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Another twist is coming to Major League Rugby in what has already been an eventful offseason. The league is set to add a 12th team for the 2024 campaign based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Unlike the other 11 teams, its primary purpose will be to develop US-eligible players with an eye towards both short-term qualification for the 2027 World Cup and the long-term improvement of the Eagles as a competitive entity heading towards RWC 2031 which will be hosted by the United States.
It’s a sudden development that arrives after the demise of the Toronto and New York franchises, the relocation of Atlanta to Los Angeles, and the addition of Miami as an expansion side. Making it all possible is a significant investment by World Rugby, which comes after discussions with MLR and USA Rugby. Notably the commitment from the world governing body is long-term, suggesting the Charlotte team will be around for the foreseeable future.
The team is an evolution of the USA Hawks concept which saw MLR owners funding a USA development side, also based in Charlotte, for a series of exhibition fixtures in 2023. Initially the plan was to build on that program and indeed some 30 players had been sounded out to suit up over the next couple months. That has now been replaced by a fully-fledged professional outfit.
While some details are still being ironed out this weekend, here’s what we know at the moment. Charlotte will take full part in the 2024 MLR season, with the schedule to undergo another revision though sources indicate all intentions are to keep as much of the current version intact as possible. Teams will be split into East and West conferences with Chicago and NOLA joining the East and the two Texan teams joining the West. It’s unclear at this stage how the conference system will affect playoff qualification.
Between half and two-thirds of the existing Hawks squad, which had been comprised entirely of under-23 age grade players, will be retained and supplemented by an expansion draft. The 11 existing franchises will each make two players available for Charlotte to consider though not necessarily sign with the team. Notably those players are asked to be mid-20s or younger and either immediately US-eligible or within a couple years of meeting the five-year residency requirement. The draft is set to take place early in the coming week.
Understandably there are complications with that process, and there is some flexibility on how existing contracts are handled. Some of those players will permanently move to the Charlotte team while others will be on loan, in some cases for the entire season and for others for part of the campaign.
Moving forward the Charlotte team will target the recruitment of some senior Eagles internationals, but in the short term a handful of imports will be required to make them competitive. MLR’s standard is to allow for 10 non-domestic players in a match day 23 but it’s understood that Charlotte will employ a half-dozen at most to ensure they meet their objective of developing American talent.
As for the team’s identity, it appears the team will be known as the Charlotte Hawks with graphic designers furiously formulating their new branding. In 2023 the USA Hawks played home games at American Legion Memorial Stadium and though unconfirmed it stands to reason that would continue. Eagles coach Scott Lawrence has been tipped to lead the side, though it could also fall on one of his senior assistants should he choose to remain at arms length. To that end the development strongly suggests Lawrence will stay on as Eagles Head Coach at least for the immediate future.
The agreement between the three entities involved – World Rugby, USA Rugby, and Major League Rugby – is historic and one that should meet the approval of those who have criticized MLR for relying too heavily on foreign talent and coming up short in producing a competitive Eagles side. Its concept leans heavily on the nationalistic approach taken by Super Rugby Americas and the Rugby Europe Super Cup, while at the same time promoting the USA’s own domestic professional league. How the team evolves from a competitive standpoint within MLR remains to be seen, but moving forward the Charlotte project should bear significant fruit for USA rugby.
