Hey there, Rugby Rioter!
đź‘ŠHappy Friday.
Today, we’re looking back at St. Ignatius’ run to a national title this spring in the single school division. Next week it’ll be the San Diego Mustangs, and then the SOC Raptors.
Plus some rugby trivia for you at the bottom.
Packed with rugby. Let’s go!👇
In This Issue
🇺🇸Women’s RWC (game 2): Tomorrow, August 30 - USA Women’s Eagles vs Wallaroos
🇺🇸Pacific Nations Cup (game 2): Sat, Sep 6, 2025 — USA Men’s Eagles vs Japan
West Coast Sevens (round 1): September 27th
Pro tip: Use code RIOT15 for a badass discount on your gear 👆
🇺🇸 USA lays an egg.
Let the hand-wringing begin.
Last Friday, the USA Men’s Eagles were outplayed by Canada, sparking plenty of chatter about a “lack of effort.” We’re not ready to condemn the lads just yet, but it hardly builds faith in the road to 2027 and 2031.
While head coach Scott Lawrence has his detractors, plenty in the pro-Lawrence camp are pointing fingers at USA Rugby leadership for the lackluster showing.
Something has to give. How can a nation as proud as the USA keep trotting out the same product and expect different results? The talent pipeline is ruptured, the calendar is clunky, and the coaching setup could use a second opinion.
Where do we even start?
I’ll repeat this refrain until I’m blue in the face: Focus on what’s working at the youth level and support the clubs that are doing things right.
The top-down approach needs to be taken out back and shot.
🏉Women’s Eagles look to bounce back
After getting walloped 69–7 by England’s Red Roses, the Women’s Eagles are bracing for a big match with Australia tomorrow. The Wallaroos beat them earlier this year in the Pacific Four Series, but it was fairly close.
One possible edge: the USA’s forward pack. When these teams last met, the forwards were instrumental in generating scoring chances — they’ll need to do it again if the Eagles want to flip the result in this World Cup contest.
đź“ŠInteresting graphic
Saw this on Reddit and thought it was worth sharing👇
Credit: MLRStats (Instagram)
Lindenwood has provided the MLR with more players than any other U.S. program (22). Life, St. Mary’s, and Central Washington also cracked double digits.
Not a full picture of “best programs”—plenty of talent still heads overseas instead of the MLR—but it’s an interesting snapshot of the college-to-pro pipeline.
The Path to Nationals
St. Ignatius (OH)
Single School National Champions 2025
We caught up with St. Ignatius’ head coach, Dan Arbeznik, and looked back at a tremendous year of rugby that culminated with a national title.
In 2024, St. Ignatius got all the way to the national championship game only to run into Gonzaga’s stacked senior class. They left with silver medals and a dose of determination.
“Peter Bagetta [Gonzaga’s head coach] made the observation that the team who loses the national final has their nose ahead to win it the following year,” Arbeznik said. “If you look at how it played out this year, that was very much the case.”
Fast forward a year: same stage, different result. The Wildcats edged Herriman (UT) 20-17 to bring home the 2025 title.
First let’s look at some of the main characters.
Every title run has its core leaders, and for Ignatius, four players stood out.
Mark French (scrumhalf): The steady hand. “He was such a cool-headed leader,” Arbeznik said. It was French who called for points in the final—a decision that turned into the winning margin.
Joe Deinhart (outside center): The chip-on-his-shoulder guy. “You always need that guy who plays with a chip on his shoulder. That was Joe for us in the backline…”
Connor Bender (forward): “…and Connor was that for us in the forward pack.”
Adam Bornhorst (forward, injured): “Such a selfless player and leader. He didn’t even get to play in the national final, but the way he celebrated and cheered his teammates, you would have thought he played the full 60 minutes.”
Together, they gave Ignatius its backbone: calm, edge, ferocity, and selflessness.
Ignatius entered the spring fresh off a strong fall sevens season, with a group of seniors who’d grown up together on the program’s second side.
“They’d all played together as juniors on our second team,” said Arbeznik. “There was a lot of positive energy. They were an easy-going group but also very driven to finish the job.”
That energy showed on the scoreboard. Early results were lopsided — 35-6, 52-5, 60-27, 64-14. By April, they were flattening just about everyone, but questions remained about how they’d do against top level competition.
April 12 brought that test: Xavier (NY), ranked No. 1 in the country at the time. On a narrow field that usually keeps things tight, Ignatius lit it up.
“Xavier was really dangerous and could score at any time, and their defense was really good,” Arbeznik said. “And we put up 40-something points there. That gives you confidence you can score against anybody.”
St. Ignatius (OH) vs Xavier (NY) April 12th
Final score: 49–21. Ignatius had just taken down Xavier and suddenly looked like the team to beat.
Two weeks later came Gonzaga. Everyone on the Ignatius squad remembered 2024, and this one felt personal. On April 26, they got their revenge.
“Being able to put up a lot of points against Gonzaga, one of our biggest rivals, made us think we would probably be the favorites going into nationals,” Arbeznik said.
Favorites, yup. But with that label comes pressure. The Ignatius lads had to balance confidence with focus.
Then came May 10. The Charlotte Cardinals, one of the best club programs in the country, smacked Ignatius 43–12.
“We got outplayed in almost every way,” Arbeznik admitted. “But I think you need those games where you look at yourself in the mirror. The Cardinals gave us that opportunity.”
After that mid-season splash of cold water, Ignatius tightened up and carried a sharper edge into nationals.
By the time nationals rolled around, they had already been tested by some of the best teams the East Coast had to offer. That experience showed in the final against Herriman.
The moment of the year came in the second half: forty straight phases camped on Herriman’s goal line.
Over and over, Ignatius hammered away. Over and over, Herriman stood firm.
“It was incredible play from both sides, both sides deserved the trophy for that moment,” Arbeznik said. “And I also give credit to the referee—he recognized the moment and allowed that drama to unfold. It was unforgettable for all the boys.”
Eventually, Mark French pointed to the posts. Three points on the board, 20–12 the lead. Herriman’s late try made it tight, but the whistle blew with the score at 20–17. Job done.
Twelve months after standing on the doorstep, St. Ignatius kicked down the door and captured a well-earned national title.
Coach Arbeznik summed up the year:
“It was one of our best seasons ever—not just because of the ending, but because of how we built throughout the year. The team chemistry was excellent, and I was just as proud of the culture around the club, with parents and families keeping those bonds strong.”
St. Ignatius (OH), National Champs 2025
Think you know rugby? Prove it!
How much time do you have to use the ball once the referee has said "use it" after a ruck?
That’s a wrap, gang!
Next week we’ll be featuring the San Diego Mustangs and their run to a national title in the Club Division. Plus, some oddball banter and rugby news that you’ve come to expect here at the Riot.
If you like this stuff, share it with your friends!
Be well, ruck with gusto, and may your compression shorts always stay in place.
-The Rugby Riot Team