# 1980 National Rugby Championships

The 1980 National Rugby Championships were a series of tournaments organized to determine a national champion in several divisions for United States rugby teams. The divisions included Men's/Women's Club, college, Military, Sevens, and Interterritorial.

## Men's Club

The 1980 National Club Rugby Championship was sponsored by Michelob and took place at Veteran's Memorial Stadium in Long Beach, California on May 10 and 11. The teams featured in the tournament were the champions of the four sub unions of USARFU. The Berkeley Old Blues won the title defeating St. Louis in the final after beating their New York namesakes in the semifinals for the second straight year. The All-Whites of Evansville, Indiana took third place. Whit Everett of Berkeley Old Blues was named MVP.
| Regional Semifinal | Regional Semifinal | Regional Final | Regional Final | | National Semifinal | National Semifinal | | National Final | National Final |
| April 26 - San Francisco, CA | April 26 - San Francisco, CA | | | | | | |
| Old Blues | 16 | | | | | | |
| Old Blues | 16 | April 27 - San Francisco, CA | April 27 - San Francisco, CA | | | | | |
| Los Angeles RC | 12 | April 27 - San Francisco, CA | April 27 - San Francisco, CA | | | | |
| Los Angeles RC | 12 | Old Blues | 24 | | | | |
| April 26 - San Francisco, CA | April 26 - San Francisco, CA | | Old Blues | 24 | | | | |
| April 26 - San Francisco, CA | April 26 - San Francisco, CA | Old Puget Sound Beach | 12 | | | | |
| Old Puget Sound Beach | 15 | Old Puget Sound Beach | 12 | | | | |
| Old Puget Sound Beach | 15 | | | | May 10 – Long Beach, CA | May 10 – Long Beach, CA | | |
| BATS | 8 | | | | May 10 – Long Beach, CA | May 10 – Long Beach, CA | |
| BATS | 8 | | | | Old Blues (CA) | 6 | |
| April 27 - Virginia Beach, VA | April 27 - Virginia Beach, VA | | | | | Old Blues (CA) | 6 | |
| April 27 - Virginia Beach, VA | April 27 - Virginia Beach, VA | | | | Old Blue (NY) | 3 | |
| Old Blue | | | | | Old Blue (NY) | 3 | |
| Old Blue | | April 27 - Virginia Beach, VA | April 27 - Virginia Beach, VA | | | | | |
| | | Old Blue | 15 | | | | |
| April 27 - Virginia Beach, VA | April 27 - Virginia Beach, VA | | Old Blue | 15 | | | | |
| April 27 - Virginia Beach, VA | April 27 - Virginia Beach, VA | Norfolk | 9 | | | | |
| Norfolk | 17 | Norfolk | 9 | | | | |
| Norfolk | 17 | | | | | | | May 11 – Long Beach, CA | May 11 – Long Beach, CA |
| Atlanta Renegades | 11 | | | | | | | May 11 – Long Beach, CA | May 11 – Long Beach, CA |
| Atlanta Renegades | 11 | | | | | | | Old Blues (CA) | 20 |
| April 20 - Norman, OK | April 20 - Norman, OK | | | | | | | | Old Blues (CA) | 20 |
| April 20 - Norman, OK | April 20 - Norman, OK | | | | | | | St. Louis Falcons | 6 |
| St. Louis Falcons | 12 | | | | | | | St. Louis Falcons | 6 |
| St. Louis Falcons | 12 | April 27 - Denver, CO | April 27 - Denver, CO | | | | | | |
| Oklahoma U. | 0 | April 27 - Denver, CO | April 27 - Denver, CO | | | | | | |
| Oklahoma U. | 0 | St. Louis Falcons | 29 | | | | | | |
| April 20 - Austin, TX | April 20 - Austin, TX | | St. Louis Falcons | 29 | | | | | | |
| April 20 - Austin, TX | April 20 - Austin, TX | Houston Old Boys | 9 | | | | | | |
| Houston Old Boys | | Houston Old Boys | 9 | | | | | | |
| Houston Old Boys | | | | | May 10 – Long Beach, CA | May 10 – Long Beach, CA | | | | |
| | | | | | St. Louis Falcons | 20 | | | |
| April 27 - Dayton, OH | April 27 - Dayton, OH | | | | | St. Louis Falcons | 20 | | | |
| April 27 - Dayton, OH | April 27 - Dayton, OH | | | | Evansville (IN) | 9 | | Third place | Third place |
| Evansville All-Whites | 13 | | | | Evansville (IN) | 9 | | Third place | Third place |
| Evansville All-Whites | 13 | April 27 - Dayton, OH | April 27 - Dayton, OH | | | | | May 11 – Long Beach, CA | May 11 – Long Beach, CA |
| West Side Harlequins | 0 | April 27 - Dayton, OH | April 27 - Dayton, OH | | | | | May 11 – Long Beach, CA | May 11 – Long Beach, CA |
| West Side Harlequins | 0 | Evansville All-Whites | 25 | | | | | Evansville (IN) | 12 |
| April 27 - Dayton, OH | April 27 - Dayton, OH | | Evansville All-Whites | 25 | | | | | Evansville (IN) | 12 |
| April 27 - Dayton, OH | April 27 - Dayton, OH | Akron | 9 | | | | | Old Blue (NY) | 7 |
| Akron | | Akron | 9 | | | | | Old Blue (NY) | 7 |

