USA Rugby Elite Cup
| USA Rugby Elite Cup | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Sport | Rugby union football |
| Inaugural season | 2013 (first and only) |
| Replaced by | USA Rugby Super League |
| Number of teams | 8 |
| Country | United States (USA Rugby) |
| Champions | San Francisco Golden Gate RFC[1] |
| Website | Elite Cup |
The USA Rugby Elite Cup is a defunct American rugby union football competition which ran for just one season in 2013. The competition was founded in 2012,[2] replacing the USA Rugby Super League involving top USA rugby clubs.[3] The inaugural Elite Cup tournament began on 16 March 2013, but the competition folded at the end of 2013.[4]
Format
Pool stage
Two pools of four teams play three games, one against each other team in their pool. There is no inter-pool play. The pools are divided geographically, East & West. Four points are awarded for a win and two points for a draw. A bonus point is awarded for a loss by seven points or fewer, or for scoring four tries or more. The top two teams from each pool qualify for the semi-finals. The two pool winners have home field advantage.
Knock-out stage
The semi-finals are East 1 vs East 2 and West 1 vs West 2. The semi-finals are played at the home stadiums of the higher-seeded teams.
Teams
| Team | Pool | Stadium (capacity) | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston | East | Franklin Park (500) | Boston, MA |
| Denver Barbarians | West | Shea Stadium (Denver) | Denver, CO |
| Glendale Raptors | West | Infinity Park (4,000) | Glendale, CO |
| Life | East | Life University Rugby Complex | Marietta, GA |
| New York Athletic Club (or NYAC) | East | Travers Island | New York City |
| Old Blue | East | Columbia Soccer Stadium (3,500) | New York City |
| Seattle Saracens | West | Magnuson Park | Seattle, WA |
| San Francisco Golden Gate (or SFGG) | West | Ray Sheeran Field | San Francisco, CA |
Results
| Year | Location | Final | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | Score | Runner-up | ||
| 2013[1] | Infinity Park Glendale, Colorado |
San Francisco Golden Gate | 31 - 26 | Life |
References
- 1 2 "SFGG Take Elite Cup". Rugbymag. May 25, 2013. Retrieved February 25, 2014.
- ↑ "USA Rugby Confirms 'Elite Cup'". Rugbymag. August 31, 2012. Retrieved May 25, 2013.
- ↑ Thisisamercanrugby.com. "Rugby Super League President Discusses Elite Cup". Thisisamercanrugby.com.
- ↑ "The Fallout From The Elite Cup Demise - What Next For D1". Last word on sports. 19 January 2014.