Mike Purcell (rugby union)

Mike Purcell (born December 6, 1951) played wing for the United States national rugby union team from 1980 to 1987, earning 14 caps and scoring 4 tries.[1] The U.S. Rugby Foundation inducted Purcell into the United States Rugby Hall of Fame in 2015.[2]

Mike Purcell
Date of birthDecember 6, 1951
Place of birthErie, PA, United States
Height5'11"
Weight185 lb (84 kg)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
1980–87 United States 14 16
Teams coached
Years Team
Davis High School
UC Davis

Purcell played for the U.S. at the inaugural 1987 Rugby World Cup where he scored two tries — the first in a victory over Japan, the other in a loss to England.[3] Purcell also played for the U.S. national rugby sevens team. He played for the first U.S. sevens team at the 1981 Hong Kong Sevens, where he scored the U.S. team's first ever try.[4]

Following his playing career, Purcell coached rugby. He has coached Davis High School.[5] He was the head coach for the UC Davis Aggies, which won the 2015 Pac Western conference and the D1-AA national title.[6]

References
  1. Mike Purcell test matches, ESPNscrum. Retrieved January 24, 2016.
  2. "USRFF Announces US Rugby Hall of Fame Class", Goff Rugby Report, March 16, 2015.
  3. "USRFF Announces US Rugby Hall of Fame Class", Goff Rugby Report, March 16, 2015.
  4. "2015 US Rugby Hall of Fame Class Named" Archived 2015-03-19 at the Wayback Machine, Rugby Today, March 16, 2015.
  5. "After a six-year absence, prep rugby returns to Davis", Davis Enterprise, Bruce Gallaudet, November 14, 2012.
  6. "Pac Western Starts", Goff Rugby Report, January 22, 2016.


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