Key Topics
Brendo’s rugby journey
• Starting at San Francisco Golden Gate as a sophomore
• Lessons from coaches Mike Caravelli and Tony Wells
• The influence of the “15 vs 15” philosophy
Saint Mary’s College rugby
• Why he chose Saint Mary’s
• The impact of Tim O’Brien and the program’s culture
• The power of the alumni network
Building a coaching career
• Volunteering for seven years at Saint Mary’s
• Joining the USA U20 pathway
• Learning foundational coaching from J.D. Stevenson
Entering professional rugby
• Assistant coach and academy role with the Austin Gilgronis
• Working with international coaches and learning professional systems
• Experience coaching in Super Rugby Americas with the American Raptors
Utah Warriors and MLR coaching
• Role as Attack and Backs Coach
• Team success leading the league in tries and points
• What it takes to run a professional weekly training cycle
Player development in the United States
• The importance of core skills
• Why players must be able to carry, pass, and kick
• How watching professional rugby improves decision making
The future of professional rugby in the US
• MLR’s reset to a smaller league
• More opportunities for American players
• The importance of community support for the league and national team
goffrugbyreport.com
