AMNRL is back, USARL limited to South East, new USA Commission

[Pneuma]

A country of 350 million people with virtually no interest in rugby league. It can barely hold a 12 team comp together. Every iteration of the game there fails but some how it’s the international body’s fault. Really?
if you visit the comps Twitter sites you see nothing but bickering. The only way to seriously get anything going there is to go full on at comps in specific areas where there may be a cultural connection with South Pacific islands.

 

[yakstorm]

RL United has released their draw:






Even though it's only a small competition, good to see every team get 7 games.

Talk that New York Freedom, Oneida & Toronto City, who all played games in 2022, will again schedule some fixtures in 2023 against the RLU teams.

Cleveland has locked in a match against the Toronto City Saints in the Men's & Ontario in the Women's in April.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02w81zmnJmkWDMTbMGRkdQqCnyQRYosdLtR3Q31Z6ozrMBSSBbtSShdUUgq3o5WBvWl&id=100063726213724&mibextid=Nif5oz

 

[Sjrugby]

Q&A with PCRL

 

[yakstorm]

Oregon Rugby League has affiliated with the PCRL, with the PCRL to run some exploratory meetings this week in the state.

Hopefully they get some traction.

Championship RL had their 5th game of the season & first at Zions Bank Indoor Stadium, with the Salt Lake Spartans defeating the Provo Steelers 52 - 34.

So far 6 teams have played in the 22/23 CRL season. Utah Saints kick off their campaign on March 11 against the Spartans.

Sacramento Immortals seem to have disappeared from the CRL draw for March after their Feb game was postponed.

CRL competition feels a bit like its being made up as they go along in terms of whether it will have conferences, who's in it & not and when games will take place, that said in fairness to then, they are running more matches than anyone else in the US and are trying to raise the standard from a presentation & professionalism perspective as well.

 

[Sjrugby]

The CRL is pretty much winging it all. That's why games are played weeks apart but to those who don't know it just looks like normal stuff. I've spoken with a player who wants to stay nameless but it's pretty much crazy games with some teams not insured and back when the championship was the California league they played last minute at random parks, practice was last minute and the coaches where player coaches so that way they avoided having to pay rental fees most of the time. As long as there is no coaches present it's not a organized event so it's considered public use. Players injured where pretty much given a collection from random people to help pay for any medical expenses.

I highly highly suggest listening to the podcast Rugby League in America . It's part of the chasing kangaroos podcast. The last episode is a interview with PCRL and the one before that they do a massive deep dive into all parties (except RLU because they came about after recording) . Boy do they expose alot!

 

[wain]

This article gives an overview to the current layout of all things involved with USARL side of things. I must say, I think this seems the most structured and big-picture layout Ive read regarding the US lately. Im still hopeful that we can see a merging of the comps into smaller localised comps, but all coming under the governing body banner of USARL.

It seems that a group forming Utah RL and Oregon RL are now affiliated with Pacific Coast RL, which has become USARL West Coast unofficially.
https://rugbyleaguehub.com/us-west-coast-expansion/?mibextid=Zxz2cZ

And here is the calendar for the coming season:

I hope that after the coming domestic season is complete, we can have some common sense and have parties come together and sort it out.

I can't help but think that overall, the situation still just gives off vibes of a bunch of people (mainly Aus and Eng ex-pats) wanting a finger in the pie/ownership hoping 'their' comp makes it big...rather than all coming together for the greater good.

 

[siv]

No North East comp?

 

[RedVee_8]

This article gives an overview to the current layout of all things involved with USARL side of things. I must say, I think this seems the most structured and big-picture layout Ive read regarding the US lately. Im still hopeful that we can see a merging of the comps into smaller localised comps, but all coming under the governing body banner of USARL.

It seems that a group forming Utah RL and Oregon RL are now affiliated with Pacific Coast RL, which has become USARL West Coast unofficially.
https://rugbyleaguehub.com/us-west-coast-expansion/?mibextid=Zxz2cZ

And here is the calendar for the coming season:

I hope that after the coming domestic season is complete, we can have some common sense and have parties come together and sort it out.

I can't help but think that overall, the situation still just gives off vibes of a bunch of people (mainly Aus and Eng ex-pats) wanting a finger in the pie/ownership hoping 'their' comp makes it big...rather than all coming together for the greater good.

That was pretty interesting. Thanks for posting.

 

[wain]

No North East comp?

just the one that is referenced by yakstorm above, I believe.
Seems like these are the only teams standing since the ill-fated NARL.

RL United has released their draw:
View attachment 70331

View attachment 70332

View attachment 70333

Even though it's only a small competition, good to see every team get 7 games.

Talk that New York Freedom, Oneida & Toronto City, who all played games in 2022, will again schedule some fixtures in 2023 against the RLU teams.

