While domestically the opportunity to crack professional rugby are fairly limited, with a meagre five Super Rugby franchises to choose from, international opportunities for young players to carve out a living from the game are expanding.
We are all at least somewhat familiar with the big four leagues in Super Rugby, Aviva Premiership, Top 14 and Pro 12 and many fully aware of the emerging Top League structures in Japan.
Astute rugby fans will know of the options in Italy and the lesser tiers of both English (Championship) and French (Pro D2 and Federale 1) that complement the major competitions, but what of the newer fresher rapidly establishing leagues that are currently growing, particularly in Europe?
Here’s a glimpse.
The obvious ‘new’ league would be the Russian Professional Rugby League.
After early teething problem the RPRL is finding its feet moving on from an East/West conference structure to overcome the immense distances needed to be traveled in order to compete (second only to Super Rugby), the RPRL has now consolidated its structure to a home and away schedule and expanded its number of teams from originally eight to 10 and now 12.
Already the league looks to its eastern European neighbours for talented to strengthen its squads but unbeknownst to many, as the budgets of these clubs continue to expand into the millions of dollars, their appetite for talent to elevate the overall standard and competitiveness of the league is growing rapidly.
Romania proved stern competitor prior to the fall of communism only to fall away alarmingly steeply in the 20 years following.
Numbers were massively down and their domestic structure a little haphazard.
But of late the Romanian national squad has witnessed a surge in competitive standards, helped largely by the re-structured and re-launched Romania Rugby SuperLiga.
A professional structure heading into its third season has been pivotal in the national teams rise from mediocrity.
Receiving pleasing and increasing media support and coverage the league is already witnessing foreign talent from outside of the eastern bloc plying their wares.
The third and probably most surprising is Division De Honor in Spain.
While still very much a mish mash of amateur, semi-pro and even professional players the Division de Honor has been witnessing sustained growth over the past five season that has allowed more and more Spanish players to begin to earn even a modest wage from the game.
Above are the three lesser leagues that many may not be aware of that offer opportunities to young players to get paid to play and experience a different culture.
Players like former Randwick player Danny Kroll can and have in his instance found the chance to play this great game in a country no one would have thought possible.
In the next few years these three could be very well joined by one or even two North America Pro Leagues currently in the works.
So, while opportunities here in Australia look sparse, if you do a little digging the opportunities for good young players are growing each season without any signs of slowing.
formeropenside
Guest
Yeah, Australia has attracted a bunch of PI talent that arrives here after schooling, and is happy to do so. Its a bit rich to talk about imports when Deans capped Timani (for some obscure reason unrelated to form) before the 2011 WC just so Tonga could not cap him.
Johnno
Guest
Matt enjoy it mate. Moscow in summer i think will put on a good show, Russia has a lot of atmosphere with sports events, it's one of the best sports nations around. The champions league Man United VS Chelsea despite it raining in 2008 , it put on a exciting tense final.. Go the Ivan Drago costume, but start going to the gym Matt, lift some big weights,Drago had a machine like body lol..
MMADoggzofwar
Roar Rookie
hightackle you need to hightackle yourself for a statement founded on nothing but perception! LoL! Please investigate your point before assuming. Development of rugby will not happen overnight but what should be praised is the volunteer work done by so many of the development officers/coaches/players in these countries
michael knight
Guest
alafoti fa'osiliva, paul perez, ofisa treviranus, maurie fa'asavalu and any of the tuilagi bros would walk onto any nz and aust super rugby team..
Rascar
Guest
As the professional game is only really into it's adolescence I am sure pro leagues will continue to emerge. Ice hockey manages to support a number of pro leagues in Europe, and not just in regions where it enjoys media coverage such as North and East Europe. Does anyone know what sort of crowds and coverage the Russian league gets? They seem to have cash to spend, but perhaps from sugar daddies rather than a fan base?
Bakkies
Guest
I doubt Spain is the next big target for the IRB. Portugal have been pretty consistent over the past few years, qualified for the 2007 RWC and very competitive on the 7s circuit. They seem to more organised then the Spanish, I think the proposed Iberian Championship was scuppered because the Spanish couldn't organise a session in a brewery. The 6Nations B ENC is now very even which is great for Rugby. A large percentage of the games are very close as you have to take in organisational problems in to account. There was a match in Georgia recently that had to have a local Georgian ref as the appointed ref missed his flight. Games in Russia aren't easy to please the visiting team either.
