US and Canadian Rugby battle Euro nations with big crowds in tow
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The last two weeks in North America have been enormous for the sport of rugby with Italy and Georgia touring to battle the United States and Canada.
Usually this time of the year teams such as Italy A, Argentina A and basically the practice squads of the world come down for a vacation err… rugby tour to Canada and the US.
For the North Americans to be treated with the Italian national side and the Georgians who many speculate will be the next side to expand the European Six Nations is something which the Canadian and American national teams have needed to gain more frequent ‘big game’ match experience.
Before the US and Canada met their European counterparts they resumed their old rivalry with a test match in Kingston, Ontario. The match was tight with Canada clawing back a half time deficit to win 28-25.
For the 1st week of this mini tour, despite being down at the break the Italians managed to grind their way back for a 25-16 victory over the Canadians before 12,220 spectators at BMO field in Toronto.
The Americans got the better of their European opponents defeating the gritty Georgians 36-20 giving them some confidence for a possible upset against the Azzurri.
The second week gave the Canadians a chance to finish with a win over a European side and did just that with a convincing win 31-12, a slightly better margin then the Americans which should be pleasing for them.
The USA were never going to be favourites against the Italians and weren’t helped in the game by being reduced to 13 men with players getting binned in the 44th and 65th minute. A penalty and a try towards the finish of the game gave Italy the 30-10 victory to silence the 17,214 fans watching at BBVA Stadium in Houston, Texas.
This was a huge crowd for rugby in the US making the event a success before the kick-off, Houston and USA rugby should be ecstatic with that figure.
It’s clear from this short tour that the players and spectators of rugby in the USA and Canada thrive from getting these home tests against stronger and more respectable sides and they will need to if they are to keep advancing forward in this sport.
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June 25th 2012 @ 8:43am
Johnno said | June 25th 2012 @ 8:43am | Report comment
I watched the live stream and I can say the energy there was really special at Houston. 17,000 people many from rugby clubs all around the land went, plus new people and the energy was special you could feel it in the ground. I was reading all the tweets and photos of the match it was a great night in Houston texas. they had a big rugby pre rally, a BBQ and beer gardens outside the ground you could of thought you were at Ballymore or the SFS on saturday in Houston.
So many of the tweets from new people going ot there 1st rugby game was wow, and we are USA eagles fans for life. And many of the rugby fans in USA who know a bit about the game were overwhelmed by how great rugby union is. i wish i was there, as good a day in rugby history as i have watched even if only on the live stream and twitter feeds.
And this is only the start for USA and canada, day later after i calmed down. I realised this is just the start results don’t matter yet, both teams are top 20 nations already but both have huge potential and some fans picked up on this.
Think how far a small nation like Georgia has come in 10 years from there awful 2003 world cup campign to now. USA, or russia could be anything with in 20 years.
And the junior world rugby trophy is on in salt lake city. And guess what USA beat Tonga the tournament favourite, with the winner going up to the junior under 20 world cup next year. italy got relegated in sth africa losing to Fiji. But if USA go up form th sunder 20 2nd division even more positive development for USA rugby.
-USA now have 25 7evens plays contracted full time at the Olympic centre in LA.
-Canada has just built a national high performance rugby centre for the national rugby teams.
-Rugby on the rise in big markets USA/Canada/Russia/brazil/argentina. getting more global by the day and year.
-USA rugby is here to stay. And also in USA such a big pacific islander population too choose from. Quite a few USA eagles who played on weekend were from american samoa.
-1 million polynesian population in hawaii, and big Tonga population in Utah. And american samoans too. So much potential USA it’s frightning. Wallabies and All Blacks better stay focussed over next 10-20 years.
June 25th 2012 @ 9:43am
Dasher said | June 25th 2012 @ 9:43am | Report comment
What are you trying to say here? USA is one of the oldest rugby playing nations, their team won two Olympic gold medals for rugby, and have contested at every RWC. I’d be more worried about the fringe gridiron players that can’t crack the NFL and turn to rugby, as opposed to Pacific Islanders who, according to you, automatically become great rugby players.
June 25th 2012 @ 10:08am
Terry Tavita said | June 25th 2012 @ 10:08am | Report comment
pacific islanders are also automatically very good nfl players..
June 25th 2012 @ 10:16am
Johnno said | June 25th 2012 @ 10:16am | Report comment
they are tapping into the fringe gridiron market too.
June 25th 2012 @ 4:41pm
jon said | June 25th 2012 @ 4:41pm | Report comment
He’s being positive and displaying his passion for the sport.
