toit, Woodlands
Danny Dunlop, Woodlands
Matt Drennen, Woodlands
Desmond Birdow, Woodlands
Josh Alden, Woodlands
Mitchell Earley, Woodlands
Yamar Washington, Woodlands
Neil Campbell, Woodlands
Ken Wilson Woodlands
Charles Peterson, BARC
Ben Gehring, BARC
Sib Sikobi, BARC
Daniel Aaron, HARC
Matt Hayes, HARC
Ken Peterson, HARC
Robert Rutherford, HARC
Kenneth (Petey) Hepburn, HARC
Paul Mullen, HARC
Taylor Burkhalter, HARC
Coaches:
Greg Doolan, Head Coach
Phil Beck, Assistant Coach
Nemani Delaibatiki, Assistant Coach
Dave Yeoman, Manager
The Texas Cup All Stars Central Representative Team has been announced. A squad of 30 players have been selected from rugby clubs representing the central region of Texas rugby. 14 players from the Austin Rugby Club, 10 players from the Huns Rugby Club, 5 players from the San Antonio Rugby Club and 1 from the San Marcos Greys. Bob Kasper from San Marcos Greys would have been the second selection from that club but unfortunately had his orbital bone broken playing in a club match last weekend. Over 45 players have been training three times a week for the past month in preparation for this High Performance Series. The IRANZ Coaching Clinic conducted in late August provided an excellent weeks evaluation and coaching seminar for most of these players selected, training with two top Super 15 coaches in Waikato Chiefs Dave Rennie and Otago Highlanders Jamie Joseph. It was a fantastic way to start this representative program.
Central Texas Head Coach Lach Ferguson “ This has been a awesome experience for players and coaches alike, coming together from different clubs to put together a very strong representative team. I’ve been really impressed by the players attitudes and their excitement about playing top level rep rugby. The guys have absolutely bought into the concept and every training session has been a pleasure to be involved with. I want to thank my coaching staff of Kirk Tate Forwards Coach and Pete Pettinari Backs Coach from the Huns Rugby Club and Steve Corcoran Defence Coach from the Austin Rugby Club. These guys have worked tirelessly and really prepared the players well providing them with a high level of professional coaching. The Texas All Stars Series is going to be a very close competition and provide exciting matches for all the players involved. All three regions have strong squads and rugby supporters in Texas are going to see some very high caliber rugby over the next month. My guys are really looking forward to getting out onto the pitch this weekend in Houston for the first game between the South All Stars and the Central All Stars”.
Roster:
1. Anthony Arnold, Huns RFC
2. Austin Byrne, Austin RFC
3. Brad Vaughan, Huns RFC
4. Bradley Yandle,Austin RFC
5. Brian Welborn, Huns RFC
6. Chris Hanson (Captain), Huns RFC
7. Connally McKay, Austin RFC
8. Craig Welborn, Huns RFC
9. Curtis Patrick, Chaffin Austin RFC
10. David Caswell, Austin RFC
11. Giovanni Bonilla, Huns RFC
12. Gonzalo Sanchez, Austin RFC
13. Jacob Wurz, Austin RFC
14. Jake Bacon, Huns RFC
15. Jarrod Amante Bueno, San Antonio RFC
16. Joedee Reyes, San Antonio RFC
17. Joey Malanka, Austin RFC
18. John Hart, Austin RFC
19. Justin Casino, Austin RFC
20. Kellen Burke, Austin RFC
21. Kevin Kemp, San Marcos RFC
22. Levi Kereti, San Antonio RFC
23. Matt Zappa, Huns RFC
24. Paul Dombkowski, Austin RFC
25. Rickey A. Johnson, Austin RFC
26. Robert Drummond,Huns RFC
27. Troy Spencer, Huns RFC
28. Vainuku Siosaia, San Antonio RFC
29. Will Martin, Austin RFC
30. Zach Gonderman, San Antonio RFC
Coaches:
Lachlan Ferguson, Head Coach
Kirk Tate, Forwards Coach
Pete Pettinari, Backs Coach
Steve Corcoran, Defense Coach
It is my belief that the introduction of the Texas Cup is one of the most forward thinking programs that the Union has proposed. It is absolutely vital that young players experience the representative environment and it is equally important that the Texas Union supports it as such.
When the trials match for our region was scheduled the response was outstanding with over 72 players representing 8 different clubs attending. Many players travelled up to 5 hours to participate, which is an immediate endorsement of the program by the players. It must be recognized that the clubs themselves were the driving force behind this participation and is a result of the tireless work of our administrators, without whom, none of this would have happened.
