USA Rugby partner with CRAA in aim to 'unlock' potential of the sport

USA Rugby have partnered with the College Rugby Association of America [CRAA] to support the long-term growth, alignment and sustainability of collegiate rugby in the United States.

The partnership will see USA Rugby take a greater role within collegiate rugby and strengthen CRAA with full-time staffing, operational support, technology, financial oversight, marketing and communications, programme grants, training and national team pathway alignment.

The governing body will complement CRAA, whose leadership, institutional relationships, competition expertise and volunteer community will remain as central pillars to the collegiate game. Instead the partnership will strengthen both organisations and bring additional investment to student-athletes, coaches and athletic departments.

Across the next five years the USA will host rugby sevens at the LA28 Olympic Games, Rugby World Cup 2031 and Women’s Rugby World Cup 2033, with this partnership aimed at increasing participation in collegiate programmes, raising high performance and safety standards and aligning rugby pathways, in which collegiate rugby is central.

The initiative also supports the long-term strategic partnership between USA Rugby and World Rugby through aligning domestic priorities in the USA.

World Rugby have a clear objective of developing a deliberate long-term strategy to unlock the sport’s potential and partnering with unions to bring high-quality international content to strategically important cities, build audiences and investing in areas that hold the greatest impact for rugby.

World Rugby Chief Executive Officer, Alan Gilpin said: “Collegiate sports in the United States are unlike any other in the world. Unlocking the opportunity that exists for college rugby is essential to the long-term growth of the game in the US, encouraging schools and universities to elevate or adopt rugby into their sports infrastructure, creating a meaningful entry point and pathway for aspiring athletes.

“Alignment between USA Rugby and CRAA is a key step towards realising that goal, and sits at the heart of our dedicated growth strategy aimed at unlocking the full potential of rugby in the US on the road to Men’s and Women’s Rugby World Cups in 2031, 2033 and beyond.”

USA Rugby are hoping to similarly boost the Women’s NCAA Emerging Sport project and accelerate the current effort to have 40 varsity rugby programmes in the country, along with expanding to further US regions.

This collaboration provides another opportunity to strengthen the American ecosystem, with collegiate rugby a significant step for players on their way to Test rugby with the Eagles, after youth, high school and club rugby participation.

 

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USA Rugby General Manager of High Performance, Tamara Sheppard said: “The bolstered partnership between USA Rugby and the college game is a critical step in building a stronger national pathway for student-athletes.

“By better resourcing the collegiate development system, we can create improved opportunities for athletes to progress to the highest levels of the game, and ultimately represent the United States in the Olympic Games and Rugby World Cup. This investment is instrumental in developing more Men’s and Women’s Eagles, it’s an exciting moment for student-athletes and the national team programmes alike.”

“The foundation of collegiate rugby today is the result of decades of dedication and leadership from conference administrators, coaches, and volunteers,” Bill Goren, Chief Executive Officer of USA Rugby, said.

“Through countless hours of often unseen and thankless work, CRAA have built a vibrant collegiate rugby community that has served generations of student-athletes. USA Rugby is deeply grateful for those contributions, and we are committed to building upon that foundation by investing additional resources while continuing to rely on the expertise and infrastructure of the CRAA community.”