More News on a Professional American League

[LittleGuy]

Apparently this league dosen't have NFL funding at all, but just a possible "carriage deal" for games possibly being shown on NFL network. HUGE difference, and after following the company on twitter for a couple of days they seem pie in the sky. Claiming the United States can make the RWC semi's by 2019 if they get a pro deal and winning the RWC in either 2023 or 2027.....yawn, had a feeling when I saw "The Guardian" linked that some batshit was headed my way.

 

[dudeabides]

I read in this article that the 'US Barbarian' would be international select players with a few young prospects from the USA included:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonbelzer/2013/05/17/nfl-plays-offensive-with-move-into-rugby/

So hopefully it won't affect the national team preparing for the two Canadian tests. How watching great rugby players like London Irish play a potentially all star type team is supposed to give any kind of impression of how a league full of football dropout rugby amateurs is beyond me though.

 

[Jayatron]

And so the plot thickens once more. What's your source Little Guy? There seems to be a lot of sources quoting this NFL backing.

Could you imagine what one rugby advert could do for the sport in America if it was aired during the superbowl? Crazy to think about the power of the NFL.

 

[lhprop1]

No doubt those are some pretty ridiculous and optimistic (insane) estimates on how long it will take to produce "world class elite" players.

This is my biggest beef with the plan. Yes, these football players are great athletes, but rugby instinct is something that takes years to develop. If anything, there's just going to be a bunch of big fast guys on the pitch looking like fools because they don't know what the hell is going on.

One of the main reasons the US doesn't excel at rugby on the world stage is that we're not brought up playing it from a young age like other countries. Bringing in graduating college football players and trying to teach them the game is only going to highlight this. 30,000 people in a stadium won't outweigh a 75-0 drubbing.

 

[LittleGuy]

And so the plot thickens once more. What's your source Little Guy? There seems to be a lot of sources quoting this NFL backing.

Could you imagine what one rugby advert could do for the sport in America if it was aired during the superbowl? Crazy to think about the power of the NFL.

http://www.thisisamericanrugby.com/2013/05/nfl-premiership-looking-to-start-us-pro.html . Curtis is probably the best American rugby source out there, and NFL netowrk carriage isn't a big deal the CFL had if for years and it didn't grow the Canadian code of gridiron.

Edit: The group responsible for making this plan has never said they had an NFL deal in place that was just something. The (batshit) Guardian made up and everyone else ran with it's only ever been a carriage agreement with the TV network.

 

[jb12780]

They would be fools not to involve the TONS of talent that is at the college level right now. They obviously be a better fit then ex-american football players that have only been playing for three months. USA Rugby needs to be involved.

 

[Jayatron]

To throw the cat among the pigeons. Most of the articles that I have read about this topic have mentioned three separate companies.

1) Moore Sport Enterprises (APRC) - Ten team league that would have both the United States and Canada involved. Based on millionaire backers and they claim to have done research for possible viable franchises. Haven't heard a thing sense some interviews were done a few months back.

2) Rugby Law - These guys claim to have the backing of Premier Rugby Limited and support from the NFL. They want to establish a six teams pro league based in the Eastern states of the United States with no Canadian involvement. They want to have NFL owners run the teams on the idea that it will fill the long off season for the owners and thus fill their otherwise empty stadiums. With that they want to focus on NFL players who didn't make the cut and they will prove this with an exhibition match against London Irish.

3) And now proposal number three (This appears to be an old one however, about a year) Nothing really known other than this company will focus on the West coast and the traditional rugby hot beds out there! They will have some form of Canadian involvement and that's all we know.

http://tensport.com.au/news/theroar...-rugby-finally-about-to-emerge-in-the-USA.htm

Couldn't find anything about this on Rugbymag.com but this could explain the three companies that so many seem to write about.

So what do we make of all this?

 

[norcalbuff]

They would be fools not to involve the TONS of talent that is at the college level right now. They obviously be a better fit then ex-american football players that have only been playing for three months. USA Rugby needs to be involved.

There is not tons of talent in college rugby. There are some good players, but American fans tend to overrate both the number of quality players and the quality of play in college rugby.

 

[racingmetrofan]

I hope the Americans manage to focus on producing rugby players rather than athletes. I imagine that if rugby takes of commercially over there, they'll be more than a few college players taking an erasmus year or three to TCD/UCD, Hartpury, Cardiff on someone elses coin.

