The Fairfax Eagles were founded in 2007 as an expansion team of the American National Rugby League (AMNRL), but did not begin play until the 2008 season. They competed in the AMNRL for three years, making playoff appearances in 2009 and 2010. In January 2011 the Eagles became one of seven teams to depart from the AMNRL to form the new USA Rugby League (USARL), but the team ceased operations before the season. In 2012, new ownership announced the team, reorganized as the Northern Virginia Eagles, would return to the AMNRL for the 2012 season.
In 2014, the Northern Virginia Eagles joined the USA Rugby League (USARL). They suspended operations in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
History
The team was founded in 2007 by Steven Grant, who was club president. Based in Fairfax, Virginia, they were the AMNRL's second team to be based in the Washington, D.C. area, after the Washington, D.C. Slayers. The Eagles were originally scheduled to join the AMNRL for the 2007 season, but financial issues prevented them from competing.[1][2]
The Eagles joined the AMNRL for the 2008 season. That year they ended the season with a 3-5 record, finishing 6th overall and missing the playoffs on point differential. In the 2009 season they went 5-3 and advanced to the playoffs, but were defeated by the Aston Bulls in the first round. That year they also played the New England Rugby League representative side in the 2009 Winter Exhibition, winning by a score of 50-10. In the 2010 season they went 2–4 but qualified for the playoffs, losing to the New Haven Warriors in the first round.[3] After the season they joined with the Washington D.C. Slayers to form the DC Internationals representative side for the War at the Shore event in Sea Isle City, New Jersey. The Internationals went on to win the War at the Shore tournament, defeating the New York Knights in the final 10-0.[4]
On January 12, 2011, the Eagles became one of seven teams to leave the AMNRL to form the new USA Rugby League.[5][6][7] Prior to the start of the season, however, club president Steven Grant relocated due to work. The team attempted to develop a plan to continue in the USARL, but was unable to find a solution. The club announced it was ceasing operations in April 2011.[8][9]
The Eagles played most home games at Stratton Woods Park in Herndon in Fairfax County, Virginia.[10] They finished with an all-time record of 11 wins, 19 losses, and 1 draw.[8]
On November 26, 2011, the AMNRL announced that the team, reformed as the Northern Virginia Eagles, would compete in the 2012 season.[11] The team is scheduled to play in Manassas, Virginia and will focus on recruiting new players.[12]
On February 28, 2014, the USA Rugby League announced that the Northern Virginia Eagles would be joining the USARL as a member club.[13]
All-time scoreboard
This section needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(October 2023)
The United States national rugby league team represents the United States in international rugby league competitions. The team is managed by the USA Rugby League (USARL).
The New York Knights are a semi-professional rugby league football team based in New York City. The team currently plays in the USA Rugby League. They play their home games at Pier 40 in Hudson River Park.
The American National Rugby League (AMNRL) was the national governing body for rugby league in the United States from 1997 to 2014.
While rugby league has been played in the United States since 1954, with Australia and New Zealand playing games there on their return from the Rugby League World Cup in France, serious attempts to start the sport in the United States began only in the late 1970s. The establishment of a national team and a domestic competition in the late 20th century has seen more recent progress.
The Bucks County Sharks were a rugby league football team based in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The team currently plays in the USA Rugby League.
The Washington D.C. Slayers were a rugby league football team based in Washington, D.C. who last played in the USA Rugby League. They played their home games at Duke Ellington Field near Georgetown Hospital.
The Philadelphia Fight are a semi professional rugby league team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. They currently compete in the USA Rugby League, having formerly competed in the now defunct AMNRL. They play their home games at A. A. Garthwaite Stadium in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania.
The Jacksonville Axemen are a rugby league team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They currently play in the USA Rugby League (USARL). They play their home games at the North Practice Soccer Fields at the University of North Florida.
The Boston Bears are a rugby league football team based in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. The team plays in the USA Rugby League, and were founding members of the former North American Rugby League.
The New Haven Warriors were a rugby league football team based in New Haven, Connecticut, U.S. They played in the American National Rugby League (AMNRL) from 2006 to 2010 and in the USA Rugby League (USARL) from 2011 to 2012 before withdrawing. They played their home games at Ken Strong Stadium in West Haven, Connecticut.
The 2009 AMNRL season was the 12th season of the American National Rugby League (AMNRL). The Boston Thirteens joined the league as an expansion team, bringing the number of teams to eleven. The New York Knights won the Grand Final, defeating the Jacksonville Axemen.
The 2010 American National Rugby League season was the 13th season of the AMNRL. The Pittsburgh Vipers are the newest team to enter the competition and the Bucks County Sharks have withdrawn from the competition.
The Pittsburgh Sledgehammers are a rugby league football team based in the Pittsburgh area. They are currently confirmed to be affiliated with the new USA Rugby League. They play their games at Founders Field in Cheswick, Pennsylvania.
The Chicago Stockyarders are a semi-professional rugby league football team based in Chicago, Illinois. The team was established in 2010, and played two exhibition rugby league sevens games while preparing for a fuller exhibition schedule for the 2011 AMNRL season. They originally planned to join the American National Rugby League (AMNRL), however the league has since folded and plans are currently being made to join the current first grade U.S. competition, the USA Rugby League.
The USA Rugby League is the national governing body for rugby league in the United States.
The 2011 USARL season was the inaugural season of the USA Rugby League (USARL). The league was formed in January 2011 as a breakaway competition from the American National Rugby League (AMNRL). The regular season kicked off on June 4 and ended on July 30; the Jacksonville Axemen won the minor premiership with the best regular season record. The first round of playoffs were played on August 13, 2011, with the New Haven Warriors and Philadelphia Fight winning the round. The league's Grand Final took place on August 27 between the Philadelphia Fight and the New Haven Warriors. Philadelphia won 28–26, receiving their first national championship.
The 2014 USARL season was the fourth season of the USA Rugby League competition in the United States. It began on Saturday, May 31, and concluded with the Championship Final on Saturday, August 23. The Philadelphia Fight capped their first perfect season by defeating the Jacksonville Axemen 30-18 in Championship Final, claiming their third USARL Championship.
The 2014 AMNRL season is the 17th season of the American National Rugby League. The league shrunk from six to five teams following the Northern Virginia Eagles movement to the USARL. The season was eventually canceled.
The North American Rugby League (NARL) was an unsanctioned rugby league club competition in North America.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
