A Century Later, the U.S. Defends Its Olympic Rugby Title

The International Olympic Committee’s announcement, in October, 2009, that rugby union would make its return to the Summer Olympics in 2016 resurrected a long-forgotten American triumph. Nearly a century has passed since the Olympics featured rugby, and at no point has a conversation about the sport’s contemporary powerhouses included the United States. But when the torch is lit in Rio de Janeiro, the U.S. men’s team, called the Eagles, will take the field at Deodoro Stadium to defend a ninety-two-year-old championship.