You might try it.
June 26th 2012 @ 12:24am
phil said | June 26th 2012 @ 12:24am | Report comment
Atucally USA has made all but one wrc. They did not make it in 1995.
June 27th 2012 @ 1:14pm
Robert Albertson said | June 27th 2012 @ 1:14pm | Report comment
While I appreciate the enthusiasm evident in this post, the last sentence is delusionary – if that’s a real word. Dasher makes a valid point re the fringe gridiron players
June 25th 2012 @ 8:58am
Johnno said | June 25th 2012 @ 8:58am | Report comment
A great article on the match too.
http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/sugar_land/news/usa-italy-rugby-match-brings-culture-competition-to-houston/article_5b0ff6f5-bb1a-59c0-9fa9-a149a6d9cba8.html
June 25th 2012 @ 9:06am
Tigranes said | June 25th 2012 @ 9:06am | Report comment
Those are encouraging crowds.
The 7s at Las Vegas normally draw big crowds. I dont for a second think that rugby is threatening NBA or NFL or NHL…but the signs are positive.
Would USA v Ireland get a big crowd in Boston?
What about Samoa playing Tonga in California?
June 25th 2012 @ 9:15am
Dasher said | June 25th 2012 @ 9:15am | Report comment
What about USA v Ireland in Boston on St Patrick’s Day?…
June 25th 2012 @ 9:22am
Bakkies said | June 25th 2012 @ 9:22am | Report comment
Won’t happen as Ireland will be playing in the 6 Nations. July 4 would be a better bet but Ireland are tied to the future tours program for June and their players need an off season.
I don’t think Georgia sent their best team out for the tour.
”
Think how far a small nation like Georgia has come in 10 years from there awful 2003 world cup campign to now. ”
To be fair it was their first RWC.
June 25th 2012 @ 9:24am
Johnno said | June 25th 2012 @ 9:24am | Report comment
But the point is Bakkies if a team like Georgia can make such advanced steps in 10 years and Georgia only has barley 4.7million people. A rich nation 300 million population like USA has so much potential.
June 25th 2012 @ 9:32am
Bakkies said | June 25th 2012 @ 9:32am | Report comment
USA should be beating Georgia’s first team heavily. If they applied themselves to forward play like the Georgians do they would be a better Rugby team. Watched them in the RWC and they are still a long way off in terms off accuracy at the breakdown, scrummaging, recycling ball. Todd Clever can’t be doing all the work on the deck. US Rugby is doing the right thing by building from the bottom of the grassroots up (ie juniors). Part of the problem in the past is that their players have taken up the game so late they miss learning key aspects of Rugby which take years to develop.
I would put Russia in the same boat. Their forward play is lacking much like the US. The Russians are big strong boys and should be doing much better at the set piece. They have a pro set up in their country but they still have to learn off the Georgians. Both teams have handy backs.
June 25th 2012 @ 10:10am
Terry Tavita said | June 25th 2012 @ 10:10am | Report comment
samoa has only 180,000 people and no money..but they can kick butt..
June 25th 2012 @ 10:27am
Johnno said | June 25th 2012 @ 10:27am | Report comment
terry they sure can and Tonga has 104,000. so much talant in Samoa. they lsoe players like Manu Tuilagi, but also Samoa do a hell of a lot of pinching other players themselves. 15 NZ born players in the Samoa world cup squad.
June 25th 2012 @ 12:27pm
Tigranes said | June 25th 2012 @ 12:27pm | Report comment
Yeah but Samoans (and Polynesians) are quite possibly the finest athletes in the world.
June 25th 2012 @ 1:16pm
Terry Tavita said | June 25th 2012 @ 1:16pm | Report comment
re: Johnno
Samoa has never selected a non-Samoan to play in their national team – Manu Samoa..
June 25th 2012 @ 3:05pm
kovana said | June 25th 2012 @ 3:05pm | Report comment
Johnno, they are Samoans selected to play for the Manu Samoa.
A ‘NZer’ is not an ethnicity.
June 25th 2012 @ 4:46pm
AndyS said | June 25th 2012 @ 4:46pm | Report comment
Actually Bakkies, Ireland is apparently touring next year and Scotland in 2014…
June 25th 2012 @ 7:04pm
Bakkies said | June 25th 2012 @ 7:04pm | Report comment
Won’t be a full side with the Lions tour on.
June 26th 2012 @ 3:37pm
AndyS said | June 26th 2012 @ 3:37pm | Report comment
Perhaps, but they are unlikely to be contributing much more than single digit numbers. And as we saw a few Tuesdays ago, a Test is a Test and goes in the books as such.
June 25th 2012 @ 9:23am
Johnno said | June 25th 2012 @ 9:23am | Report comment
They might do that too i thought about that, so much potential it is endless that would sell out as would USA/irleand or USA/Italy in New York.
As USA has so many ex pats you could do USA/England in new york or usa/Austrlaia/sth africa/NZ such is the large ex pat populations, or french too.
June 25th 2012 @ 9:35am
Bakkies said | June 25th 2012 @ 9:35am | Report comment
Ireland’s last 6 Nations game this year was against England which was on St Patrick’s Day a week later they are back in to the Pro 12.
The Springboks have played in Houston previously and drew a good crowd.
June 25th 2012 @ 9:21am
Johnno said | June 25th 2012 @ 9:21am | Report comment
Tigranes I think it will eventually cut into market share of those sports and baseball . Soccer has done that with the soccer moms. 20 years ago soccer wasn’t cutting into the talent of these other sports but it is now.
-BUt the USA is so strong it can have 6 codes it has 300 million people. Australia has 6 codes of sports and only has 22 million.
So USA can handle another big sport to cut into market share and still survive.
But like soccer invading the big 4 for market share and talent, it takes time 10-20 years.
But very optimistic gridiron is not worried yet but rugby union can cut into USA for market share ike soccer has. RUgby league has set up a small pro league in USA, but rugby unionis getting far more junior participation due to 7evens olympics and the rugby world cup.
I think Paicific islands nations will play test matches in test windows there especially if USA and canada re enter the pacific nations cup. As Pacific islands other than Fiji are simply to small to stage test matches on a regular basis.
- A new revamped pacific nations cup Japan,Canada,USA,Tonga,Fiji,Samoa would work. You could play all of the matches in USA/Canada and Japan. Or even get chile and urugauy into the fold too as they are getting better.
the 7evens get great crowds in las vegas. Rugbys participation is massively growing, and they have already signed a memorandum of understanding with NZ to work together more. SO the always hungry for cash NZRU may stage a money spinner test in say New York before the 2015 world cup.
Now the IRB for next 8 years to 2019 has a deal that some of the tier 1 nations have to play at least 1 test per year vs tier 2 nations.
June 25th 2012 @ 3:06pm
kovana said | June 25th 2012 @ 3:06pm | Report comment
“RUgby league has set up a small pro league in USA”
Really? What pro league is that?
June 25th 2012 @ 6:50pm
Working Class Rugger said | June 25th 2012 @ 6:50pm | Report comment
There isn’t a “small professional league” in the US. They may like to say it is but it most certainly isn’t.
July 27th 2012 @ 10:13am
Tiger said | July 27th 2012 @ 10:13am | Report comment
I know a couple of blokes who have made a few quid from the amnrl with a house and car thrown in. Nothing special, but semi pro standard.
June 25th 2012 @ 10:23am
p.Tah said | June 25th 2012 @ 10:23am | Report comment
another interesting article on rugby in the US
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/jun/24/american-sports-fans-warming-rugby?newsfeed=true
June 25th 2012 @ 11:25am
Johnno said | June 25th 2012 @ 11:25am | Report comment
good article it sure has promise and the safety issue of gridiron with the concussion stuff to will help rugby market itself once more people realise rugby is safer than gridiron and not be fooled by the big helmets.
June 25th 2012 @ 8:57pm
Bakkies said | June 25th 2012 @ 8:57pm | Report comment
Gridiron players have poor tackling techniques. While they continue to tackle like TPN there will be more and more injuries
June 25th 2012 @ 4:48pm
AndyS said | June 25th 2012 @ 4:48pm | Report comment
With the most interesting thing being the upcoming tours, as noted above.
June 25th 2012 @ 10:52am
Farmer said | June 25th 2012 @ 10:52am | Report comment
The US has a long heritage in rugby.
My grandfather played for Queensland and Wallabies in 1910 and I have programmes, signed photos, after match function menus and other memorabillia from a US University team touring Australia and playing Australia’s best.
Cheers
June 25th 2012 @ 11:27am
kingplaymaker said | June 25th 2012 @ 11:27am | Report comment
Super rugby have got to get a Super team in L.A. and Vancouver before anyone else gets there.
June 25th 2012 @ 11:38am
Johnno said | June 25th 2012 @ 11:38am | Report comment
KPM I agree, if not they may go a super rugby America.
The NFL has 30 to 32 teams, USA has 300 million people.
