Rugby 2019: The Year that Was

Welcome to my 2019 Rugby Year in Review! In this multipart article, I will take a look back at rugby union in 2019 from my own perspective with a run down on key tournaments of interest to me and share a few special moments I was fortunate enough to enjoy this year and super folks from the rugby community whom I met or saw in 2019.

PART I: What a year!

My 2019 rugby year began a little early with a visit in late December 2018 to the World Rugby Hall of Fame in Rugby, England. During the 2015 Rugby World Cup in England I drove north and south several times, passing right by Rugby but I never found spare time to stop. So I promised myself I would eventually pay the place a visit. Perhaps it was best I avoided it altogether in 2015. I suspect there were likely plenty of world cup tourists compared to my visit in late 2018. I did not have to fight any throngs or hunt and peck for parking. It all worked out quite well. Should you ever find yourself in the area, the World Rugby Hall of Fame is well worth a visit.

Early glory for USA Rugby before nearly a century of obscurity

USA's only individual HOF inductee: the incredible Phaidra Knight (inducted in 2017)

I will always remember 2019 as an amazing rugby year both for the sport and for me personally. In a year that saw the Springboks capture their third Webb Ellis Cup in Japan we also saw the USA Eagles Men’s Sevens team soar to new heights, even threatening to take the HSBC series crown right up to the final round in Paris. The USA Women's Sevens secured their first ever tournament win with a victory in France. But Springboks and Eagles glory were not the only highlights for 2019. Let’s look at a few key events and personalities for the year and I’ll add my personal touch by mentioning a few of my own highlights this past year in Part II.