This past weekend the University of Central Florida hosted the 20th Annual Todd Miller Charity Sevens Tournament. All proceeds from the tournament go directly to Todd Miller, who was a UCF rugger who severely injured his neck and spine during a rugby game on October 26, 1991. The injury left him paralyzed from the waist down with limited upper body movement, thus altering his life forever. It is through this tournament that the Florida rugby community gets together to remember and support Todd and also to celebrate the sport he loves.

This year’s tournament featured men's and college teams from all across the state of Florida; Orlando, Daytona, Miami, Naples, Boca Raton, Brevard, Pasco, Ft. Lauderdale and college teams FSU, USF, FAU and the hosts UCF.

The games started under overcast skies as the treat of rain loomed, but the quality of rugby was not diminished due to the weather. As the day went on three teams clearly separated themselves in pool play with unblemished marks, Orlando, Daytona & Boca Raton. The fourth team that emerged from pool play was Florida State University, which moved on with the best points differential of several 2-1 teams on the day.

In the Bowl Final, Miami RFC outlasted FAU 24-21. Miami's physicality and patience at the point of contact let them take control of the game and capitalize on any FAU mistakes.

The Plate Final pitted Ft. Lauderdale RFC against the University of South Florida. This game saw young a USF side come up against a very well organized & patient Ft. Lauderdale attack that starved USF of the ball and scoring opportunities. Ft. Lauderdale emerged victors, 19-7.

The Cup Final was a rematch from the Cup Finals of the Surfin Sevens Tournament the week prior as Daytona and Orlando squared off for a tournament title once again. These two teams separated themselves from the rest of the field as the day wore on by racking up the points with quick-scoring offenses while stifling their opponents with well-organized defenses. Daytona struck first with some well-played ball off of a mishandled kick and promptly took the lead at 7-0. Orlando found themselves on the defensive again as a put in at the scrum was stolen. Daytona was off with some quality passing to find the try zone again for a 14-0 lead. It was a back and forth battle until the final minute of the half when Orlando launched a good attacking sequence only to be let down by a costly knock on and Daytona quickly took advantage with a nice counter attack, making it 21-0 at the half. With Orlando's captain out with injury just before halftime and pride on the line Orlando came out in the second half and played inspired defense, shutting down Daytona's attacks and scoring a try under the posts as time expired, showing there was no quit in them. Daytona prevailed 21-7 to take the 20th Todd Miller Tournament. Both teams are headed to the South Championships in July and are excited that this rivalry has been renewed and look to continue it in Atlanta.

The Todd Miller Tournament has long been the end of the summer 7s season in Florida, but this year it served as the warm up to a true Florida championship that takes place Saturday, July 9 in Daytona. This year under the guidance of Daytona's Coach Brian Richardson, the FRU started the Florida Elite Sevens Series to help prepare those teams who truly want to improve their play. "We need to play more 7s games in the summer between tournaments if we expect to go onto the Championships and compete at a higher level,” Brian Richardson of Daytona said. "These stops allow us to give newer players a chance to prove themselves and gain playing experience they may not get at a conventional tournament."

With multiple stops around the state throughout the summer similar to the IRB format, eight teams were invited to participate in a points-based system to determine a Florida Champion and help to evaluate talent for an FRU 7s All Star Team. The final stop will be in Daytona at 10,000 seat, multi-use Municipal Stadium. Once again the rivals from Daytona and Orlando are squaring off for the championship as the clear leaders in points coming into the final stop.

The South played Jamaica in a friendly Saturday in Kingston, Jamaica. Both sides were first-round knockout losers in the NACRA tournament, with Jamaica losing narrowly to Cayman and the South similarly to Mexico. The South, driven by their Mexican experience, challenged Jamaica to play in Jamaica, and they accepted.

The South had four team changes from the Mexico game due to injury and availability. Mathew Hughson and Ty Elkins from Charlotte were drafted into the backs, with Jarret Falcon (New Orleans) and Dave Meehan (Boca Raton) joining the forwards.

Jamaica kicked off and the first blood was drawn by the South in the 10th minute as scrumhalf Anthony Alexander (Little Rock) finished off some great approach work by the forwards. His try was converted by club mate Chance Hugh.

The forwards continued to seek supremacy on both sides and Jamaica showed flashes of brilliance with dangerous break-outs by their talented and fast backs, which asked many questions of the South defense.

In the 20th minute, a concerted drive by the South pack through multiple phases saw flanker Tim Barford of Loughborough University, who had taken over pack leadership while skipper Shawn O’Brien (Johnson City) was off for repairs, drive over from close in. Conversion by Hugh took the score to 14-0.

Jamaica continued to press for cracks in the South defense and were eventually rewarded with a break away try coming from pressure. The conversion attempt failed.

The game ebbed and flowed both ways, before a game-ending injury to hooker Owen Sharer (University of South Carolina) saw him replaced by Jarret Falcon of New Orleans, with Barford moving to hooker.

The pack stepped up the pressure on Jamaica creating more and more opportunities for the South backs, who were becoming increasingly penetrative and confident. Then, man of the match Mark Fulmer (Little Rock) delivered two killer blows with two tries in the final two minutes of the first half, with one converted. Half time score: South 26, Jamaica 5

Skipper O’Brien did not return for the second half, and was replaced by Rob Hoffman of New Orleans at 8. The South also brought speedster Ty Elkins (Charlotte) on to add fresh legs to the attack at the start of the second half. These impact changes were immediately effective as the South piled on the pressure.

Jason Forseman was able to wriggle through for a try 14 minutes into the second half as Jamaica were pinned back with some great tactical kicking from No. 10 Jeff Reuther, who continued to put Jamaica on the back foot. This try was again converted to make it 33-5.

Jamaica didn’t not lie down, soaking up waves of approach work by the rejuvenated South pack, but the pressure told when Fulmer was able to score his third try of the game through a well worked overlap -- 40-5.

Jamaica made their changes, and their strength in offloads led to some anxious moments as they penetrated the South line only to often lose the ball on turnovers coming from resolute defensive tackling by the South backs.

A counter-attack saw the South go further ahead with an opportunist try ahead by New Orleans sub Rob Hoffman, which went unconverted, making it 45-5.
The South closed the final quarter by tightening the screws. They brought on their subs -- Abukuppeh of Little Rock and trainer Sean Borman of Boca -- before delivering the final blow with a try from Mathew Hughson of Charlotte, the score again converted by the impeccable boot of Chance, who was 6-for-8 on the day. Final score 52-5.