Rugby News from unexpected places

[WorkingClassRugger]

USA PRO Rugby comp coming to its final match of the first season. Sounds like it has been going pretty well - good write up here: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/jul/29/pro-rugby-denver-stampede-ohio-aviators

Overall it's been good. The standard of play has risen noticeably as the season progressed. Evidently, there are a number of sponsors and investors interested as well.
Just prior to the season I did a write up on it and posted it on The Roar. Will do likewise summing up my observations and impressions from the first season. I'll be aiming to have it ready for the weekend.

 

[dru]

Mate that was a great write up. Love your work. Any reason to choosing Roar over Gr&G?

(Just asking)

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Mate that was a great write up. Love your work. Any reason to choosing Roar over Gr&G?

(Just asking)

Habit I guess. Started posting stuff on there around 2009 and just continued to do so when the mood strikes me.

If you get a chance you should look up the Pro Rugby channel on Youtube and watch the final game. It was really bloody good. The two clear best teams in the league.

 

[p.Tah]

I hear similar stories such as this (girls wanting to play rugby but not being able to find a regular comp). Hopefully the success of 7s encourages more girls to play 7sand 15s. Everyone who wants to play should have the opportunity to do so. We can ill afford to lose anyone!

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/messe...d/news-story/eb94fdfb5ded03a563914a298309d9ab

 

[neilc]

I hear similar stories such as this (girls wanting to play rugby but not being able to find a regular comp). Hopefully the success of 7s encourages more girls to play 7sand 15s. Everyone who wants to play should have the opportunity to do so. We can ill afford to lose anyone!

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/messe...d/news-story/eb94fdfb5ded03a563914a298309d9ab

That is going to be my daughter's situation in 2 years time - she has just finished Under 10's last weekend. We're hoping that the QRU will have developed something for the U13's by then, they are certainly doing things with older teenage girls that will hopefully filter down, especially with the 7's girls success. Good article, thanks for posting that.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Just a little piece about the recent Afghan national 7s tournament. With no less than 14 teams represented.http://www.khaama.com/afghanistan-super-sevens-rugby-tournament-kicked-off-in-full-swing-01708

 

[neilc]

Just a little piece about the recent Afghan national 7s tournament. With no less than 14 teams represented.http://www.khaama.com/afghanistan-super-sevens-rugby-tournament-kicked-off-in-full-swing-01708

Great article, love these unique stories.

 

[Antony]

I'm based in Amsterdam for the next few months for work, and I've been surprised at the presence of rugby here. I've been here for all of four days and I've already met three players, including a couple of teenagers on the tram who said that they're in the national youth development squad, and that they're training five days a week (despite it obviously being the off-season over here). The two kids were both six-foot-something with massive legs, and one of them reckoned he was a halfback.

It makes sense for the genetic forebears of the Afrikaners to play rugby, but I'm just glad to see that some of them are actually doing it. All three of them said that it's growing quickly (particularly during and after the last world cup) so maybe we'll see some real progress in years to come.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Not Rugby but still interesting. I spent a few evenings in Amsterdam in 2005. On my last night my friends and I entered a bar only for me to be stopped by two locals asking if I liked Cricket. Upon answering in the affirmative they introduced themselves and then told me they were members of the U19 Dutch Cricket team. In fact, the whole team was there on a bonding event.

After quizzing them on the players and rules (they answered them with far more confidence and speed than someone unfamiliar with or having a passing interest in the game would be able) they introduced me to the rest of the team (several were actually wearing the team polo's). It had been a bit of an interesting day already and as it happened they were all a great bunch of blokes (stupid tall. I swear my aunt must have been the shortest Dutchmen I have ever met) and we had a blast.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Back to Rugby. Amazing what getting one PRO league off the ground can do. Now both the Pro12 and Toulon are looking to set up franchises in the States. Both are very early and probably unlikely. Article suggest that the Pro12 is looking on the East Coast but I've seen severalvmentions of both Houston and Vancouver as likely candidates. Toulon has stated their intent on establishing its own league with a team based in Miami being its presence.

Additionally, a group called Major League Rugby has started making noise. This moniker has been around for some time. What I can tell is that it appears to have been purchased by a New York based entrepreneur (I guess that's what we can call him. Very little real information out there) in late 2015.

Don't know if at all there are any legs to this. I'll keep an eye out for anything in regards to MLR. So far all they've got is a website (www.mlrrugby.com) and a bit of trash talk on fb. So..........

 

[Omar Comin']

Miami is a weird one. It's already got teams in all the major sports and on top of that has a pretty bad reputation as a sports city - in terms of support. A bit like the Gold Coast here.

