Best of the Rest

As we emerge from the November test window the focus now switches to the HSBC Sevens Series, the Americas Rugby Championship, the inaugural Major League Rugby season, and perhaps most importantly the World Cup Qualification series between Canada and Uruguay.

 

Major League Rugby nears kick-off – by Martin Pengelly / The Guardian

“This sport needs a destination for it to become relevant here in the US, it needs to have that crown at the top, so young players, whether youth or high school or university or club, have a place that they can aspire to get to. We’re trying to create that.”

 

Major League Rugby: An Overview – by Doug Coil / DJ Coil Rugby

“The team has also been a the cutting edge of fan engagement and player welfare. Mike Ablett, Marketing Director, indicated that partnership has been developed with Umbel, Exaduo Sport, and Mac-Lloyd Sport to use technology to bring sport to the next level in player performance and safety, as well as to increase fan engagement to enhance the experience.”

 

Levale goes from Ahousaht to World Stage – by Brian Drewry / Victoria Times Colonist

“Levale was born in Tofino to missionary parents, dad Poi is from Samoa and mom Nettie from Manitoba, who were assigned to the tiny community of Ahousaht just off Vancouver Island, near Tofino.”

 

Perseverance puts former Football player on US Rugby roster – by Jim Souhan / Star Tribune

“Every morning, he would look for a job. The local rugby club helped him get a gig as a bouncer at a bar. He slept on teammates’ couches and scoured Craigslist for a place closer to the national team’s practices.”

 

Star lineman leads a group trying to make USA Rugby national team – by Aaron Morton / Deseret News

“The New York Jets signed the former Ute standout in April, only to cut him four weeks later. In June, the San Diego Chargers gave him a look, but Cullen, who was the No. 1-ranked offensive lineman coming out of junior college, was again squeezed out in the cutthroat world of the NFL.”

 

Autumn Test displays means side looks like Six Nations contenders – by Tom English / BBC

“Throughout all of this, Murrayfield tended to be full, or mostly full, for Test matches. Against all evidence, and in the face of years of failure, people kept turning up, kept looking on the bright side. You could combine the faith of every religious order in the world and multiply it by 10 and you’d still be short of the forgiveness and belief shown by the Murrayfield flock.”

 

Stuart Hogg’s Coaching Chain (video) – by Iain Monaghan / Scottish Rugby

“My first impression was what everbody was telling me. He was this annoying lad from Hawick in the physio suite. He couldn’t do anything, he didn’t know what to do with his time.”

 

Capó Ortega one step closer to return for Los Teros – by Ignacio Chans / El Observador

“The fourth point, obviously, is the position of Capó himself, who wants to have one last chance in the national side. We will have to see how it ends up developing: if it is a farewell in the series against Canada, to retire with the World Cup qualification, or if he wants to continue to Japan 2019.”