Changing the state of US rugby

George, at the moment I am not coaching rugby in the US. Though it has never occurred to me of organizing a team, I certainly would be interested in establishing one.

I agree with you John

Are you coaching in the US Doug? If not you may want to consider establishing a new team on our soil.

@ Emric - Don't insult the All Blacks with a team that is not in the top 5 around the world. I doubt the USA team will stand a chance with an ITM premiership team yet alone trying to take the AB's on. let's not get too far ahead of ourselves, lmao.:-)

Thanks for all the great comments and support folks! I apologize for the delay in responding, sandy hit my home town so was off line for the past 5 days. It's exiting times for rugby here and its great to here all your thoughts. Keep them coming!

I toured the USA with an Australian rugby team a couple of years ago. We were very well received and found the game was well recognised wherever we went. I particularly remember one yank telling his mates that Rugby was like [American] football except there was no padding or helmets so the players were much tougher! There's a marketing line if ever there was one!

There has been suggestions of the best model in which to follow would the establishment of more regionalized professional competition to keep costs low and to focus talent. It has merit in the fact that it allows any organiser to pick and choose locales with a stronger Rugby presence. There's a trial of a similar concept coming up pretty soon with a Houston select team trialing the concept ahead of a potential inter-city (Houston, Dallas, Austin etc) league in the next year or so.

A league without all the bells and whistles could surely be sustainable Bob. Something small that has the chance to grow as the game grows in the States like the MLS has over time. If Lacrosse (which as you quite rightly point out has some level of penetration in the US market, particularly in the high school system) struggles for exposure at the elite level, what makes you think that an overseas based league playing a sport that the masses know next to nothing about will be a hit? I think there’s a misconception out there that just because something has a presence overseas that it will be an immediate success in the US market and there will be a pot of gold waiting for USA Rugby and the SANZAR partners. Just not the case. People still need to tune in for the money to be there and just because that’s happening overseas, it’s not a for drawn conclusion that that will be the case in America. I’d suggest that a league predominately based overseas and in markets many time zones away that the average American Jo knows nothing about will make it hard for people to engage with. I’m not suggesting an NFL sized league, or even a MLS or MLL/NLL sized league. Start with something small and sustainable (but still with more coverage than involving themselves in an overseas based league) that provides a suitable number of professional positions for home-grown talent and grow organically as the game grows (which as this piece suggest, the game isn’t exactly travelling along at a snail’s pace). I’d also argue that due to the size of the States, by the time the US can sustain one or two competitive teams in Super Rugby or Pro 12 they would have outgrown this model and be more than ready to go it alone.

I think you may fail to understand the US market a little bit. National domestic leagues are expensive to run due to the travel costs, and due to the already sports saturated market they get little mainstream media coverage. Look at the two pro Lacrosse leagues, the outdoor MLL and the indoor NLL; these leagues have never been able to break through into financial or cultural viability despite Lacrosse being a well established participant sport in certain parts of the country. I think they average a couple thousand fans per game and the average person doesn't even know these leagues exist. Teams fold or move regularly and there is always fear the leagues will go out of business. Rugby is even less a part of the mainstream cultural landscape in the US at this point. If it tried to start a fully professional domestic league it would go out of business in one or two seasons, at best. With either Super Rugby or Pro-12 team(s) there would be instant viability as part of an established international competition which would make it marketable to television audiences. Taking advantage of rugby's existing international status is imperative, and getting quality, competitive US teams on TV is most critical. It wouldn't matter where the teams were located in the country so long as they are top level, competitive, and above all get good national cable TV coverage and at least some FTA coverage.

I played Rugby in Brazil and there is a pretty good local comp going on in Sao Paulo. I played for Rio Branco and some of the guys who played for them were great, we had an ex french international (only 2 tests but still) One guy in the extended squad for Argentina (2007) and an ex Aus Schoolboy + 1st Grade Sydney player Eli Hedges. In 2010 I moved to Mexico and the sport is virtually non existent, there were some poor attempts at 7's but they simply do not care, they have a small comp for Gridiron which is followed with more interest and is a Uni game between the rich private uni's. Rich Mexican kids play and eventually spend a semester or two overseas at a American university pushed by the program. The Gridiron is even on one of the ESPN channels and the guys who play get free accom (it shit though) at the uni, as well as also being paid to study at the University (usually it costs a lot to attend so this is a big thing), one guy I knew also received a car. In summation, Rugby has absolutely NO headway in Mexico and it would be difficult to even consider entering the Soccer saturated marketplace. Argentina, Brazil, USA and Canada to play in a 4 nations would be a ripper. they could also hypothetically get a 6-10 team competition going between them. Brazil would need the most work, Argentina already has a comp and they would relish the opportunity to step it up. IRB money should be injected into this area. I cannot wait for the next time I return to live in Latin America and I can play and watch rugby properly. It was the one thing that latin america lacked for me so lets keep this dialogue continuing albeit on the roar!

