• The Melbourne Chargers completed a dominating run by defeating the Sydney Convicts, 20-7, to win the eighth Bingham Cup in Nashville over Memorial Day weekend. The Bingham Cup is the world championship of gay rugby.
    The Chargers, from Australia, were 6-0 and did not allow a point in pool play. It is the team's first Bingham Cup win.
    "This tournament was a journey and we are so proud to have played to our full potential and won the Bingham Cup. Everything we did on and off the field was for the team as a whole. Our game against Sydney was the final challenge and we made history today," said Chargers captain Iain Abbot.
    The Mark Kendall Bingham Memorial Tournament is named after Mark Bingham, a gay rugby player who died on United Flight 93 on Sept. 11, 2001. The Nashville Grizzlies gay rugby team hosted the 2016 tournament and welcomed more than 1,300 players and hundreds more spectators, coaches and supporters to Nashville for a week of events leading up the tournament itself.
    The Nashville Grizzlies, hosts of the tournament, won their third trophy in club history, taking the Hoagland Shield.
    "The [International Gay Rugby] trustees, board and community would like to thank all of the participants, officials and supporters of the 2016 Bingham Cup. The 8th Annual Bingham Cup was our largest, safest and most successful ever. We would especially like to congratulate the Melbourne Chargers on their win of the Bingham Cup championship over the Sydney Convicts, through outstanding athletic performance and award winning sportsmanship," said outgoing IGR Chairman Jeff Wilson.
    "Everyone involved with the Bingham Cup 2016 tournament would like to thank the city of Nashville, all of volunteers, and all the teams that came so far to participate. A big congratulations goes out to the Melbourne chargers on their win!" said Bingham Cup organizing committee chairman Jon Glassmeyer.
    Bingham Cup VIII Results
    Bingham Cup – Melbourne Chargers A
  • Bingham Plate – Gotham Knights A
  • Bingham Bowl – World Barbarians
  • Bingham Shield – Washington Renegades B
  • Hoagland Cup – Caledonian Thebans
  • Hoagland Plate – San Diego Armada
  • Hoagland Bowl – Columbus Coyotes
  • Hoagland Shield – Nashville Grizzlies A
  • Hoagland Vase – Kings Cross Steelers C
  • Hoagland Jug – Ottawa Wolves
  • Challenger Cup – Dallas Lost Souls
  • Challenger Julep – Chicago Dragons B
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