USA National Rugby Team

Bulletins


Hall Names Assistant Coach

(Berkeley, California) 4 April 2000 -- USA head coach Duncan Hall has named American rugby veteran and former USA head coach Ray Cornbill as his assistant.

Cornbill, who currently coaches Manhattan RFC in New York and steered the USA's development side in 1999, will be responsible for the backs unit during the Eagles' 2000 campaign that includes five Epson Cup matches and a one-off test against Ireland.

"Ilook forward to helping Duncan and the team assimilate many of the changing features of the modern game," said Cornbill. "The challenge will be to seek out and play to our advantages, such as good hard running and tackling, while establishing high levels of basic skill."

The New York-based researcher also acts as chairman of the National Team's selection panel at the annual All-Star Championship and served as an assistant coach on the Eagles' 1997 tour to Wales.

Domestically, Cornbill has coached the U.S. Marine Corps team the last three seasons, serves as a Level 1 coaching instructor and sits on the National Technical Panel.

His rugby resume also includes stints as the Director of Coaching for the Eastern Rugby Union, selector and head coach of the US Maccabiah Games team, head coach of New York's Old Blue and Eagles head coach in the late 70s/early 80s.

Head coach Hall said it wasn't only Cornbill's wealth of experience that made him the stand-out candidate: "I believe that finding a coach to complement the team philosophy is of paramount importance. From the development of the fundamental skills of rugby to the tactical game Ray can support our next phase of growth. Together with his willingness to impart his knowledge, it makes him the right man for the job."

Cornbill's appointment came after a review of candidates from throughout the rugby playing world. The international search process, which included worldwide advertising and union-to-union contact, drew applications from several major rugby playing nations.

Cornbill currently heads the Health Services Research and Development Unit at Mt. Sinai medical school and is also Academic Co-Director in the graduate program at the Baruch College school of business. He was previously Vice-President at Mt Sinai and NYU medical centers and Exectutive Director of North General Hospital in Harlem.

The USA National Team first sees action under the Hall-Cornbill combination in late May when the Eagles play in Japan. The team will then move to Manchester, New Hampshire June 3 to play Canada and faces Ireland at the same venue on June 10. The 2000 schedule also includes away games in Tonga and Fiji, and a match in San Francisco versus Samoa on July 15.

© USA National Rugby Team
Kurt Oeler, Media Relations
Hudson Rugby Fieldhouse
Berkeley, California 94720 4426
phone 510.643.1971 / fax 510.643.2192