Belmont Shore Rugby Club is an American rugby union team named after the Belmont Shore neighborhood of Long Beach, California, which has a tradition of amateur rugby.
 | ||
| Full name | Belmont Shore Rugby Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Union | USA Rugby | |
| Founded | 1974 | |
| Location | Long Beach, California, US | |
| Ground(s) | Long Beach State rugby field[1] | |
| President | Stuart Ledsam | |
| Coach(es) | Ray Egan | |
| League(s) | Pacific Rugby Premiership | |
| ||
| Official website | ||
| www | ||
History
editThe Belmont Shore team was founded in 1974, and was one of the original US Rugby Super League teams in 1997. The team has been in the Super League Finals in seven of the past ten championships. They have been league champions four times, most recently in 2007. They were runners-up to the New York Athletic Club team in 2005, and to the San Diego–based Old Mission Beach Athletic Club team in 2006.
Belmont Shore dropped out of the Rugby Super League in October, 2009.[2] In 2014 it joined the Pacific Rugby Premiership.
Club honours
edit- Rugby Super League Champions: 1998, 2003, 2004, 2007
- Rugby Super League Runner-up: 1999, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008
- US Men's Division I National Championship Runner-up: (15s) 2010
- US Men's 7s National Champions: 2009
- US Men's 7s National Runner-Up: 2008, 2010
- US Men's 7s National Champions: 2011
- US Men's 7s National Champions: 2012
- US Men's Division I National Champions (15's): 2012
Teams
editBelmont Shore features adult and youth divisions. The adult division competes in the Pacific Rugby Premiership & Division I; the youth division features many teams - U-8 through U19.
Sponsorship
editThe SuperLeague's primary sponsor is Michelob Amber Bock, with each individual team receiving a portion of those revenues. In addition to Amber Bock, Belmont Shore has individual sponsorships. Notable primary sponsors include CP Ships and Dr Pepper/7Up. Also DCL Direct (Direct Container Line) and Kudu Rugby.[4]
Notable players
editNote: caps and participation are accurate as of 10 August 2006
United States national team
edit- Mike Hercus, fly-half, thirty-six international caps, 387 international points.[5]
- Chris Ostentowski, prop, eight international caps [6][7]
- Francois Viljoen, fullback, thirteen international caps (63 points in international tests) [8][9]
Other notable players
edit- Craig Wells, centre, Australia U21 - 1990,91, NSW Waratahs - 1991,92 (10 x caps), Australian Wallaby World Cup Training Squad & Australia "B" - 1991, ACT Brumbies Super 12s - 1998,99 (2 x caps), Australian Classic Wallabies - 1999, USA Super League National Champion - 2004,07 (Belmont Shore), USA Classic Eagles - 2008
- Lee Peina, halfback, Northland[10]
- Joe Taufete'e
- Mike Te'o
Notable coaches
editOther rugby teams in Long Beach
editBesides Belmont Shore RFC, there is the Belmont Shore Women's Rugby Football Club (nicknamed the "Landsharks", they have two national championships),[11] Coast Women's RFC,[12] and a men's club team at Long Beach State (which has made the National Final Four on four occasions),[13]
References
edit- ^ "Belmont Shore Pitch".
- ^ "AmericanRugbyNews.com Shore drops out of RSL". Archived from the original on 2010-02-03. Retrieved 2009-10-12.
- ^ Staff, RUGBYMag. "Past Champions - Men". www.rugbymag.com. Archived from the original on 2013-04-24. Retrieved 2024-12-20.
- ^ "Home". Belmont Shore Rugby Club.
- ^ "Rugby Teams, Scores, Stats, News, Fixtures, Results, Tables". ESPN.com.
- ^ "| USA Rugby". Archived from the original on March 11, 2007.
- ^ "Chris Ostentowski Player Profile on belmontshorerfc.com". Archived from the original on 2006-02-12. Retrieved 2006-08-10.
- ^ "| USA Rugby". usa.rugby. Archived from the original on March 11, 2007.
- ^ "Francois Viljoen Player Profile on belmontshorerfc.com". Archived from the original on 2006-02-12. Retrieved 2006-08-10.
- ^ "Lee Peina Player Profile on belmontshorerfc.com". Archived from the original on 2006-02-12. Retrieved 2006-08-10.
- ^ "Home". bswrfc.com.
- ^ "Coast Women's Rugby Football Club". Archived from the original on 2007-02-04. Retrieved 2007-02-23.
- ^ "CSULB Official Rugby Website". Archived from the original on 2007-01-08. Retrieved 2007-01-09.
