🏉Gonzaga Classic: 1 day (April 12th)

💪SLUH Tournament: 1 day (April 12th)

🏔️Montana Invitational: 15 days (April 26th)

🏟️Great Midwest Classic: 15 days (April 26th)

🇺🇸Nationals Tournament: 41 days (May 22nd)

🔥Match of the Week🔥

St. Ignatius (OH) vs Xavier (NY)

April 12

Buckle up!

St. Ignatius is undefeated. Xavier is undefeated. Both have big-time aspirations—and now, they finally collide.

📈How they’ve been doing: 
Xavier has rolled through a string of high-caliber East Coast teams—Gregory the Great (PA), Greenwich (CT), Staples (CT), and others. Meanwhile, St. Ignatius hasn’t faced a true powerhouse yet, but they’ve been putting up silly numbers. They’re not struggling—they just haven’t been tested. And they haven’t hit their ceiling.

🔍What we’re looking at: 
St. Ignatius fields a battalion of catch-me-if-you-can athletes. Their calling card has been second half scoring frenzies, though their coaches would like to see a more galvanized and detailed effort. A complete game has eluded them—despite the high score lines—but the talent is undeniable. They have plenty of firepower.

Xavier has feasted on other teams’ mistakes. They thrive on disciplined defense and in-game adjustments. Counterattacks and solid support frequently see them get up a few tries on opponents, and their key decision makers do an excellent job leading on the pitch and making snap decisions when the moment requires it.

📍Location: The match will take place at a neutral site in Holidaysburg, PA. Xavier hasn’t hit the road yet this season—so it’ll be worth watching how they handle a high-stakes clash away from home.

Some matches we’re keeping an eye on 👀

Cavemen (UT) vs Herriman (UT) - April 12th
A heavyweight showdown in Utah. The Cavemen were phenomenal at the Friendship Cup, showing off size and physicality that few teams can match. Herriman has been typically solid and always well-coached—but how will they handle the Cavemen’s power game? And on the flip side, how will the Cavemen adapt to Herriman’s speed, tempo, and playmaking ability? This one is intriguing…

Spartans (TX) vs Rock Rugby (TX) - April 12 - State Quarterfinal (Club)
Both squads have enjoyed strong seasons. The Spartans are coming off a tough loss to Woodlands, but that’s not necessarily telling—Woodlands is a powerhouse. Rock Rugby, meanwhile, has put together an impressive run with recent wins over Plano and Westlake. This one has all the ingredients for a close, hard-fought quarterfinal.

Sacramento Jesuit (CA) vs SFGG (CA) - April 12
Jesuit is catching fire at the right time, and SFGG is trending in the same direction. Both teams pushed Granite Bay to the brink (but came up just short), so this could be another tight, gritty contest in the always-tough NorCal league.

Barbarians (TX) vs Plano (TX) - April 12 - State Quarterfinal (Club)
The Barbarians have delivered some impressive performances this season. Their loss to Woodlands was the closest anybody has played them in Texas. How will Plano deal with the Barbarians’ battle-tested squad?

Lake Travis (TX) vs NOLA Jesuit (LA) - LA/TX Varsity Boys Cup Quarterfinals
This one checks all the boxes: tight history, playoff stakes, and a little bit of revenge fuel. Back in February, Lake Travis edged Jesuit 15-14 in a nail-biter. Since then, both teams have dropped close games to Strake Jesuit, proving they’re in the same competitive tier. Expect NOLA Jesuit to come in fired up—and expect this one to go down to the wire.

SOC Raptors (CA) vs Belmont Shore (CA) - April 12
This is the match to watch in SoCal this weekend. With the Mustangs sitting atop the regional throne, the Raptors and Belmont Shore are battling for what may be the final Nationals ticket. They bring different styles to the table, but the stakes are dead even. Hold onto your chips—this one’s roulette.

Fairfield Prep (CT) vs Trumbull (CT) - April 11
A spunky Trumbull has turned some heads this season. They’ve gone toe-to-toe with top-tier teams and pulled off a few eye-catching wins. Fairfield Prep, meanwhile, is one of the best in Connecticut and coming off an emotional last-minute victory over Staples. But this is no week to get caught napping—Trumbull is for real, and they’d love to spring the upset.

Gonzaga Classic

🗓️ When: This weekend (April 12–13)
🌧️ Weather forecast: Lousy ⛆
🏉 Rugby forecast: Bangers 💥
🕶️ Rugby Riot attending: Confirmed ✅

We’ve had this one circled for a while. Gonzaga and the Charlotte Cardinals headline their respective brackets, but with teams like BC High (MA), Aspetuck (CT), Fort Hunt (VA), and Clayton (NC) in the mix, this weekend should be non-stop fireworks.

We’re especially excited for a potential Gonzaga vs. BC High showdown. BC has been absolutely blasting teams in the Northeast, and Gonzaga will be hungry to defend their home turf.

Father Duenas from Guam is the wild card. We know next to nothing about them—but we’re curious to see how they stack up against East Coast heavyweights.

Big question: Will we get a rematch of last year’s Classic—a Gonzaga/Cardinals clash? Or will someone else crash the party? Stay tuned.

SLUH Tourney

🗓️When: This Weekend
📍Where: St. Louis (MO)

This one’s a perfect litmus test for the Midwest. SLUH, La Salette, Marquette, and St. Thomas Aquinas are all in action—and we’ll get a much clearer picture of the regional pecking order by Sunday.

👀 Team to watch: La Salette (IL). They’ve been steamrolling opponents so far—let’s see how they handle their first real tournament test of the season.

Watch the full clip 👇

Think you know rugby? Prove it!

Oddball musings, induced by borderline hypothermia.

🏉Saw a player with a perm the other day. I said, “You know who else has a perm? My grandmother.”
He goes, “Really?? Wow, your grandma is fire!”
I’m genuinely confused. Somebody make it make sense.

🏉 Oddball business idea: Rugby tournament barber. Fresh fades for everyone.

🏉 We’ve seen some silly attempts to keep penalty kicks in play lately. Wingers—if the kick chase is in your face, don’t try to be a hero. Do not bop it back inbounds. Just take the lineout.