Weekend Rugby Wrap-Up: Women’s Championships, Berkeley, November Internationals, 2015 RWC Qualifiers, Anglo-Welsh Cup
NEW YORK, NY – This was as packed a weekend of 15s rugby as we’ve seen since Wee Webb Ellis invented the game of rugby football!. Pyk O’Kallapher will handle the Top 14, so we won’t delve into those matches. We’ve got plenty to cover, though, including November Internationals, 2015 RWC Qualifiers, Anglo-Welsh Cup (LV=Cup) and the USA Women’s Championships, so let’s get to it in our fast and furious Weekend Rugby Wrap-Up.
Ladies first…
USA Women’s Championships: The Glendale Raptors Women were trying to become the third team to win the Women’s Premier League (WPL) title in the four years of the league after besting Beantown… but nobody told coach Kathy Flores and the Berkeley All Blues. Berkely systematically took the Raptors apart, winning 39-5 behind MVP Katie Chou, who scored their first two tries… As for the WPL Relegation Match, it looks like Keystone will be dropping down to DI with the Atlanta Lady Harlequins winning promotion by defeating former WPL side ORSU... The Pittsburgh Angels continued their dominance as in DII rugby winning a tight one over Severn River. Complete Results are as follows:
WPL Championship
Glendale Raptors 39 5 Berkeley All Blues
WPL Relegation
Washington DC Furies 31 18 Keystone Griffins
DI Championship
Atlanta Harlequins 33 14 Oregon Sports Union (ORSU)
DII Championship
Severn River 0 8 Pittsburgh Angels
NOVEMBER INTERNATIONALS: The first weekend of Internationals featured some shock results and dominant performances. Argentina shocked Wales in Wales for the first time since 2001. Argentina coach Santiago Phelan credited The Rugby Championship with preparing his guys for the match against the reigning 6 Nations Champs… New Zealand showed the depth of their class, particularly fly-half Dan Carter, as they destroyed Scotland… A depleted Ireland almost took the scalp of a lackluster Springboks side… 
Italy had a big win in their efforts to shed their Wooden Spoon status, edging a solid Tonga side… Canada had about as disappointing result imaginable, getting manhandled by Samoa… England and Stuart Lancaster are now fully back after simply annihilating Fiji… Japan, Portugal and Nambia won games they were favored in and finally… Team USA won against Russia in their most dominant display in the new Mike Tolkin Era. For a detailed write-up of that match, click this. Here are all the results:
11 NOV 2012 Scotland 22 – 51 New Zealand
11 NOV 2012 Uruguay 25 – 32 Portugal
10 NOV 2012 France 33 – 6 Australia
10 NOV 2012 Ireland 12 – 16 South Africa
10 NOV 2012 Romania 23 – 34 Japan
10 NOV 2012 Namibia 37 – 33 Zimbabwe
10 NOV 2012 Italy 28 – 23 Tonga
10 NOV 2012 England 54 – 12 Fiji
10 NOV 2012 Wales 12 – 26 Argentina
09 NOV 2012 Samoa 42 – 12 Canada
09 NOV 2012 Russia 26 – 40 USA
RWC 2015 Qualifiers: Some of the international matches this weekend had more than just pride at stake. There were 3 matches that were part of the long march toward England 2015. The Netherlands featuring the younger brother of Scotland winger Tim Visser, Sep Visser (photo). 
Sep and the Oranje downed a traditionally tough Lithuanian side that seems to be backsliding these past few years. It appears the fortunes of the two nations are changing in Rugby and the Dutch are looking to become bigger players. Dutch Neighbors, Luxembourg produced a shock result of their own by defeating Norway as the small nation appeared well-prepared for the Norwegians. Sweden managed to do Scandinavia proud with a quality win over the Czech Republic. All the results are below:
10 NOV 2012 Lithuania 16 – 24 Netherlands
10 NOV 2012 Czech Republic 18 – 22 Sweden
10 NOV 2012 Luxembourg 15 – 8 Norway
LV= Cup: The Anglo-Welsh challenge between the 12 teams of the Aviva Premiership and the 4 Welsh Regional sides kicked off this weekend. The matches were intense as players looked to make a name for themselves in the absence of regulars that were away on international duty… Harlequins continued their fine form in all competition, led again by Ben Botica, son of RWU friend, Frano Botica… Exeter put London Welsh to the sword while Saracens dismissed a very game Leicester side. The results are as follows.
Cardiff Blues 22 – 17 Wasps
Saracens 38 – 21 Leicester
Ospreys 33 – 27 Gloucester
Northampton 30 – 31 Harlequins
Bath 36 – 15 Newport Gwent Dragons
Worcester 34 – 18 Scarlets
London Irish 34 – 28 Sale
London Welsh 15 – 42 Exeter
Okay... Like a 10-12 switch, let’s cut against the grain and remind all of you about the Movember Fundraiser. Click on the link and please donate. It only takes a moment and anything you have to give is appreciated.
That is it for me for now. Feel free to comment below, look for and “Like” our Facebook Rugby Wrap Up Page and follow us on Twitter @RugbyWrapUp, @JunoirBlaber, @Declan Yeats and @Mathew Drew Turner, respectively.
And as always, stay low and keep pumping those legs.
