Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
News on America’s newest professional rugby competition is heating up. While kickoff is not due until the Spring of 2018 and the league itself is yet to reveal much of its structure, information released from elsewhere is increasing steadily. Multiple sources have now confirmed that San Diego will join Major League Rugby for its inaugural season in 2018. It’s welcome news for the California rugby community, who had been left out of the initial nine-team roster.
That list now looks to have been reduced to eight teams. With San Diego joining up it’s Minneapolis that has dropped out, though it appears to be a migration with some backers involved with the Minneapolis bid – registered under the name Tornadoes Rugby LLC – also behind the San Diego franchise. Those backers have been linked to the Stormers, a South African Super Rugby franchise based in Cape Town.
San Diego was the home of the Breakers during the 2016 PRO Rugby season, one of three California-based franchises. The other two cities – San Francisco and Sacramento – have interested parties but neither will be involved in 2018.
Also believed to be out of the competition, at least for now, is Dallas. The Griffins have reportedly not met their required bond payments for the 2018 season and their involvement looks to have been pushed back to 2019 at the earliest. After making headlines by signing Mike Ford as Director of Rugby, the former Bath and Toulon coach is understood to have applied for both the Canada and USA coaching jobs, each still vacant but due to be filled shortly.
The competition as it stands is moving forward with teams in Seattle (SeaWolves), Glendale (Raptors), Salt Lake City (Rugby Utah), Houston (Strikers), Austin, Kansas City (Blues), New Orleans (Gold), and yet-to-be-named San Diego. Rugby Utah are set to confirm their new logo and name on September 25 with the ‘Warriors‘ the betting favorite, while Austin Elite have separated from the Huns and are also expected to announce a new team name in due course. Kansas City remain known as the Blues but could yet opt to further distance themselves from the amateur club side of the same name.
Recent personnel moves include a first official signing by New Orleans in the form of PRO Rugby MVP Sebastián Kalm, while the Houston Strikers have added Fijian 7s international Josua Vici and most recently former Sacramento Express and Seattle Saracens lock Robert Meeson. Austin have imported experienced French coach Alain Hyardet while the SeaWolves have just announced the hiring of UBC Thunderbirds coach Curry Hitchborn as ‘Director of Rugby Development.’
Meanwhile expansion plans are well underway and should all go as planned in 2018 a number of teams are set to join in 2019. Chicago were part of the initial team list but have moved their probable inclusion to 2019 with an impressive new complex in the works, while New York is also set to launch with initial friendlies likely in 2018. Speculation is also growing that a Boston franchise could join after plans for a first class rugby facility were revealed by Boston Rugby Club in August.
Fans north of the border have reason to cheer as well. The Ontario Arrows began their journey towards professionalism with a friendly against Glendale earlier this month and will expand their fixture schedule dramatically in 2018 with an eye towards full participation in 2019. A group in Vancouver is determined not to be left behind and while 2018 has come too soon they are also expected to push for inclusion in Year Two. There is a real chance Canada could have two MLR teams in 2019.
The ambitious plans are not without obstacles, however, with legal action from PRO Rugby owner Doug Schoninger looming over USA Rugby due to a conflict over terms of their exclusivity agreement. How that affects the sanctioning of the new competition is uncertain with more set to come to light as the 180-day deadline (October 23) for notice of non-renewal in the PRO agreement is fast approaching. The contract itself is set to expire on April 21, 2018.
