Despite an hour and twenty minutes of thunderstorm-related delays, Day 1 of the 2019 Rocky Mountain Challenge is complete. 

In Girls Tier I, the Rhinos Rugby Academy stormed out of the gate with a 94-0 victory over EIRA Midwest while also tallying a 24-0 victory over Team 5785. The Rhinos are all but assured of a place in the Girls Tier I championship, but would be wise to not overlook a tough Rugby Colorado side. Colorado has some work to do after losing to 5785 by a score of 27-15, and will need a win over Rhinos or a 5785 loss to EIRA Midwest to find a path into the final.

In Boys Tier I, EIRA SoCal blazed through Pool C with a +123 Points Differential in two matches over Rugby Colorado and EIRA Midwest Red, while Team 5785 Blue won its way through Pool B with victories over EIRA Heartland and the Badger Selects. Pool A saw a very sound EIRA Midwest Blue side defeat the Rhinos Rugby Academy and Team 5785 Green, though the Rhinos' performance sees them through to the semi-finals as the top pool runner-up. Sunday's semi-finals include EIRA SoCal vs. Rhinos and Team 5785 Blue vs. EIRA Midwest Blue.

In Girls Tier II, Rugby Colorado had two gutsy victories over Team 5785, and the two teams will meet again twice tomorrow. 5785 has an opportunity to secure the championship if they can rebound with two comeback wins, but with the winner being decided by overall head-to-head competition, Rugby Colorado only needs 1 win to secure the trophy.

In Boys Tier II - the largest field of the tournament - EIRA Heartland turned heads with an early upset over 5785 Blue, 27-22, and won Pool B with a follow-up 22-15 win over the Arizona Bobcats. In Pool C, EIRA Midwest Blue looked as good as advertised in wins over the Rhinos and Rugby Colorado. EIRA Midwest Blue will now face EIRA Heartland in a Sunday semi-final match to determine a place in the championship. Their opponent will be the winner of 4-team Pool A, which has a de facto semi-final match in a clash of undefeateds. EIRA SoCal takes on the Badger Selects after both sides defeated EIRA Midwest Red and Team 5785 Green, and the winner will meet the Heartland-Midwest Blue winner in the tournament championship. 

In the Girls Middle School division, Rugby Texas put together victories over Team 5785 and Superior Rugby to take the lead in the competition. However, Rugby Texas will need to repeat their Saturday performance to win the double round-robin competition with wins again on Sunday. 5785 is nipping at their heels and could easily surpass them with a win in their pivotal early-morning match.

In the Boys Middle School division, the Rhinos Academy and EIRA Midwest Blue appear on a collision course in the single round-robin competition, but shouldn't overlook their remaining opponents. They currently lead the pool with 2-0 records apiece, but have Team 5785 within striking distance in third. EIRA SoCal and EIRA Midwest Red had tough outings but also put in solid performances. EIRA SoCal's 17-15 loss to Midwest Blue indicates they are better than their record reflects. Tomorrow's matches include Rhinos taking on 5785 and EIRA Midwest Blue, as well as EIRA Midwest Blue versus EIRA Midwest Red, EIRA Midwest Red versus EIRA SoCal, and EIRA SoCal versus Team 5785.

Finally, in the Women's Club 7s Qualifier, last year's nationally 9th-ranked Rocky Mountain Magic won the 7s division championship with a 26-5 victory over the Kansas City Jazz. The Magic only allowed two tries in all four matches, and ended the tournament with 139 Points For and only 10 Points Against. RMM affiliate Black Magic and Peaks Rugby of Utah also competed in the 4-team event. The final Women's Club 7s Qualifier will be in Missouri in July.

Rocky Mountain Rugby Challenge Seminar
June 14 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm