Rugby News from unexpected places

[The Ghost of Raelene]

"Things change quickly"

Sounds like a subbies team with guys out for a wedding.

Can't help but feel it's teetering towards complete collapse and from there much harder to re establish with any confidence. If you are a player with the ability to go elsewhere you take the chance right now.

 

[Wilson]

"Things change quickly"

Sounds like a subbies team with guys out for a wedding.

Can't help but feel it's teetering towards complete collapse and from there much harder to re establish with any confidence. If you are a player with the ability to go elsewhere you take the chance right now.

At this stage I feel like they'd be better off talking to Super Rugby Americas about becoming a conference in that comp. 6 teams would be a reasonable base to grow a new comp from, but it looks diabolical when shrinking back to it from 12 teams just 2 season ago. The only way I can see them moving forward is with something big like that to change the narrative.

There'd likely also be much more of a case inclusion in any potential post season club tournament with Super Rugby and Japan league one for the top clubs from a combined Super Rugby Americas than there would be from either comp on it's own.

 

[Highlander35]

Seattle is the last inaugural team for the league right?

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

On their own yeah. SD still exist albeit as part of a merger with LA.

At this stage I feel like they'd be better off talking to Super Rugby Americas about becoming a conference in that comp. 6 teams would be a reasonable base to grow a new comp from, but it looks diabolical when shrinking back to it from 12 teams just 2 season ago. The only way I can see them moving forward is with something big like that to change the narrative.

There'd likely also be much more of a case inclusion in any potential post season club tournament with Super Rugby and Japan league one for the top clubs from a combined Super Rugby Americas than there would be from either comp on it's own.

Agree. Be a part of something bigger and not necessarily the main feeder. Can US egos handle that.

 

[Wilson]

Who knows, but it's adapt or die right now. It doesn't help much that they'd now basically be going hat in hand to them, as opposed to if they got ahead of this collapse

They do have this mythical pot of World Rugby money that they'll have a much better chance of tapping into as part of something larger and more international to help though. Otherwise it'll all just get eaten up by Ireland and the All Blacks to play one off tests in Chicago.

 

[Omar Comin']

At this stage I feel like they'd be better off talking to Super Rugby Americas about becoming a conference in that comp. 6 teams would be a reasonable base to grow a new comp from, but it looks diabolical when shrinking back to it from 12 teams just 2 season ago. The only way I can see them moving forward is with something big like that to change the narrative.

I can't see it happening. All these teams are really far away from South America. To fly from LA/Seattle/Chicago etc to Buenos Aires takes at least 14 hours. Pretty tough and expensive for a semi-pro competition.

 

[Wilson]

I can't see it happening. All these teams are really far away from South America. To fly from LA/Seattle/Chicago etc to Buenos Aires takes at least 14 hours. Pretty tough and expensive for a semi-pro competition.

That's where the conference aspect comes in, mostly holding the crossover games for the finals. Possibly you could look to run a couple of super rounds, one in the north, one in the south where some crossover games happen all at once over a weekend to help manage those costs.

I do agree it'd be a hard ask though, and probably require a chunk of that world rugby money to get going, but right now they're dead in the water with no chance of recovery if they can't find a way to shake things up.

 

[Omar Comin']

Personally I think a 6 team competition is the minimum and can work, especially as it coincides with a far greater emphasis on producing American players. Maybe if you accept this competition is not going to be some big commercial success any time soon, and see it more in terms of high performance development (while minimising the financial cost), then 6 teams becomes superior in many ways. You concentrate the talent, while still providing enough opportunities, and hopefully the standard improves. If Canada can get involved with a couple of teams and a similar focus it would be a lot more sustainable too.

 

[Wilson]

6 teams works fine (well even) if you're starting there, but 6 teams contracting from double that a couple of years previous is not the same. It's a sign of a desperately unhealthy competition and the cascade of failures in this off season will have the remaining owners sweating and likely considering their options. All it takes is one to decide the writing is on the wall and they're better off cutting their losses and getting out now. If that happens that's it, the whole competition is done. It'll take an awful lot discipline to keep them going from here, and that's a lot harder without any sort of clear vision around where the comp goes next.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Doubt it's the time but I wonder if there are any new sides on the horizon... Was a shame to see somewhere like NY fold right after winning it. They always had issues getting a ground sorted.

NY Comrades v the NE Free Jacks could be the rivalry of the decade.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

6 teams works fine (well even) if you're starting there, but 6 teams contracting from double that a couple of years previous is not the same. It's a sign of a desperately unhealthy competition and the cascade of failures in this off season will have the remaining owners sweating and likely considering their options. All it takes is one to decide the writing is on the wall and they're better off cutting their losses and getting out now. If that happens that's it, the whole competition is done. It'll take an awful lot discipline to keep them going from here, and that's a lot harder without any sort of clear vision around where the comp goes next.

Sports in the States have a history of teams coming and going sometimes in large numbers. Bit its not great to see. What I do know is that NE, DC and the Hounds ownership are well heeled and committed. Seattle are committed as are the Legion.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Just don't want it to be like Toronto who had an owner who was keen and loved it but he died and the family had little interest so wound it up within a year and little troubles for the side. US Rugby having little power or resources to hold a baseline for the comp is going to maintain it's fragile nature.