The N.C. State Rugby 7s team have won two consecutive Atlantic Coast Invitationals and off the back of these achievements will be playing in the Collegiate Rugby Championship up in Philadelphia that will be broadcast on NBC and NBC Sports in about a month June 2nd and 3rd.

As a part of the team's preparation for this tournament they will be playing in a warmup tournament in Raleigh this coming Saturday, May 12th. The public are invited to come and you can come cheer for N.C. State. The tournament will be at Raleigh Rugby Football Club's home field at 7417 Poole Road here in Raleigh. Other 7s teams expected to take part in the tournament besides N.C. State will be (subject to change):

-Raleigh RFC
-UNC-Chapel Hill
-East Carolina
-Wake Forest
-Appalachian State
-UNC-Wilmington

maybes:

-Duke
-Virginia
-Maryland
-maybe a couple more, it seems the tourney has been setup for two pools of 5 so I'd expect 10 teams

Food and refreshments (including alcohol) will be served at the pitch but are regularly priced instead of gouging you like other sports events. Alcohol is Smithwick's and Harp from the keg courtesy of the Hibernian Pub on Glenwood Avenue. I don't know if admission is being charged, but if it is, it's only something like $3. Directions:

Quote :

"Directions from west of Raleigh: •Take I-40 East toward Raleigh •Merge with I-440 East (Outer Beltline) •Continue on I-440 (Outer Beltline), after I-40 branches East •Take the Poole Rd. exit (exit 15) off I-440 •Turn right off exit, go 4 miles east •After light at Hodge Rd., entrance is 300 yards on left"

Weather is expected to be warm and sunny. You can sit on the hillside overlooking the pitch, at the top of the hill, or in bleachers right next to the sideline. Come out and enjoy yourself.

[Edited on May 11, 2012 at 12:04 AM. Reason : /]

5/11/2012 12:03:31 AM

this actually sounds pretty awesome. I love watching rugby and aussie rules football.

Cheap alcohol on top? I'd be there if i didn't have a prior engagement.

5/11/2012 12:58:58 AM

What time does it begin tomorrow?

5/11/2012 1:53:36 AM

you remembered to include everything but time.

5/11/2012 6:03:46 AM

Anyone know what time this is happening?

5/11/2012 7:59:46 AM

Come on down to clevelandtown everyone

5/11/2012 8:41:53 AM

Come and look at both of our buildings.

5/11/2012 8:47:20 AM

I believe play will start at 10:30 or 11. They're telling us to show up at 9:30 but we're on the organizing end.

[Edited on May 11, 2012 at 8:51 AM. Reason : .]

5/11/2012 8:48:51 AM

for anyone that was planning on coming to this, it was cancelled due to schools pulling out last minute

5/11/2012 9:32:47 PM

Sounds like my son

5/11/2012 9:40:04 PM

sadface i wanted to come

5/12/2012 6:14:19 AM

well you can't come to see them play but you can watch them tomorrow and Sunday on TV in the Collegiate Rugby Championship up in Philadelphia. State will be in a pool with Arizona, Texas, and Oklahoma and will need to finish top two to have a chance at the championship on Sunday although regardless they'll have games on Sunday as they may go into the consolation.

Overlaying the schedule of games into where they are broadcast:

Quote :

"Live schedule for the 2012 USA Sevens Collegiate Rugby Championship (all times ET, subject to change): Saturday, June 2 2 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. NBC Sports Network Delaware vs. Florida Arizona vs. Texas N.C. State vs. Oklahoma - tentatively scheduled for 2:56pm Penn State vs. Temple Life vs. Wisconsin Delaware vs. Maryland 4:30 p.m. - 6 p.m. NBC Dartmouth vs. Florida Army vs. Navy Cal vs. Notre Dame Sunday, June 3 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. NBC Sports Network 2 Championship Semifinals 2 Consolation Semifinals 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. NBC Bronze Medal Game Consolation Final Championship Final"

They play Texas at 10:35am and Arizona at 6pm.

N.C. State roster:

Quote :

"No. Last First 1 Harmon Abe 2 Pace Matt 3 Moisman Brandon 4 Hesler Greg 5 Alvey Brandon 6 Maxwell Bryan 7 McAlister David 8 Goldston Dom 9 Martin Dylan 10 Brennan Conor 11 Mackman Kent 12 Birch Andrew Coach Latham Jim "

[Edited on June 1, 2012 at 11:57 AM. Reason : /]

6/1/2012 11:52:56 AM

So apparently they're pretty good, yeah?

6/1/2012 12:09:13 PM

They've won an ACC-based Rugby 7s Tournament in 2010 and 2011 (past two times it's been held). They're getting in to this thing this year because this is an invitational tournament and the organizers decided to invite Chapel Hill last year instead of N.C. State because Carolina has more of a brand name to the general sports public (this tournament is more about getting big college fanbases to watch rugby instead of having the 16 best teams in it, sucks in a way, but it's a sport that struggles to have mainstream appeal or get on TV at all, so that's why schools like Texas are in when they shouldn't). So this year it's a make good of sorts from the organizers giving N.C. State the invite.

They're not going to win the tournament, they should feel happy with themselves if they make the quarterfinals or win the consolation bracket. When they took part in the USA Rugby-sanctioned National Championship last December, they went 1-3, defeating Wisconsin-Milwaukee and losing to Wisconsin, Western Washington, and St. Mary's.

6/1/2012 12:29:43 PM

Playing on NBC Sports today. 0-2 today against a good texas team and a fast oklahoma team. Played really well in the OU game but came up just short. Last match is against arizona, who are very good. Coverage of the team has been great though.

6/2/2012 3:40:52 PM