As the rugby season winds down in New Mexico (except for the upcoming Rio Grande 7's tournament in late May and a reported visiting team from Wales coming to the Duke City to play the University of New Mexico... hey, I may actually report on that when it happens), it's time to turn back to the national rugby team, and the disaster running through the national rugby office in Boulder.

(Let me get it out of the way now, and say that if they offered me the chance to run USA Rugby, or do the PR for them, I'd do it in a heartbeat)

The "transition team" is now in place, they are going to find a CEO in the next few months (I hope). Today it was announced that New Zealander Peter Thorburn will take the helm of the U.S. National Team, just in time for the hectic summer season, with matches in the North America 4 (with Canada), the Churchill Cup (with Canada, Scotland, England, et al) and World Cup qualifier matches.

I don't know much about Thorburn, but I'd have rather seen Ian Jones, the coach for UNM, as national team coach. He's a really smart rugby guy, good with the players and knows how to get the most out of not much, which is a requirement for working with the underfunded, underfed, underdog USA Rugby offices. And I'm not the only one, Brian Lowe at American Rugby News also gave him a few lines of love in a recent column.

It's good that USA Rugby found someone to run the team, even if the players on the national team are upset that they don't know what's going on.

No one ever knows what's going on up in Boulder, why should the national players be different? I only hope the USA Rugby board can get their act together.

And on another note, my girlfriend's cat has been missing for a week and a half now. We really hope he's just out having a good time. If you can spare a few good thoughts, shoot them over her way for her kitty. Plus I'm housesitting for her this week, she gets to go to Indy for 8 days to train some nurses on how to work over the phone.

Sounds like fun!