The Bingham Cup will remain in residence alongside Sydney
Harbour until 2010, as the Sydney Convicts retained possession of the
IGRAB World Championship at The Bingham Cup tournament, held June 13-15 in Dublin, Ireland. The Convicts defeated the Kings Cross Steelers of London 18-3 in a hard hitting final match.

Earlier in the day three clubs took home Bingham Cup hardware for the first time. The World Barbarians defeated the Convicts Second XV 22-0 for the Plate, Atlanta Bucks bested the Steelers Second XV 12-5 for the Bowl, and the Ulster Titans defeated Toronto Muddy York 29-5 for the newly created Shield. The Titans were playing in their first ever Bingham Cup.  Atlanta’s and Muddy York’s finishes represented the highest ever Bingham Cup standing for each club.
Richie Whyte, Nick Costello, Nick Barneville, Aodan Bourke and all of
the host Emerald Warriors deserve IGRAB’s undying thanks for providing each Bingham Cup participant with a lifetime of great memories. Their tireless efforts, along with the title sponsorship of Paddy Power made Bingham Cup 2008 the best ever and set the standard for future events.

Final 2008 Bingham Cup Standings

Cup

1. Sydney Convicts
2. Kings Cross Steelers
3. Gotham Knights
4. San Francisco Fog

Cup Quarter-finalists: Washington Renegades, Manchester Village Spartans, Seattle Quake, Los Angeles Rebellion

Plate

1. World Barbarians
2. Sydney Convicts 2

Plate Semi-finalists: San Francisco Fog 2, Cardiff Lions
Plate Quarter-finalists: Emerald Warriors, Dallas Diablos, Washington Renegades 2, Chicago Dragons

Bowl

1. Atlanta Bucks
2. Kings Cross Steelers 2

Bowl Semi-finalists: Minneapolis Mayhem, Philadelphia Gryphons
Bowl Quarter-finalists: Gotham Knights 2, Northern Stags, Phoenix Storm, Boston Ironsides

Shield

1. Ulster Titans
2. Muddy York

Shield Semi-finalists: French Barbarians, Village Spartans 2
Shield Quarter-finalists: Copenhagen Scrum, Amsterdam Lowlanders

IGRAB is pleased to announce that Dublin’s Emerald Warriors RFC have beat out bids from Paris and Sydney to host the next Bingham Cup competition in June 2008.

“All of the bids reflected the great spirit that characterizes our organization,” said IGRAB chairman Raimundo Martinez. “After careful consideration by the IGRAB selection committee, it is my pleasure to announce that we will be drinking Guinness in 2008 in Dublin!”

The Mark Kendall Bingham Memorial Rugby Tournament is the largest amateur 15s rugby event in the world. The 2006 tournament, hosted by the Gotham Knights RFC May 2006 in New York City, saw thirty international teams and over 700 rugby players competing over three days.

Endorsed by the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU), the 2008 competition will take place at the Dublin City University (DCU) Sports Complex on 13-15 June, and will include both women’s and men’s rugby.

“The Irish Rugby Football Union extends its best wishes and message of support to the Emerald Warriors rugby team and its participation in the Bingham Cup rugby tournament,” said Philip Browne, Chief Executive of the IRFU.

The Bingham Cup - sometimes referred to as the gay Rugby World Cup - is named for Mark Bingham, a member of the San Francisco Fog RFC who gave his life on September 11, 2001 aboard United flight 93. The Fog created the event in Bingham’s memory, and were the first to host it in June 2002. Since then the Bingham Cup has been held in London (2004) and New York City (2006).

Emerald Warriors RFC was formed in August 2003 to provide gay, heterosexual and bisexual men the opportunity to play competitive rugby in Ireland and internationally.

For complete information on the 2008 Bingham Cup, visit the official event website at binghamcup.com.