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This week’s Talking Rugby segment is going to be a bit of a downer. I apologize in advance. On the bright side, it is in these low moments that we see the fabric of which our rugby community is made. Today, I’m going to hit on a few heartfelt pieces, take a quick look at a possible RWC 2023 bid for the USA, and even delve briefly into the mess that is the NRFL/USA Rugby dispute.
Jerry Collins (1980-2015)
It has been some time since a tragedy of this magnitude shook the rugby community. The loss of not only one of the world’s great rugby players, but also a true ambassador of the sport. Collins was always one of my favorites. As a openside cut out of the Martyn Williams mold (Read… not in skill, but being small for a forward), some of my favorite players were/are blindside flankers. Big and physical players that can also get around the park. It was always so much fun to watch Collins… not only for the way he played, but how he carried himself. I was never fortunate enough to meet him, but have heard accounts from a number of people that were blessed with the opportunity. All spoke highly of Collins and his humble nature.
It is without surprise that the rugby community has rallied to honor the former All Black. He touched many with his gifts, not all of which were on the pitch. Please continue to keep his daughter and family in your thoughts.
Rugby Rallies for an Injured Youth
This past weekend, one of the U14 players in my own club structure was struck by a car while riding his bike in his neighborhood. Hurt badly, the young man who is an All-Star in his own right, will have a long recovery from his injuries. Hoping to cheer him up, we started gathering rugby items to put together a rugby basket for him. It started out with just our club, then we reached out to other clubs in our area, and next thing we had offers of shirts, hats, stickers, bags, and more from clubs far and wide. Even USA Rugby is giving us a ball signed by the Eagles.
This just continues to reaffirm what we already know about rugby. There is no other sport like it on the field, but also that no other sport can even come close to the true sense of community that we all share. It’s not something we give lip service to. It is a real thing bred into the culture of the sport. Fly across the world, find a rugby club, and you’ll immediately have friends. No other sport can make that claim and mean it. We can.
I hope and pray that as new generations come to our sport, that they honor these customs. It is each of our jobs, as stewards of the game, to make sure this happens.
USA 2023?
World Rugby has confirmed that there are five candidates that have stepped forward with intentions to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Ireland, who’s leaders have already claimed victory to the chagrin of many who are calling for a more fair process, is in the mix. As are South Africa, Italy, France, and in a bit of a surprise… the United States.
Many have expected the United States to serve as a serious contender for the 2027 World Cup, so this first attempt may be more of a testing process. May be not? There is little doubt that the world of rugby has always envisioned the United States as a promised land of sorts. You know… all of the Sleeping Giant stuff. The reality is that eyes are almost constantly looking at the USA these days. Not just for the drama either. The appetite for rugby has grown by leaps and bounds across America. What once seemed like a dream can now be talked about as an impending reality.
That said, with Japan hosting in 2019 and not a sure thing to bring in big bucks, it is hard to see World Rugby not going with a safe bet in 2023. Something that is guaranteed to make money. While the USA is trending towards being less of a risk, we still haven’t reached the “sure thing” status yet. Not that I wouldn’t welcome the opportunity with open arms. The likely scenario is that the World Cup Sevens in 2018 will be the final test run before the USA hosts the real thing. If not 2027, then 2031 for certain. If the USA is awarded the 2023 games, it will be a huge surprise.
South Africa should put in a strong bid and they have history on their side as they haven’t hosted since 1995. Ireland, who appears confident, hasn’t hosted since the joint 5 Nations hosted in 1991. I believe South Africa and Ireland are probably the safe bets, but it sure would be interesting to see Italy host.
NRFL/USAR… What a Mess
This is a subject that is being discussed to death. I have at least one article on the topic in the works, so I’ll not delve too much into it right now. This is more of a quick opinion on the matter. I’m disappointed that the game isn’t happening and from the sound of it, there are a lot of others that are in the same boat. I do think that there is more to the story than USA Rugby not sanctioning due to lack of registration. Both sides are to blame for this mess, but in the end it falls on the people from the NRFL. It was their duty to make sure that the match was 100% cleared before announcements were made and tickets went on sale.
The NRFL leaders have done little to endear themselves to the rugby community. Which is too bad. I’ve spoken to them on a number of occasions and they are passionate rugby people. They absolutely love the sport. Expressing their thoughts and plans in public has been their downfall. If they had a public relations or marketing manager in charge of information from Day 1, they would have a wave of support behind them in their rub against USA Rugby. As it stands, they have little support from the rugby community.
While I think the registration process is an easy out on the part of USA Rugby, I also don’t begrudge them for doing it. Ulterior motives and possible legal issues aside, it is how things are done in the entire rugby world. Touring sides are required to be members in good standing with their unions. Whether it an Old Boys club or a Professional side. Whether that is right or wrong is another discussion entirely. For the here and now, this is the way it is done. Were the two parties not on completely different pages, perhaps something could have been worked out.
The real losers in this aren’t USA Rugby or the NRFL (who are not done) or even the fans. It is the players who were just a week and half away from leaving for the camp to prep for the match against the Tigers. Contrary to popular belief, many of them are already in rugby environments working hard for the opportunity to prove all of the naysayers wrong. I’ve spoken with some of them already. To say that they are disappointed would be an understatement. All I could say to them was to keep their chin up, keep playing rugby, and keep their options open.