I think now is the time for the IRB to encourage Australia and NZ to play one of its Bledisoe Cup matches in the United States, a bit like they did when they played in Hong Kong a few years. Possible locations inlcude, Los Angeles, Dallas, or even New York. A game starting in Los Angeles at 7:30pm would be 1:30 in the afternoon in Sydney, a game starting at 7:30 in New York would be 9:30 (I think) in the morning in Sydney. Given the popularity of films such as 'Invictus' with Matt Damon and directed by Clint Eastwood the Americans are now familar with International rugby. And with the right marketing, and promotion it would work. Now is the time.

Mate, whatever you guys are doing, just keep doing it. There is no magic solution, no silver bullet, hard work, amateurs working from the ground up, pro organisations working from the top down, then bring it all together, and Bob's your uncle, it happens. USA Rugby can be the powerhouse of world Rugby within the next 20 years, make no mistake. Guys, don't get caught up in the power struggles with your big sports, they are way too big for you to compete with. Just concentrate on being the best of the best among the Rugby nations. As an Aussie, I would love to see my country be that, but our population and the fact that we have so much competition among 4 football codes, will never let us be that powerhouse. We are just happy that we can continue to punch above our weight, but we will become like our Tennis history - once we ruled the world, then the world went pro!! end of story. USA - go for it, you can do it!

Mate, whatever you guys are doing, just keep doing it. There is no magic solution, no silver bullet, hard work, amateurs working from the ground up, pro organisations working from the top down, then bring it all together, and Bob's your uncle, it happens. USA Rugby can be the powerhouse of world Rugby within the next 20 years, make no mistake. Guys, don't get caught up in the power struggles with your big sports, they are way too big for you to compete with. Just concentrate on being the best of the best among the Rugby nations. As an Aussie, I would love to see my country be that, but our population and the fact that we have so much competition among 4 football codes, will never let us be that powerhouse. We are just happy that we can continue to punch above our weight, but we will become like our Tennis history - once we ruled the world, then the world went pro!! end of story. USA - go for it, you can do it!

If super rugby is ever to happen in the AMERICA'S it should stay that. The America's: Usa/Canada/Mexico/Argentina/Brazil- Big tv markets, and much closer distance wise, and time zone, and culture wise. To be honest I still don't believe Argentina moving competing with SANZAR teams have been good. It has been good for the SANZAR teams, refreshing there tri-nations but not nesscarily good for the Argentina elite players long term. -Europe clubs will start abandoning Argentina players. As with the RC Argentina players have had to mis large chunks of the season and will go back to Europe very exhausted and weary. The massive travel distances of the RC, and the gruelling matches surely must take there toll. -Also the June test window for Argentina gets stuffed around. With Junes tests now being part of the clanger as part of the IRB strategic window. The Argentina players who play in the RC basically are rested in June, thus making a mockery of the June test window for the Argies. And it will reduce the incentive for teams going to Argentina in the june test window too send there best players as Argentina are not having to comply with the ruling of picking your best team. So it is basically a jaguars squad of local players only. -Unless SANZAR nations open up more import spots, I simply don't know how the RC will be able to survive. Europe clubs will get prickly, and either not sign Argentina players which is already starting to happen as they don't want the hassle of unuvailbitlity and unreliability of players injured or tired or constant arguments of avaliability, or Argnetina players will turn there back on the national team and only make themselves available for world cups. What Argentina should do is work towards a pro league, or America's super rugby, or a South America super rugby tournament. The IRB wanted to do this in 2007, a super rugby sth america comp, but the Argentina board rejected it as they are deeply entrenched in amateurism. But apparently they are sort of moving away from that I don't know. And Argentina competes int he America's rugby championship which the jaguars won in Canada this year. it is basically a cope america for each of the major america's nations 2nds team. Long term i see Argentina's natural home in the America's and not in SANZAR. And that means more matches with USA/Canada/Brazil/Chile/Uruguay .

Basil are going to be like the USA/Canada sleeping giants, . Olympic's in RIO going to be very good for rugby/ Already the Brazil women's sevens team is the best rugby team in South America. Will be massive in the Olympic's sevens rugby for Brazil. Massive population and economy in brazil. And naturally high achieving sports nations when it focus on a sport. Eg Soccer, Basketball, Volleyball. So a lot of tall people in Brazil which is good for 15 a side rugby development.

There was a US Eagle who comes from the LV Blackjacks (Eric Fry) who was at the RWC last year and who played for Manawatu in this year's ITM Cup. Solid enough (Carl Hayman dimensions) but got found out on technique, fitness a bit.

clipper, Utah is more rugby-friendly then you think due to the Mormons. A lot of Islanders are Mormons and they spend time in Utah so passing on their rugby enthusiasm ie bringing the trappings of civilisation to these ignorant locals :-)

interesting reading thanks

Went to a talk with Richie McCaw the other night. He was asked who the biggest threat to the All Blacks was and he responded that it was South Africa, but in a few years it could well be the USA. He said they're pumping millions into the game there with 7s becoming an Olympic sport.

Here is the link to the highlights: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=_hH8Z4vR1bw#!