Aspiring male and female rugby players are invited to join us for an exclusive webinar with the Director of Rugby from one of the world’s most recognized academic institutions, Stanford University.
On Thursday 23 January, we will be in conversation with Richard Ashfield who has held the position of Director of Rugby at Stanford for the past 18 months. He joined the rugby program as Assistant Coach in 2016 and his previous collegiate rugby coaching experience includes spells with Providence College and Assistant Coach at current National Collegiate Rugby champions, Brown University.
Register Now for the Webinar | Thursday 23rd January at 19.30 GMT
One of the most respected rugby coaches in the States, Richard has also coached at international level, joining the USA Rugby Women’s Eagles staff in 2013. At the 2017 Rugby World Cup 2017, he led a talented Team USA backline that springboarded the Eagles to fourth place in Ireland, before taking on the role at Interim Head Coach of the USA National Team two years ago.
During his time at Stanford University, he has guided the men’s program to two USA Rugby College 7s National Championships, and a Pac 12 top 4 appearance in 2022. He has also been integral to the continued success of Stanford Women’s Rugby as a national contender in USA Rugby Women’s Division 1, the USA Rugby College Fifteens Final Four and a playoff appearance in each of his years at Stanford.
Rugby is the fastest growing college sport in the States in both the men’s and the women’s game and FirstPoint USA is working with an increasing number of international rugby players exploring opportunities in the US for the next stage of their academic and rugby careers.
Jamie Berrisford, FirstPoint USA’s Head of Rugby, said: “We are delighted to have Richard joining us on our next webinar, who will be providing fantastic insights from his time coaching at the highest level of the college game in the States. Our webinars are a great way for aspiring players to find out more about the opportunities available, what coaches are looking for in a player and the recruitment process, so athletes and their families can be better informed.”
Stanford University is the No.4 ranked university in the States and No.6 globally by the Times Higher Education Rankings in 2025.
Click here to find out more about Stanford University's rugby programs.