I think that financial backing will be a prime motivator in getting the talent together. From my limited knowledge of American sporting culture, the 'sports scholarship' seems to play a massive role in driving up a young playing base. Even when I was in 6th form in England, American sport/athletic scholarships were broadcast around the student body! So if they can get rugby to equal success, then people will jump onto it. Also Americans wont have any qualms at all sniffing around Argentina/Africa and poaching the players they want - not many 18-20 year old promising rugby players would turn down 4 years at Harvard for free and a relatively guarenteed place in the international team afterward!

 

[jb12780]

There is not tons of talent in college rugby. There are some good players, but American fans tend to overrate both the number of quality players and the quality of play in college rugby.

I agree that the quality of play is sup-par. I play at the D2 level in New York and I know the quality at our level is horrible compared to other places. One of my teammates has/had an English girlfriend and she said something along the lines of the level and pace we play at is slow-motion compared to the English game. Obvious and understandable.

However, I feel a squad of the best players at the D1 college level would be a better choice compared to ex football players who were only playing for three months to take on this London Irish squad in September.

 

[nickdnz]

i agree that the quality of play is sup-par. I play at the d2 level in new york and i know the quality at our level is horrible compared to other places. One of my teammates has/had an english girlfriend and she said something along the lines of the level and pace we play at is slow-motion compared to the english game. Obvious and understandable.

However, i feel a squad of the best players at the d1 college level would be a better choice compared to ex football players who were only playing for three months to take on this london irish squad in september.

THAT Is SLOW!

 

[jb12780]

THAT Is SLOW!

Also, the tactical and strategical awareness of players and coaches in our league is sometimes questionable. For example, a lot of teams when given a penalty around the 22 in front of the post will tap instead of going for 3 points. It is quite sad.

 

[Patchey]

Also, the tactical and strategical awareness of players and coaches in our league is sometimes questionable. For example, a lot of teams when given a penalty around the 22 in front of the post will tap instead of going for 3 points. It is quite sad.

Is that because guys who play rugby don't watch international or overseas club rugby?

 

[Big Ewis]

THAT Is SLOW!

:lol:

 

[jb12780]

Is that because guys who play rugby don't watch international or overseas club rugby?

Yes this is definitely true. Me personally I watch a ton of rugby and try to pick up as much knowledge as possible. However, I am definitely in the minority when it comes to watching club and international rugby.

There are a significant number of people over here who haven't seen rugby played at the highest level.

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2

 

[lhprop1]

Yes this is definitely true. Me personally I watch a ton of rugby and try to pick up as much knowledge as possible. However, I am definitely in the minority when it comes to watching club and international rugby.

There are a significant number of people over here who haven't seen rugby played at the highest level.

I'd love to watch more rugby, but none of the cable channels carry it here. I only use a computer at work so I can't watch it online, so that means I'm stuck watching one 6N match per week on BBC America when they have it on and the 7s tournaments on NBC.

 

[Canucks]

Also, the tactical and strategical awareness of players and coaches in our league is sometimes questionable. For example, a lot of teams when given a penalty around the 22 in front of the post will tap instead of going for 3 points. It is quite sad.

I play rugby in england and have seen this done on numerous occasions, even at the 1sts level. Don't feel bad.

Also, there's no way you guys are that slow. Does your coach yell at you for moving the ball out of a ruck too quickly because the entire pack is still on the floor from the previous 2 breakdowns?

Do you play teams that trash talk after the game saying "if you ran the ball at us (forwards) we would've beat you."

 

[jb12780]

I play rugby in england and have seen this done on numerous occasions, even at the 1sts level. Don't feel bad.

Also, there's no way you guys are that slow. Does your coach yell at you for moving the ball out of a ruck too quickly because the entire pack is still on the floor from the previous 2 breakdowns?

Do you play teams that trash talk after the game saying "if you ran the ball at us (forwards) we would've beat you."

Haven't heard that one yet from our coach, which is amazing because his coaching skills are quite poor. He still coaches like its 1980.

Also, haven't heard that trash talking comment from another team. College rugby in America is a bit different. In the fall is a typical season; 40 minutes halves, playoffs, etc. In the spring, we play tournaments with 15-20 minutes halves per game.

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2

 

[dudeabides]

The London Irish match has been delayed: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1662885-rugby-union-american-pro-rugby-project-pushed-to-2014

 

[sigesige00]

Isn't it possible to start a North American competition, like Ice Hockey?