USA 2024

[yakstorm]

Talent ID clinic held in Utah

Utah Rugby League Hosts Successful USA Talent ClinicUtah Rugby League Hosts Successful Talent Clinic

The USA Hawks Mens Head Coach, Sean Rutgerson, traveled to Utah on January 6th to conduct a rugby league talent clinic.A USA rugby league talent clinic took place at the Zion Bank Training facility in Herriman, Utah, and granted some of the most talented players from both Utah Rugby League...

www.usarl.org

Great to see Sean Rutgerson visiting Utah and spending some time with both URLA & Utah Junior players.

Following the controversial selections for the Jamaica Test, the visit is a really important olive branch between the East & West Leagues.

 

[wain]

Talent ID clinic held in Utah

Utah Rugby League Hosts Successful USA Talent ClinicUtah Rugby League Hosts Successful Talent Clinic

The USA Hawks Mens Head Coach, Sean Rutgerson, traveled to Utah on January 6th to conduct a rugby league talent clinic.A USA rugby league talent clinic took place at the Zion Bank Training facility in Herriman, Utah, and granted some of the most talented players from both Utah Rugby League...

www.usarl.org

Great to see Sean Rutgerson visiting Utah and spending some time with both URLA & Utah Junior players.

Following the controversial selections for the Jamaica Test, the visit is a really important olive branch between the East & West Leagues.

thanks for the updates Yak, I keep coming on here to post them...but you've beaten me to it the past week

I agree with the positivity of the local US game currently. I'm now sold out on the NRL jaunt to Vegas as successful for the USA domestic game regardless of what those two matches are like as a spectacle. The groundswell from teams across North America has been fantastic. Already multiple teams for women's and U18's would've been impossible just a few years ago.

Also as I previously stated, and you mentioned above...certainly a changing of the guard with the balance of players/teams to continue to come from the West Coast.

But while those benefits are great, it seems clarity/unity is on the horizon. It certainly seems that the timing of the games...but also the new governance with boards, etc will hopefully get everyone on the same page. No more vested interest of people starting teams because they think there's money to be made. The IRL and NRL are working with USARL. Hopefully, everyone sees that this is the way forward. I love the concept of smaller local leagues, all coming together for finals and rep games. I don't think it will be long before we see two leagues of 4-6 teams on each coast of the US.

Please be the real deal!

 

[yakstorm]

So with the news the EPA Razorbacks haven't completely given up on Rugby League & that the Immortals are talking to the PCRL, I was curious of all the clubs that were quickly spun up for the California/Championship Rugby League, how many are still around in some form & which are potentially lost.

North Bay Dead Pelicans
Joined the PCRL as the Santa Rosa Dead Pelicans.

Los Angeles Mongrel
Foundation club of the PCRL

San Diego Barracudas
Foundation club of the PCRL

Provo Steelers
Joined the URLA/PCRL as the Provo Broncos

Utah Saints Rugby
Joined the URLA/PCRL as the Herriman Roosters

Sacramento Immortals
Confirmed participants for the Vegas 9s & about 90% likely to join the PCRL for 2024.

East Palo Alto Razorbacks
Have announced that they plan to play in the Vegas 9s at least.

Sacramento Young Tigers
Appear to have folded into the Immortals.

Salt Lake City Spartans
Have announced that they are training for both League & Union in 2024. What that means exactly, is unknown.

Now outside of those ones, there was also the:
- Las Vegas Islanders
- San Francisco Savage
- North Bay Warriors
- Laie Rhinos

Savage, I believe were a foundation club of the CRL, so similar to the Glen Mills Bulls folding with the AMNRL or the Philadelphia Fight with USARL North, they are possibly never going to return, however the others I thought were part of existing sports clubs (though cant find anything about them)

 

[wain]

So with the news the EPA Razorbacks haven't completely given up on Rugby League & that the Immortals are talking to the PCRL, I was curious of all the clubs that were quickly spun up for the California/Championship Rugby League, how many are still around in some form & which are potentially lost.

North Bay Dead Pelicans
Joined the PCRL as the Santa Rosa Dead Pelicans.

Los Angeles Mongrel
Foundation club of the PCRL

San Diego Barracudas
Foundation club of the PCRL

Provo Steelers
Joined the URLA/PCRL as the Provo Broncos

Utah Saints Rugby
Joined the URLA/PCRL as the Herriman Roosters

Sacramento Immortals
Confirmed participants for the Vegas 9s & about 90% likely to join the PCRL for 2024.

East Palo Alto Razorbacks
Have announced that they plan to play in the Vegas 9s at least.

Sacramento Young Tigers
Appear to have folded into the Immortals.

Salt Lake City Spartans
Have announced that they are training for both League & Union in 2024. What that means exactly, is unknown.

