National Team
USA Rugby's national team is nicknamed the Eagles. The National Men's Team first took the field in 1976. Competing in international tournaments like the Churchill Cup and the Pan American Championship, as well as specially scheduled matches against rugby powers such as France and Ireland, the Eagles have qualified for six of the seven Rugby World Cups, most recently at the 2011 Rugby World Cup held in New Zealand. The United States are currently a tier-2 rugby nation. Through professionalism, the Eagles have been making improvements in coaching, management and player development, and as a result have improved on the field. The US has been consistently ranked one of the Top 20 teams in the world since the IRB developed its rankings in 2003.
Read more about this topic: Rugby Union In The United States
Famous quotes containing the words national and/or team:
“What do we mean by patriotism in the context of our times? I venture to suggest that what we mean is a sense of national responsibility ... a patriotism which is not short, frenzied outbursts of emotion, but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime.”
—Adlai Stevenson (1900–1965)
“Relying on any one disciplinary approach—time-out, negotiation, tough love, the star system—puts the parenting team at risk. Why? Because children adapt to any method very quickly; today’s effective technique becomes tomorrow’s worn dance.”
—Ron Taffel (20th century)