Cleveland has locked in a match against the Toronto City Saints in the Men's & Ontario in the Women's in April.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02w81zmnJmkWDMTbMGRkdQqCnyQRYosdLtR3Q31Z6ozrMBSSBbtSShdUUgq3o5WBvWl&id=100063726213724&mibextid=Nif5oz

 

[wain]

first results through on twitter.
Tampa 42 - Atlanta 12
LA Mongel 22 - San Diego Barracudas 22

 

[wain]

That was pretty interesting. Thanks for posting.

you’re welcome. Thanks for the thanks

 

[Éamonn an Chnoic]

Off topic, but wouldnt it be great to have all of these teams in the Challenge Cup (1895 Cup)!!

Get the players some decent experience against higher level teams and get some exposure for the teams in a more prestigious comp.

It wouldnt be anywhere near the logistical challenge of a full time SL club and imagine if one of these clubs had a decent run!!

 

[wain]

Kit design for the 2 Utah teams, from Utah RL FB page:

 

[İzmir Zaferi]

It has been a mess for some time in the USA but it is actually starting to look the strongest it has ever been.

RLU - 4 active teams - I suspect will come into affiliation. I have seen positive interaction online.

Boston 13's
Delaware Blackfoxes
Washington
Brooklyn Kings

USARL South - 4 active - USARL affiliate

Jacksonville Axemen
Atlanta Rhinos
Tampa Mayhem
Central Florida Copperheads

Inactive - Starting - South Florida Speed. Miami Man Sharks RL

PCRL - 6 Active - USARL affiliate

Los Angeles Mongrel
Los Angeles Bandidos
Sandiego Barracudas
Dead Pelicans

Riverton Seagulls - Utah RL
Herriman Roosters - Utah RL

CRL - Championship Rugby League - 6 teams - non-affiliate (I suspect this could change, USARL has won the National governance battle)

East Palo Alto Razorbacks

Las Vegas Islanders

North Bay Warriors

Provo Steelers

Sacramento Immortals

Salt Lake City Spartans

Sanfrancisco Savage

Inactive - Hawaii Warriors - maybe just 9's

That is at least 21 active teams in competition without counting others that are active in development or the women's teams that have even been springing up separately.

Oregon Rugby League has been active in trying to create atleast two new teams.

Raptors Rugby League in Illinois is active in development and their chair also on the USARL board.

Cleveland Rugby League played Toronto fairly recently and at the Naples 9's are active not in 13's competition.

North Carolina Storm have also been active in 9's but have become a broader 'Rugby Development group'. They seem to be particularly peeved with USARL (From a personal conversation)

Championship Rugby League AND the PCRL are said to announce new teams soon.

I suspect Philadelphia Fight will also reemerge given their previous strength if RLU affiliate.

So long as Championship Rugby League is reasonable and each competition even expands a little we could easily have thirty or more active in the next year or two.

 

[wain]

Rugby League in America (used to just be a podcast), has certainly continued to carry the torch for RL in USA.
They have just released an free online magazine covering info and season previews of all the comps in USA.
I think we should all support them by throwing a FB 'like' their way and helping them get some awareness out there.

Find the magazine here:

BLOG & NEWS | RugbyLeagueinAmerica

Rugby League in America is the premier rugby league podcast and rugby league news site for all of the Western Hemisphere, covering news and competitions in the US, Canada, Jamaica, Brazil, Argentina, and more.

www.rugbyleagueinamerica.net

 

[Pneuma]

If you need a headache read this. Articles about the set up of rugby league in the USA always cause headaches

Rugby league in the USA: touring heroes, fights and a Vegas residency

NRL has established a 10-year residency in Las Vegas. Will their interest revive the US’s fractured rugby league scene?

www.theguardian.com

 

[bazza]

Off topic, but wouldnt it be great to have all of these teams in the Challenge Cup (1895 Cup)!!

Get the players some decent experience against higher level teams and get some exposure for the teams in a more prestigious comp.

It wouldnt be anywhere near the logistical challenge of a full time SL club and imagine if one of these clubs had a decent run!!

would be nice if the teams in the various competition played in some sort of cup competition

 

[wain]

Some updates from Nth America over the weekend.

Consolidated results from PCRL over the weekend:

Jacksonville d Copperheads 32-16 in the East


Meanwhile, good news from Oregon with a game slated for September and kit revealed.

Toronto Wolfpack announce a competition:
https://www.loverugbyleague.com/pos...th-nine-fixtures-announced-at-lamport-stadium

I can't seem to find any results online from the Rugby League United comp that kicked-off over the weekend.

 

[yakstorm]

Scores for opening round of Rugby League United:

Delaware Black Foxes 22 - 36 Brooklyn Kings
DC Cavalry 38 - 14 Boston 13s

 

[wain]

From RLA podcast FB:
A massive day of matches around the Americas. We will have a recap of all the scores soon but STAY TUNED, a BIG announcement that will make waves is slated to be made tomorrow. If you listened to the last pod you got a “whisper” of it. #confirmed #RugbyLeague #usarugbyleague