The Red River Rugby Collegiate Conference is a college rugby conference in Division 1-A Rugby, formed during summer 2014. The conferences consists of many of the same schools from the Big 12 Conference that had previously been in the Allied Rugby Conference adding the Texas Christian University rugby team."THIRTY-SIX TEAMS TO PLAY FOR D1A CHAMPIONSHIP", D1Arugby.com, September 11, 2014.
The "Allied Rugby Conference" (ARC) was an annual rugby union competition played among universities in the South Central United States. ARC featured a spring 15s competition and a fall 7s competition. The ARC folded in the summer of 2014.
Member schools
Institution Location Founded Enrollment Nickname VarsitySports NCAA D1 Rugby Since Head CoachBaylorWaco, TX184515,195Bears16Big 12 Mason HeringTexasAustin, TX188351,525Longhorns 18SEC1985 Van StewartOklahomaNorman, OK189029,721Sooners19 SEC1974 Doug Neubauer North Texas Denton, TX 1890 39,454 Mean Green 16 AAC Andrew MarshallTexas A&MCollege Station, TX187653,337Aggies18SEC1968James LowreyTexas TechLubbock, TX192332,611Red Raiders16Big 12Phil Terrigno
Notes: Texas left the ARC during the summer of 2013 to play its regular season in the SouthWest Athletic Conference and its post season in the Varsity Cup. Texas is now a full member of the Red River Conference. Sam Houston State was a member of the ARC but is not a member of the Red River Conference. LSU left the Red River Conference.
+ Former member schools Institution Location Founded Enrollment Nickname VarsitySports NCAA D1 Rugby Since Head CoachLSU Baton Rouge, LA 1860 31,527 Tigers 21 SEC Bob "Big Red" Causey
Founding and early success The formation of the Allied Rugby Conference was announced in May 2012.Texas Rugby Union, Allied Rugby Conference - Press Release, http://texasrugbyunion.com/2012/05/15/allied-rugby-conference-press-release/ The Allied Rugby Conference was formed with three schools from the D1-AA Southwest Conference (Texas, Baylor, Sam Houston State), two schools from the D1-A Mid-South Conference (Oklahoma, Texas A&M), and one school from D2 (Texas Tech).
The formation of this new conference was part of the trend in college rugby of regrouping into traditional conferences to take advantage of existing brands and rivalries. Another goal behind forming the ARC was to assist clubs to reach their maximum potential and raise the standard of rugby throughout the region.Texas Rugby Union, Allied Rugby Conference - Press Release, http://texasrugbyunion.com/2012/05/15/allied-rugby-conference-press-release/ The conference also formed to establish a core group of name-recognizable institutions to market for sponsorship & recruitment on the collective college campuses.Rugby Mag, SW Conference Doesn't Include Texas A&M, Tech, April 28, 2011, https://www.rugbymag.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=658:southwest-conference-doesnt-include-texas-aam-tech&catid=48:mens-di-college&Itemid=208
Before the Conference had even begun play, they had already secured sponsorship from the World Rugby Shop,Rugby Mag, New College Conference Launching in Texas, May 15, 2012, http://www.rugbymag.com/men's-di-college/4574-new-college-conference-launching-in-texas.html and the Allied conference also secured a sponsorship with Gilbert. The ARC was formed to get the teams significant exposure from a marketing and brand perspective. Games are podcast and in some instances live web cast.Baylor Rugby Association, A Letter From BURFC, August 2, 2012, http://www.baylorrugby.org/a-letter-from-burfc/ The ARC webcasts a conference "game of the week" each Monday during the spring 2012 competition.Allied Rugby Announces Game of the Week Webcast, Feb. 15, 2013, http://www.alliedrugby.com/index.php/news/87-allied-rugby-announces-monday-night-game-of-the-week-webcast
Leadership TeShay Flowers is the Conference Commissioner.
Competitions The ARC announced a desire to pursue a bowl game type of event, which would involve playing matches against teams from neighboring conferences.Texas Rugby Union, Allied Rugby Conference - Press Release
Regular season
+ 2013 Table Results Team5–0 Texas A&M4–1 Texas3–2 Oklahoma2–3 Texas Tech1–4 Sam Houston State0–5 Baylor
Notes: Gold shading indicates qualified for the ARC championship.
Playoffs
+ARC ChampionshipDate Location Champion Final score Runner-up April 6, 2013 College Station, TX Texas A&M 45–5 Texas
Sevens The Allied Rugby Conference 7s is played every fall, and includes all conference teams plus select non-conference invited opponents.This Is American Rugby, Allied Rugby Conference's 2013 Fall 7s Season, August 9, 2013 The winner lands an automatic place in the USA Rugby Sevens Collegiate National Championships. The ARC also announced it aims to gain an automatic qualifier to the Collegiate Rugby Championship 7s event played every June in Philadelphia.Rugby Mag, New College Conference Launching in Texas, May 15, 2012
Date Location Champion Final score Runner-up Tournament MVP October 6, 2012 Norman, OK Texas A&M 12–7 Colorado State --
References
External links CRAA — Red River Conference