2017 Denver 7s Rugby TournamentJun 23, 2017 by Alex Goff
Black Dragon Hopes To Breathe Fire At Denver 7s
Black Dragon Hopes To Breathe Fire At Denver 7s
The Black Dragon rugby team may have the most imposing namesake of any squad at the Denver 7s Tournament, but it's the elite-level club's lineup that makes it an intriguing group to watch on Saturday at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, CO.
The Black Dragon rugby team may have the most imposing namesake of any squad at the Denver 7s Tournament, but it's the elite-level club's lineup that makes it an intriguing group to watch on Saturday at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, CO.
Affiliated somewhat with the Denver Harlequins, Black Dragon is joining the growing number of teams that rely less on its veteran 15s players for a summer sevens season and more on athletes who are still developing. This works out for everyone, as the 15s players have families and jobs to reacquaint themselves with, and the younger players are often looking for more challenges in the summer.
According to founder Angus Peacock, Black Dragon draws players from Colorado and New Mexico and only attends high-level tournaments such as the Denver 7s, LVI, or Rugbytown 7s. This year, Black Dragon will also play at the Stockholm 10s in August.
"We sometimes pull in one or two overseas guys to help bolster experience," Peacock said.
In the past team has had players from South Africa, France, and England.
"But essentially we're a vehicle for the further development of American players who have aspirations for higher honors but are not ready for the elite game yet," Peacock said.
The program is developing, too. One Black Dragon player, Donovan Ronan of Regis Jesuit University, is now playing with a team in Waikato, New Zealand.
This weekend, the Black Dragon team is competing in the nine-team qualifier division and features a mix of veterans from the Denver Harlequins and Albuquerque Aardvarks as well as some younger talent and "juniors" from the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs and Penn State.
Peacock helps finance the program, which also has some sponsors to help fund it. He is looking to put the team into an annual sevens season of about six tournaments. It's a young program working with young athletes and looking make a splash at the Denver 7s this weekend.
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Affiliated somewhat with the Denver Harlequins, Black Dragon is joining the growing number of teams that rely less on its veteran 15s players for a summer sevens season and more on athletes who are still developing. This works out for everyone, as the 15s players have families and jobs to reacquaint themselves with, and the younger players are often looking for more challenges in the summer.
According to founder Angus Peacock, Black Dragon draws players from Colorado and New Mexico and only attends high-level tournaments such as the Denver 7s, LVI, or Rugbytown 7s. This year, Black Dragon will also play at the Stockholm 10s in August.
"We sometimes pull in one or two overseas guys to help bolster experience," Peacock said.
In the past team has had players from South Africa, France, and England.
"But essentially we're a vehicle for the further development of American players who have aspirations for higher honors but are not ready for the elite game yet," Peacock said.
The program is developing, too. One Black Dragon player, Donovan Ronan of Regis Jesuit University, is now playing with a team in Waikato, New Zealand.
This weekend, the Black Dragon team is competing in the nine-team qualifier division and features a mix of veterans from the Denver Harlequins and Albuquerque Aardvarks as well as some younger talent and "juniors" from the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs and Penn State.Peacock helps finance the program, which also has some sponsors to help fund it. He is looking to put the team into an annual sevens season of about six tournaments. It's a young program working with young athletes and looking make a splash at the Denver 7s this weekend.
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