Further, anytime that players can experience coaching in an environment as professional as the IRANZ Academy it is essential they do so. Nowhere will our players be exposed to the level of knowledge and expertise provided by programs of this caliber. However, if the players do not have the fundamental skills to truly benefit from these events , programs such as the Texas Cup become increasingly important. To allow the best players to interact with the best coaches and administrators provides the bridge that takes average players to above average, and above average to excellent. This is singularly the best way to bring the undiscovered talent from our Union to the attention of those who can influence their rugby futures. It also becomes a vehicle to highlight the emerging talent pool from our regions.
It is imperative that the Union continues to bring support to these representative programs as they are invaluable in presenting a quality product to young men and women who may wish to embrace this incredible sport.
Roster:
Darragh Lynch, Dallas Quins
Gerad Crosswy, Tulsa
Kelly Kolberg, Dallas RFC
Collin Yerian, Dallas RFC
Zachary Mudd, Ft. Worth
Chad Joseph, Dallas RFC
Charles Davidson, Dallas Quins
Gareth Ducray, DARC
Michael Kenealy, Dallas RFC
Spencer Cameron , Dallas Quins
John Paul Rodriguez, Ft. Worth
Jordan Sheibeh, Dallas Quins
Bradley Luyt, DARC
Cobb Brandon, OKC
Gonzalo Ruiz, Griffins
Andrew Stock, Dallas RFC
Anthony Gregory II, Shreveport
Chris Hopkins, Dallas RFC
Drew McCure, DARC
Chris Kelly, Dallas RFC
Peter Santos, Dallas Quins
Austin Ryan, Dallas RFC
Jonathan Moore, Tulsa
Ryan Green, DARC
Skylar Allbritton, Dallas RFC
Robert Lindsey, DARC
Coaches:
Dean Robinson, Head Coach
Kelly Joe, Assistant Head Coach
Rhys Ball, Forwards Coach
Matt Craig, Backs Coach
Gordon Hanlon, Dallas Quins
George Munstedt, Dallas Quins
Jon Jefferies, Dallas RFC
Bruce McGregor, North Texas Representative
John Dale, Treasurer
Fil Keuppens, Manager
Can’t make the Texas Cup matches but still want to watch some rugby? Check out the Texas Rugby Calendar, it has all the league schedules for all of our Men & Women’s Club, Men and Women’s Collegiate and Youth (Spring only) matches.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We have received quite a few inquiries lately about how the new scrum calls will affect Seven-a-Side rugby. Sevens scrums are quite a bit different than Fifteens scrums, so it is important that we are all on the same page moving into the fall Collegiate 7s season. Paddy O’Brien was able to verify the new procedures (see below).
For Seven scrums we will:
Call CROUCH-BIND-SET. Sevens Referees will make sure that scrums are straight and square before calling “CROUCH”, then call “BIND”. The Referee will then make sure all 4 props have proper binds on their opposite numbers (up high on the back or arm), before calling “SET” (invitation to engage). All put ins by the scrum half must be straight down the middle.
We will not be calling “Yes 9”, “Yes 4”, or anything else to the scrum half. Sevens scrums by nature, are quick restarts and should proceed without delay. We do not want to slow down the game of Sevens, but will ensure a fair contest for possession (check for proper binds, straight put in).
Please let me know if you have any other questions.
Patrick McNally
USAR National Sevens Referee Manager
(323) 899-2471
Please review the below Game Management Guidelines from USA Rugby. They are a compliment to the new scrum cadence from the IRB that will cover all competitions from this point forward.
All, the USA Rugby CIPP cycle has opened! Please CIPP your Team and have your individual players CIPP ASAP. For those teams that have games/tournaments coming up this weekend, please do this TODAY!
Also below are some pre-season reminders and requirements. If these are not followed your team or organization may be subject to Disciplinary Action. The TRU urges you to review each of the links below and ensure that your team is in compliance.
The TRU thanks you all for reviewing this notice and ensuring that your team is in compliance with all TRU Procedures and requirements.
If you have any concerns about any of the above, please feel free to contact the TRU Administrator, Wendy Young.
Thank you,
Texas Rugby Union
All,
This is your reminder that the new cadence of Crouch, Bind, Set will be used for ALL competitions this fall (15s and 7s).
Review the new cadence and some pointers from the IRB here.
View the IRB Training videos here.
Have questions or concerns? Email the TRRA Chairman Jim Wolfinger.