Oregon to Host IRB North America 4 Rugby Tournament

On July 10, two elite representative teams from the U.S. will go against each other at Mt. Hood Community College in the first round of the North America 4 Rugby Tournament, presented by the International Rugby Board and USA Rugby. The contest will feature several members of the U.S. national team who will compete for a spot in the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. The match is scheduled to kick off at 6:30 p.m.

“We couldn’t be any happier to bring this premiere contest to the state of Oregon,” said USA Rugby Chief Executive Officer Nigel Melville. “Oregonians will get a golden opportunity to see the best rugby players this country has to offer.”

The North America 4 Rugby Tournament is a popular cross-border competition that involves two teams from both Canada (East and West) and the U.S. (Falcons and Eagles). The tournament serves as an important testing ground for international competition, such as the Rugby World Cup.

“The IRB is excited that the first U.S. leg will be held in Oregon so that it will bring a match of this caliber to the Northwest for the first time,” said NA4 Tournament Manager Tom Jones.  “The popularity of Rugby in all levels of the American game is growing and Oregon’s Rugby program is a great representative of how the game is organized on a state level.”

The Oregon Sports Authority and Rugby Oregon helped bring the match to Mt. Hood Community College. The event will serve as a fundraiser for Rugby Oregon, a non-profit youth sports organization, dedicated to the growth and development of youth rugby in Oregon. Tickets for the event are $10, with eighty percent of ticket sales staying in Oregon to promote youth rugby. Tickets will be available for purchase at the gate. For more information, visit RugbyOregon.com.