LAFAYETTE, Colo. - USA Rugby, in conjunction with Rugby Utah and Utah Sports Commission, will host the second year of the Women's Rugby Super Series, featuring the USA Women's Eagles and the top three nations from Women's Rugby World Cup 2014, in Salt Lake City.
USA v. France | USA v. Canada | USA v. England
England finished second in last year's competition, held in Alberta, and returns to North America bearing the world champion title following its 2014 World Cup Final defeat of Canada. The U.S.'s border rival suffered narrow defeats to all three of its Series opponents last year, while France replaces New Zealand to round out the four-team round robin-style tournament.
The four international teams will train at University of Utah ahead of match days July 1, 5, and 9, with all matches to be played on the pristine championship field at the Regional Athletic Complex. Completed in the summer of 2015, the RAC contains 16 fields and holds soccer, lacrosse, ultimate frisbee, and additional sporting events throughout the year. Utah Youth Rugby matches are played on the 140-acre grounds, which sit 15 minutes from the Salt Lake City International Airport.
"We are excited to bring international rugby back to Salt Lake at such a monumental time in the rugby calendar,' USA Rugby Director of Operations Jennifer Gray said. "After a successful U20 Trophy, and with great partners and world-class facilities at the Regional Athletic Complex and University of Utah, Salt Lake City was a no-brainer to host four of the world's best women's national teams in the Super Series.
"We hope to see rugby fans from all over the country travel to Utah this summer to take in the breathtaking scenery and lovely community the state has to offer, as well as the top-level rugby scheduled to be on display.'
From youth programs and high schools to the collegiate and club games, competitive and community rugby in Utah has grown in leaps and bounds over the past several years. Perennial high school championship teams produce student-athletes that populate the top college programs around the country, which in turn feed into senior clubs and national team pathways.
Rugby Utah, launched in 2015 as the governing body of rugby in the Beehive State, has worked to bring the many levels of rugby together via new competitions, scholarship funds, and overall administrative guidance, while maintaining a focus on growing the game of rugby at the international level with is participation in the USA Rugby Olympic Development Academy. Utah has hosted several international test matches in the past, and welcomed eight under-20 national teams for the 2012 World Rugby U20 Trophy.
"This is a huge event for us - not just as a rugby community nationally, but locally - to really showcase our pride and our community's involvement and support of the national team and what we're trying to do,' Rugby Utah co-Founder and former Eagle Kimball Kjar said. "More importantly, we recognize the fact that this event, in terms of international women's rugby, is one of the biggest events this year, particularly going into World Cup preparations over the next period of months.
"This will be a good opportunity for us to work on coach development opportunities, referee development opportunities, engage the youth and the collegiate and senior division landscapes to help them engage with high-level international rugby, and help the sports community here in general familiarize itself with rugby. It will be a great event for rugby overall.'
The Super Series follows on the footsteps of the long-held Nations Cup competition, bringing four of the best women's national teams together for three high quality matches each. The shortened World Cup cycle also places a higher importance on the competition, as the 2017 event in Dublin will kick off a short 13 months after the culmination of the Super Series.
More information regarding tickets, match times, and broadcast details will be announced in due course.
Women's Rugby Super Series | Salt Lake City
Friday, July 1
Canada vs. England
Tuesday, July 5
England vs. France
Saturday, July 9
Canada vs. France
Note: All matches to be played on the championship field at Regional Athletic Complex