I think they will like MLS have basically all usa teams but they have 2-3 from toronto,vancouver,and ottawa. kinda like NRL with auckland, maybe mexico city may get a team now . The iRB is taking serious investment in mexico.
But Japan, USA/Canada have to have more impact, and maybe argentina.
I think ultimately the USA will have it’s own pro league and have an impute quaota like 5-10 players per 35-40 man squad.
June 25th 2012 @ 12:46pm
kingplaymaker said | June 25th 2012 @ 12:46pm | Report comment
True Johnno, best to get there and bring them into Super rugby before they set anything up or before the northern hemisphere gets wise to things!
June 25th 2012 @ 7:10pm
Bakkies said | June 25th 2012 @ 7:10pm | Report comment
how would they play in Super Rugby? The logistics make no sense and the weather will be too hot in LA for high quality Rugby in their Summer. It’s a 14 hour flight from LA to Sydney. There is more of a Rugby culture in San Francisco (see the Bay Area Touring teams aka BATs) than LA and it doesn’t get extremely hot there in Summer.
June 25th 2012 @ 12:29pm
Tigranes said | June 25th 2012 @ 12:29pm | Report comment
USA may develop its own professional league and this is definitely preferable to having a super rugby team travelling every 2nd week across the Pacific to Aust/NZ.
This will take time, the right foundations are being met. Maybe its time the All Blacks or Wallabies took games to USA?
June 25th 2012 @ 12:36pm
Johnno said | June 25th 2012 @ 12:36pm | Report comment
They are looking at doing it. USA-NZ have a memeorodium of understanding to help each other it will happen before next world cup all blacks will play a match in USA there.
-The USA rugby cep former england rugby test player said about the pro league. It will happen but USA rugby are being very strategic.
They say they have meticulously studied other leagues and conepts, and why some have done well and others have failed.
And when they do it it will be right. they say maybe 2013 but more realistically 2015.
As they say they want to ge tit right, as part of there research has found failed leagues that fail send a sport back 10 years in that country. Think old NSL sent soccer back here, and at times the A-league too.
SO USA rugby clearly will have a patent and cautious 1 step at a time attitude that will live within it’s means. Which is very sesible but they know it is a giant.
Tood clever USA Eagles captain,said in his area when he was going up there was only 10 teams scattered all over the state when he grew up now there are 10 leagues.
-So the potential is clearly there just takes time.
June 25th 2012 @ 7:17pm
Bakkies said | June 25th 2012 @ 7:17pm | Report comment
The problem with the US it’s such a vast country so you need serious money to run a pro competition. USA Rugby the governing body is not flush with cash to help with setting up costs. The conditions in parts of the US in Winter are not ideal. Rugby has not really attempted to play on artificial turf. Saracens are trying it out in their new Copthall ground this year. The European competition model (everyone in the same league with promotion and relegation) doesn’t work in the USA due to distances and sporting culture so it will have to be conferences much like the other sports over there. There has to be some scope for Canada too. To lure players from other countries they will need a couple more years to allow contracts to lapse.
June 25th 2012 @ 6:08pm
Working Class Rugger said | June 25th 2012 @ 6:08pm | Report comment
Talks are currently underway for a small but sustainable Pro League in the not too distant future but nothing will be announce until its all confirmed.
June 25th 2012 @ 12:38pm
Sledgeandhammer said | June 25th 2012 @ 12:38pm | Report comment
Georgian team was pretty much second string. Rugby is apparently fastest growing sport in Brazil, some interesting information on the Fira forums if you care to find out more. They look like natural rugby player, very big, fast and great footballing skills. There was a map I saw with the regions playing rugby coloured – just keep increasing, almost entire of Brazil now. Still very small still and poor access to beaches/ parks/ lack facilities but growing.
June 25th 2012 @ 6:07pm
Working Class Rugger said | June 25th 2012 @ 6:07pm | Report comment
Yeah, Corinthians (one of the biggest Soccer teams in Brazil) have started a Rugby section with the intention of developing its ‘professional’ side.
June 25th 2012 @ 7:20pm
Bakkies said | June 25th 2012 @ 7:20pm | Report comment
They are going down the European route of multi sports clubs. Real Madrid and Barcelona have had Rugby sections. Watched their 7s team play in the IRB sevens comp. They have potential but the technical aspects of the game aren’t there yet.
June 25th 2012 @ 12:47pm
kingplaymaker said | June 25th 2012 @ 12:47pm | Report comment
‘almost entire of Brazil now’ Probably not the areas with uncontacted tribes quite yet