Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
New York officially has its first professional rugby team. Major League Rugby confirmed on Tuesday that Rugby United New York will enter the new competition for the 2019 season. Heavily rumored for several months, the confirmation of New York as the first expansion franchise for the second season comes as no surprise but is a strong indicator that MLR could succeed where previous efforts to bring professional rugby to the USA have failed.
The official release also confirms that Mike Tolkin will be first Head Coach of the newly re-branded RUNY, formerly Rugby Club New York. Tolkin was Head Coach of the Eagles from 2012 to 2015, taking the side to the 2015 World Cup. Assisting him will be prominent New York rugby personality Bruce McLane, Andrew Britt of the Village Lions, and Lansdowne (NY) RFC coach Vili Vakasisikakala.
Backing the team is Murphy Kennedy Group (MKG) CEO James Kennedy, who will act as Chairman. MKG is a construction management firm based in Manhattan. Also confirmed as a co-owner is John Layfield, who wrestled under the names ‘Bradshaw’ and ‘JBL’ in the WWE. Layfield is also the creator of Beyond Rugby Bermuda, a non-profit that provides rugby opportunities for Bermudian youth.
Listed as team ‘advisors’ are Eddie O’Sullivan and Shane Horgan. O’Sullivan has experience as Head Coach for both the USA and Ireland national teams and is currently Head Coach at All-Ireland League club Old Belvedere. Horgan won 65 caps for Ireland and more than 200 appearances for Leinster, also touring with the British & Irish Lions in 2005.
New York will play at least four exhibition matches in 2018 beginning on March 24 against against Boston Mystics, a new high performance team backed by established Division 1 club Mystic River. That game will be played at Gaelic Park, a GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) field located in the Bronx, with kickoff time set for 7pm Eastern. Tickets are now available on the new RUNY website.
A second match against the Mystics will be played in Boston with a home-and-away series also set against the Ontario Arrows, a Canadian high performance side evolved from the Ontario Blues program of the Canadian Rugby Championship. The Arrows have also met with MLR representatives and are eyeing possible inclusion for the 2019 season.
The official press release can be seen in its entirety here.