### Semifinals

* 10 May 1980
| Old Blues (CA) | 6–3 | Old Blue (NY) |
| Try: Gary Bunce c Con: Bill Armstrong (1/1) | | Pen: Malcolm Kimble |
* Long Beach, CA
* 10 May 1980
| St. Louis Falcons | 20–9 | Evansville All-Whites |
* Long Beach, CA

### Third place

* 11 May 1980
| Evansville All-Whites | 12–7 | Old Blue (NY) |
* Long Beach, CA

### Final

* 11 May 1980
| Old Blues (CA) | 18–6 | St. Louis Falcons |
| Try: John Dixon Bill Armstrong Mark Richter Pen: Bill Armstrong (2) | | Pen: Dennis Henley (2) |
* Long Beach, CA

## Women's Club

The 1980 Women's National Rugby Classic took place on May 24–26 in Oakbrook, IL. The team from Florida State won the championship with five victories: FSU 29-3 Beantown, FSU 20-0 Ohio State, FSU 13-0 and 19–6 against Chicago and the 14-0 championship match against Hoyden of Atlanta, GA. En route to the final Hoyden dropped their opener 0-3 against Wisconsin then won two overtime games against Minnesota 8-4 and Wisconsin 4-0. Wisconsin defeated Chicago 6-0 for third place while Ohio State took fifth place with a 3-0 win over Minnesota. Seven members of Florida State were named to the all-tournament team: Renate Brady, Vicki Bowlin, Kathy Flores, Mary Holmes, Candy Orsini, Jamie McAllister, and Karen Hornsby.

### Final

* 26 May 1980
| Florida State | 14–0 | Hoyden(GA) |
| Try: Andra Douglas Susie Rosen 50' Susie Rosen 75' c Con: Sharon Jamison | | |
* Oakbrook, IL

## College

The 1980 College championship was won by University of California at Berkeley. Air Force was runner-up.

## Military

The 1980 Military Club Rugby Championship took place at Wright–Patterson AFB in Ohio and was won by Coronado Navy with a 12–4 win over Scott AFB.

## Sevens

The 1980 National Sevens Rugby Tournament was hosted by the Hartford Wanderers and took place on June 14, 1980, at Sterling Field in West Hartford, Connecticut. The twelve team tournament was won by the Virginia Duck Brothers.
* Virginia Duck Brother 28-10 Hartford Wanderers(Final)

## ITT

The Inter Territorial Tournament involved the four regional rugby unions comprising the United States RFU: Pacific Coast RFU, Western RFU, Midwest RFU, and the Eastern Rugby Union. The region teams are formed from selected players from the sub regional rugby unions. Subsequently, the USA Eagles are selected from the four regional teams after the ITT concludes. The 1980 edition was sponsored by Michelob and was played at Oak Brook Polo Field in Oak Brook, Illinois from May 24–26. The Pacific Coast RFU repeated as tournament champions. Results:
* 24 May 1980
| Pacific Coast | 16–6 | Midwest |
| Try: Tim O'Brien Pen: Steve Gray (3) Drop: Ian Gunn | | Pen: Dick Cooke (2) |
* Oakbrook, IL
* 24 May 1980
| Western | 13–12 | Eastern |
| Pen: Doug Park | | |
* Oakbrook, IL
* 25 May 1980
| Pacific Coast | 25–6 | Eastern |
| Try: Mike Fanucchi (2) | | |
* Oakbrook, IL
* 25 May 1980
| Midwest | 22–6 | Western |
| Drop: Fred Schofield | | Pen: Park |
* Oakbrook, IL
* 26 May 1980
| Western | 7–42 | Pacific Coast |
| Try: 1 Pen: 1 | | Try: Lin Walton Ed Burlingham Deaton Lin Walton Con: Dennis Jablonski 3 |
* Oakbrook, IL
* 26 May 1980
| Midwest | 9–3 | Eastern |
| Pen: Fred Warmbrodt (2) Drop: Fred Schofield | | Pen: Tommy Smith |
* Oakbrook, IL
| Team | Team | W | L | F | A |
| 1 | Pacific Coast Grizzlies | 3 | 0 | 83 | 19 |
| 2 | Midwest Thunderbirds | 2 | 1 | 37 | 25 |
| 3 | Western Mustangs | 1 | 2 | 26 | 76 |
| 4 | Eastern Colonials | 0 | 3 | 21 | 47 |