USARFU is renewing its quest for a professional league and a winning XV.
PRO Rugby is today expected to announce details of a 6-team competition beginning play in April 2016. The New York startup has been sanctioned by Boulder, similar to the license granted Bill Tatham last decade.
Meanwhile, over the weekend USARFU's board of directors received a report on the 2015 World Cup, a second winless world championship in the last three editions.
With the chairman in place since 2002 and the chief executive from 2006, both professionalization and the national team belong to this administration's record. Next year's Rio de Janeiro Olympics is set to bring rugby's abbreviated version to a far larger TV audience than the 15s championship. The question is whether 2015's fine 7s season or disappointing 15s campaign is more indicative of the American high performance trajectory.
Of immediate import is the 15s coach. Beginning February, the Eagles are to play a five-match slate against three four South American teams and Canada, in a new competition announced last April. Ranked ahead of all but Argentina, the US will be expected to finish in the top half of the so-called Americas Six Nations.
Mike Tolkin, 11-1-23 from 2012-15, would like to continue, contending groundwork laid over the past four years would bear fruit in the coming quadrennial.
But Brett Gosper, World Rugby's chief executive, recently indicated the international body is looking to place foreign coaches in 'tier 2' countries. '[World Rugby] will be involved in strength and conditioning, we’ll be involved in coach selection too. We have a say in those coaches, we help them find the right coaches', Gosper told London's Guardian newspaper a week ago.
When US chief executive Nigel Melville arrived in 2006, he was charged to nurture a generation of domestic coaches. But three of his 15s coaches, plus the current 7s head man, have been foreign. Dependent of WR's annual stipends, USARFU could be hard-pressed to resist.
One expected benefit of a US pro league is opportunity for domestic coaches and players. The idea is athletes and sideline men alike require higher-caliber daily training environments such as exist in Europe and the Southern Hemisphere countries. At present, only the very best of the university teams as well as national team 7s at the Olympic Training Center approach such conditions.
The union originally intended to professionalize the North Americas 4, launched in 2006 with WR funds. Then it set itself the target of a domestic pro league debuting in 2014.
Under Melville and chair Bob Latham, Boulder has abandoned representative play. The rationale is periodic competition has proven insufficient for international-grade players. One practical effect has been to curtail higher-level opportunity even as more players are coming into youth and collegiate grades.
Led by Doug Schoninger, PRO Rugby looks to have a broad charter, from raising capital to managing franchises, events, and media to contracting players and staff. The former securities industry professional has little evident background in the game. Stephen Lewis, with experience at New York's Old Blue and also the Northeast 7s Olympic Development Academy, is responsible for rugby operations.
"Beginning February, the Eagles are to play a five-match slate against three South American teams and Canada, in a new competition announced last April."
Four South American teams, not three - Argentina, Brazil, Chile, & Uruguay. Canada & US round out the 6 for a five week tourney.
Posted by: Grant | 09 November 2015 at 05:03
Kurt - good to see you regularly posting again!! Many thanks. How can we all be anything but skeptical about this PRO Rugby thang!?!? Not including a team from Seattle, Chicago, or SoCal (there are some people that know rugby at OMBAC, Belmont, and Sta Monica...) in your first iteration seems to be a flawed approach. They will have to house, transport, feed, train any talent coming from these areas. Unless they have very deep pockets and have vetted this out, I don't have much faith in this latest venture. If it follows all endeavors pursued by current Board, then I guess we can predict how this plays out. Just read your USA Natl Team 07-11 doc. Very good read. Tell everyone to get behind Tony Ridnell!!!
Posted by: SD Hitman | 10 November 2015 at 08:55
What is Tony Ridnell offering? What exactly is there to get behind besides a blog?
Posted by: elite rugby | 10 November 2015 at 17:35