Sircoolalot
Guest
*In Spain
Sircoolalot
Guest
From what i've read and heard rugby has taken a big step back because of the economy. I think this is the fan boy inside of you instead of the realist.
madrid john
Guest
Steady on Nicolas. Most of your " Spanish imports" are french or Argentian with Spanish grand parents, or Basques who are almost spanish anyway. Given that they don´t earn much, most are spanish. Compared to the kilted kiwis, the Dublin dial a prop from NZ, etc, spain is doing well. Even Australia has its sharae of ring-ins. I get tired of hearing lesser teams disparaged for doing the same as the heavy weights do. I play division four rugby in Madrid and the lelvel of passion and respect for the game, (we train with 3 girls cause they don´t have enough for their own team) is equal to anyhing i´ve seen in OZ.
Matt
Guest
Already got my tickets sorted for the Sevens Johnno. Very much looking forward to it!! Am planning to take a week off work (I'm in London at the moment) to check out St Petersburg for a couple of days, then catch an overnight train to Moscow for some sightseeing, followed by 3 days of Seven's excitement. All I need to do is figure out what the costume will be...the front runner is Ivan Drogo (from the Rocky films)... Tickets for the matches are incredibly cheap, so hopefully it's a good sized crowd with lot's of locals and tourists alike.
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
+1
winston
Roar Rookie
classic!
AndyS
Guest
You'd hope so. I remember with a smile this article from a few years back.... http://www.abc.net.au/news/2006-06-12/russian-police-mistake-rugby-match-for-brawl/1776100
Johnno
Guest
The Sevens World cup is gonna be in Moscow this year 2013, that will be good for rugby exposure in Russia no question, to a wider audience.
Matt
Guest
I think that while Sevens rugby will see interest and participation increase, will it happen as a detriment to traditional XV a side game? Will new fans/players flock to the game and will new teams start and have sufficient coaches/referees? These are the problems facing sport expansion. It's not really about professional leagues, these are more a measuring stick of success and not a catalyst for growth. It's Sevens where I see the game growing most and I believe it'll be Sevens where most 2nd/3rd tier countries will put their effort. If I was in charge of the IRB I'd be putting 75% of the funds into Sevens. Roll out the USA Rookie Rugby program to as many countries as you can afford, targeting the wealthy ones who can be more self supporting. Once the young kids who play tag/flag rugby come up through the grades they'll be the one forming the core of the sport. They'll become the stars of the future, the coaches, refs and parents of future players. People need to realise that growth in sport takes a LONG time. The Italian are bearing fruit now, but they are still not a Top 5 team and only manage the odd upset victory. And it has taken them a decade of 6 Nations rugby to get to that level. Plus it took them a lot longer than that to be admitted to the 6 Nations. They still only have two fully fledges Pro sides and playing numbers are competitive internationally. So for the next nation to reach that level you can only look at Japan, Canada or the USA. Japan has the money and participants but need a momentum boost to improve their competitive levels. Until then they will only even be a 2nd tier side. The USA is building the participation levels, but the too need a huge improvement to become Tier 1 quality. These two teams are at least 10-20 years away from being a genuine Tier 1 side. That's how long these transformations take. The 6 Nations B sides will be 25+ years from Tier 1. We need to patient and realistic about this, and also give the IRB some credit too. They're making great strides all around the world to grow the game (Womans, Men's, Youth, Sevens etc).
NicolasPA
Guest
Like Argentina
White Bear
Guest
See information about the Russian clubs and compositions in the French version of Wikipedia (it is the most reliable and regularly updated). Championnat de Russie de rugby à XV http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enisey-STM I can say now PRL play several New Zealanders: Toby Morland (3 time World Champion NZ U19 & U21, Highlanders, Chiefs, Munster, Blues) http://www.itsrugby.co.uk/player_2451.html Glen Horton (World Champion NZ U21, Pacific Cup winner NZ Maori, Highlanders) http://www.itsrugby.co.uk/player_1964.html Ryan Bambry (Highlanders) http://www.itsrugby.co.uk/player_3980.html John Dodd (Southland) http://www.itsrugby.co.uk/player_18529.html There is also a lot of foreigners from neighboring countries (Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova, Kazakhstan, ...). But our clubs want to attract better players from the southern hemisphere, that Russian players in his championship to compete with them. Therefore, we are for the Australians, New Zealanders and South-Africaans. If you have a good level - to come to us to play. Our New Zealanders live in Russia 8-9 months of the year, very happy, even want to play for the Russian national team.
NicolasPA
Guest
Spain is worst than Italy talking about imports
White Bear
Guest
This is only names. This is Rugby Union, not Rugby League. This season will have 10 teams. They will play 18 games, then playoffs Places 1-4, 5-8 and 9-10 seats. Total of 20 games for each club. From 12 May to 13 October. And from 24 April to 9 May Cup will be held in Russia (1 \ 8, 1 \ 4, 1 \ 2 and final), there except PRL clubs will play from 2 division.
Bakkies
Guest
Maybe that's a default setting and they haven't got registered numbers available.