USA Sevens Collegiate Rugby Championship
USA Sevens Finalizes 16 Team Field to Compete in Collegiate Rugby Championship
Versus Signs On to Complement NBC Coverage of Philadelphia Event
PHILADELPHIA – March 21, 2011 – USA Sevens today announced the final five teams set to compete in the second-ever Collegiate Rugby Championship. The slots will be filled by returning schools Ohio State University and Dartmouth College as well as tournament-newcomers Central Washington University, the University of Texas and the University of Oklahoma. The tournament, which will be broadcast live nationally on NBC, is scheduled to take place at PPL Park in Chester, PA on Saturday, June 4 and Sunday, June 5. Versus will also air live and taped coverage throughout the weekend.
“USA Sevens is delighted to finalize the field with five such elite programs as Ohio State, Dartmouth, Central Washington, Texas and Oklahoma,” said Dan Lyle, Collegiate Rugby Championship tournament director. “These dynamic squads will add competitive and national weight to the existing teams in the field.”
Rugby Sevens features seven players per team playing on the same size pitch as a 15’s match and offers non-stop action where speed, high scoring and athleticism dominate the competition. The format allows for constant entertainment with each match split into two seven-minute halves and a new match starting about every 20 minutes. Rugby Sevens will be an Olympic sport starting in 2016.
In total, seven teams will be making their debut at the Collegiate Rugby Championship while nine will be making a return trip, including 2010 tournament champion University of Utah and 2010 runner-up University of California. Also confirmed to compete are teams from Army, Navy, Notre Dame, Penn State, Temple, Arizona, Boston College, North Carolina and Louisiana State University.
Broadcast Schedule:
- NBC Sports live coverage from 4:00-6:00 p.m. ET on June 4 and 5
- Versus live coverage from 2:00-4:00 p.m. ET on June 4 and 5
- Versus bonus coverage from 6:00-8:00 p.m. ET on June 4
- NBC Mobile live simulcast from 4:00-6:00 p.m. ET on June 4 and 5
- Hulu.com full event coverage available on-demand in HD quality video
About USA Sevens:
USA Sevens LLC owns and operates America’s premier rugby events, the Las Vegas HSBC Sevens World Series and the USA 7’s Collegiate Rugby Championship Invitational. Held annually, the Las Vegas HSBC Sevens World Series is one of the eight international stops in the HSBC Sevens World Series. The Series sponsor is HSBC bank. With an attendance of over 50,000 during the two day event, it is the largest annual rugby event in North America and one of the fastest growing rugby events in the world.
For More Information, Interviews or Team Match-ups Contact:
Heather Krug at Rogers & Cowan
(office) 310-854-8156 or (mobile) 310-463-1415
Kat Stolpa, Rogers & Cowan
310-854-8158