Anyway, seems inevitable to me that the US are going to be powers in the game sooner than later.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Miami is a weird one. It's already got teams in all the major sports and on top of that has a pretty bad reputation as a sports city - in terms of support. A bit like the Gold Coast here.

Anyway, seems inevitable to me that the US are going to be powers in the game sooner than later.

The Rugby scene is also only developing in Miami. It's questionable whether it could gather enough interest.

I think where PRO goes in the next few years depends on investment. Evidently the guys behind Swansea City in the EPL are looking at the Pro12 proposal. PRO need to begin chasing these guys as well. For similar money they would spend for a Pro12 franchise each year they could really boost PRO and ensure it's long term viability. I honestly think there are greater returns to be made getting involved on the ground floor of a new league than just one franchise is the smallest tier 1 professional league in Rugby.

 

[Omar Comin']

I think where PRO goes in the next few years depends on investment. Evidently the guys behind Swansea City in the EPL are looking at the Pro12 proposal. PRO need to begin chasing these guys as well. For similar money they would spend for a Pro12 franchise each year they could really boost PRO and ensure it's long term viability. I honestly think there are greater returns to be made getting involved on the ground floor of a new league than just one franchise is the smallest tier 1 professional league in Rugby.

Agreed, but is the guy who owns PRO looking for outside investment at this stage? The league owns all the teams right, will that remain the case when they expand next season? I'd guess there's less interest from investors to have a minority stake a league than to own and control their own teams in specific markets.

 

[Slim 293]

I stumbled upon NITV to find Stan Grant talking rugby........

Unfortunately it was regarding serial racist, and former Manly player Fabian Natoli:

http://www.sportingnews.com/au/rugb...instagram-pictures/1jhmuate1lkjy1dupklzj160r9

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

There's been a lot of good news about the ever increasing activity in Uruguay lately. Outside of Argentina and Colombia they are seen as the real mover and shakers of Sth American Rugby.

However, another growing nation in Brazil aren't happy to be left behind. They've already established three national academy centres with another 2 or 3 planned. alongside this, they also have plans to use these centres to launch a semi-pro/pro league by 2019 at the latest.

With PRO Rugby expanding to 8 team in the US, talk of the Alisport deal establishing Pro leagues in China and now this and the Rugby landscape is really evolving.

Then there's Russian team Einsei-STM who have won the first two games of their Challenge Cup campaign against the Dragons and Worcester (both in Russia).

Oh, and regarding Pro Rugby the Spanosh Division de Honor is also creeping its way to that status as well.

 

[Pfitzy]

Its going to be interesting to see whether other mainland Europe competitions can continue to rise, without their best talent being cherry-picked by France/UK. This would effectively keep them on the second tier in terms of professionalism.

The knock-on effect might be beneficial for us though; stopping the departure of players into a saturated market.

I know in the UK they've recently changed the rules to make it much more difficult for ANZ players to get a gig over there.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Its going to be interesting to see whether other mainland Europe competitions can continue to rise, without their best talent being cherry-picked by France/UK. This would effectively keep them on the second tier in terms of professionalism.

The knock-on effect might be beneficial for us though; stopping the departure of players into a saturated market.

I know in the UK they've recently changed the rules to make it much more difficult for ANZ players to get a gig over there.

I think it will be some time before any potential developing League in Europe will be able to match the Big 3. But progress is being made. The Spanish federation are trying to overcome some ckub issues in order to take advantage of the opportunity for at least 2 Division De Honor games to be televised on Spanish FTA each week.

Regarding player restrictions. I have also seen some suggestions that the LNR are looking to tighten foriegn player allowances as well.

 

[Beer Baron]

I think it will be some time before any potential developing League in Europe will be able to match the Big 3. But progress is being made. The Spanish federation are trying to overcome some ckub issues in order to take advantage of the opportunity for at least 2 Division De Honor to be televised on Spanish FTA.

Regarding player restrictions. I have also seen some suggestions that the LNR are looking to tighten foriegn player allowances as well.

LNR??

Sent from my SM-G925I using Tapatalk

 

[Highlander35]

LNR??

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Ligue Nationale de Rugby

Body that runs the Top 14, Pro D2 and probably the new third teir that they're trying to set up.

They're talking docking competition points for having too many Non French Qualified players on the books.

Which will likely send wages for the genuine Stars skyrocketing, but reduce the demand for your depth.

 

[Antony]

There's some kind of shitfight going on between Pro Rugby in the US and the Canadian Rugby Union - has anyone got a take on that?