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With eyes firmly glued on the US Nationals in San Francisco next weekend to see who walks away with the coveted title, the tournament will also provide a great platform for selection ahead of the US All-Star Sevens Championships at Randalls Island in New York the following week.

With the 16 teams from the seven regions now set following the Pacific RFU qualifiers last weekend, the players will not only want to win the Nationals for their club, they will also be keen to impress in what will be their last chance before selection.

Players from teams like NOVA, Old Blue and Aspen, who are being billed as favourites for the US Nationals, have been scouted in all the qualifying tournaments and will have one eye on an All-Star slot.

There may well be the small matter of a six and a half hour flight, or well over 2,500 miles to cover to get from San Francisco to New York. But being given the nod for the All-Star Championships is a prestigous honour, and can put a player firmly on USA coach Al Caravelli's radar.

The All-Star Championship is split into two pools of four. Since the beginning of the Championships in 2001 an All-Star collegiate side is entered every year, with the USA Under-23 side thrown in the mix for good measure in the women’s division which runs concurrently.

The men’s first seeds, Southern California, based on their 31-17 victory over West in the final last year, will begin the defence of their title pooled with Mid-Atlantic, South and Pacific.

Having finished runners-up in the previous two years, Pacific will be looking to seek some revenge having lost in the 2006 and 2007 finals to pool opponents Southern California and Mid-Atlantic respectively.

Last year’s Bowl winners, Collegiate All-Stars, line up in Pool B against West, Midwest and Northeast.

In the women’s division, Midwest will be defending their title following their 19-17 victory over West, who lost in both the men’s and women’s finals. Midwest did well to knock Northeast off their perch, as they had won the three previous US All-Star Sevens Championships.

The 2005, 2006 and 2007 champions will be pooled with Midwest, USA U23 and South. In Pool B, last year’s Bowl winners Pacific meet West, Mid-Atlantic and Southern California.

Who do you think should be selected for the All-Star Sevens Championship? Have your say on the UR7s forum.
 

2009 Seedings

Men

1. Southern California
2. West
3. Mid-Atlantic
4. Midwest
5. Collegiates
6. Pacific
7. Northeast
8. South

Women

1. Midwest
2. West
3. Northeast
4. Mid-Atlantic
5. Pacific
6. Under-23s
7. Southern California
8. South