A few notes here.
This was the first Collegiate Rugby Sevens Invitational
Sevens is a seven on seven variation of the traditional 15 a side game. Sevens is a very fast paced game and it is quick, only 7 minuted halves.
Many of the teams that are playing in this tournament are also the teams that have traditionally had good 15 a side college rugby. BYU was invited to play in the tournament, but turned it down due to the Sunday schedule.
The California dominance they keep on talking about is referring to 15 a side rugby, but their sevens team in this tournament is very very good as well. I am sure they will dominate sevens as well, it is just that this is really the first real big collegiate sevens tournament. Cal is also at a comparative advantage in rugby, because at Cal rugby is a varsity sport. Thus the players get the athletic advising, training, tutoring, etc... that their NCAA athletes get. Plus they have significant scholarship money for their players as well.
Why on NBC? Those who follow the Olympics closely know that the IOC voted to add sevens rugby to the 2016 Olympics. The international rugby board agreed to do away with their sevens world cup in order to make the Olympics the biggest sevens rugby event in the world. So NBC is the TV station that has the Olympic contract, thus I am sure they agreed to air this event to try to popularize sevens rugby in the US before the 2016 Olympics. I wouldn't be surprised if they air the USA sevens tournament held in Las Vegas annually as well, which pulls an international field of teams.
The Utah guy who they keep on talking about moving to their football team looks like a stud. He actually played in the 2007 Rugby World Cup (15 a side rugby) for the Samoan national team at only 19 years old. He was the youngest competitor ever in the event.