Now outside of those ones, there was also the:
- Las Vegas Islanders
- San Francisco Savage
- North Bay Warriors
- Laie Rhinos

Savage, I believe were a foundation club of the CRL, so similar to the Glen Mills Bulls folding with the AMNRL or the Philadelphia Fight with USARL North, they are possibly never going to return, however the others I thought were part of existing sports clubs (though cant find anything about them)

so good to see most teams striving for unity!

not sure if Laie have done anything much League related, mainly union I believe. Hawaii probably needs its own 2-4 team league due to travel/distance. Possibly 2-3 from Oahu (east near Honolulu, north near Kailua, west near Mililani/Kapolei with its heavy military presence), then maybe a couple of sneaky teams from Maui and Big Island.

Even with smaller population, due to the heavy Polynesian presence, and existing Union players...they'd still hold their own. Ideally then, the winning team could join the winners of all the other Leagues in the National Playoffs

 

[wain]

brilliant!

 

[yakstorm]

Haven't heard Wheelchair RL referred to as 'chess match on steroids' before, but love the analogy.

Lisa will make her international debut against Wales in South Carolina on Feb 2/3. Full USA Wheelchair squad:

Interested to see how the Hawks go in the back-to-back Tests. They showed in the RLWC that they play a very aggressive, in your face, style of Wheelchair RL and there wasn't much between Wales & USA in their one previous clash (50-32).

 

[yakstorm]

Third LA team to join the Pacific Coast Rugby League. The West LA Jackrabbits join the LA Mongrels, Bandidos & San Diego Barracudas to give the competition a 4:1 SoCal skew.

Hopefully the rumours of the Sacramento Immortals & East Palo Alto Razorbacks of joining the PCRL are true, so the Dead Pelicans aren't always having to make the 5+ hr commute (each way).

 

[yakstorm]

Official release:

 

[wain]

 

[yakstorm]

Sacramento Immortals have officially joined the PCRL for 2024

 

[wain]

Another really positive step, with the continuing reunification of the different clubs, comps and bodies. Taken from International Rugby League Website.​

New USARL Board elected ​

Published by IntRL

8 hours ago

The Constitutive Election for the new United States Association of Rugby League Board has returned an initial cohort of nine (9) Directors representing the game on both the west and east of the USA.
The Directors were elected by the USARL’s seven voting clubs and one voting league, and includes four new Board Members – Matt Goschnick, Chris Martin, George Tupou and Dustin Zerrer.
Goschnick, Martin, Tupou and Zerrer, along with Billy Nielson, Darren Piggins and Drew Slover, were elected as Directors nominated by the 11 member clubs and one member league.
Miranda Barnard was elected as the Director nominated from the female Individual Members, while David aborigine was elected as the Director nominated from the male Individual Members.
Following the election of these nine Directors the new USARL Board will now:

• elect an interim Chair from among the nine Directors
  
  
• form a three strong nominations committee to recruit up to three independent Directors to join the Board.

Immediately after the completion of that process, the 12-strong Board shall elect a Chair from among the Directors.
The election of the full Board will complete a reform process that started in October 2021 and included wide and multiple consultations with the rugby league community in the United States, a review of multiple relevant US sports governance models and was benchmarked by USARL consent at every stage to ensure a fully collaborative process.
IRL Chair Troy Grant said: “The finalisation of what has been a detailed and lengthy reform process marks the beginning of a new era for rugby league in the United States.
“Coupled with initiatives such as the NRL’s investment in Las Vegas and the international calendar, the USARL now has the opportunity to help take the game forward in the world’s largest sporting market.
“I would like to thank all those who have taken part in the reform process and congratulate the Directors elected to the new USARL Board.”
USARL Directors
David aborigine, Miranda Barnard, Matt Goschnick, Chris Martin, Billy Neilson, Darren Piggins, Drew Slover, George Tupou, Dustin Zerrer.
USARL Members:

• Club Full Members: Jacksonville Axemen, Los Angeles Bandidos, Los Angeles Mongrel, San Diego Barracudas, Santa Rosa Dead Pelicans, SW Florida Copperheads, Tampa Mayhem
  
  
• Club Affiliate Members: Glendale Storm, Herriman Roosters, Provo Broncos, Riverton Seagulls
  
  
• League Full Member: Pacific Coast Rugby League Inc.

 

[yakstorm]

Masters Rugby League Tri-Series between USA, Canada & Australia set to take place prior to the USA v Canada Test in Vegas

First Ever USA Masters Rugby League Matches Set For Big Vegas WeekendFirst Ever USA Masters Rugby League Matches Set For Big Vegas Weekend

First Ever USA Masters Rugby League Matches Set For Big Vegas WeekendA Masters Rugby League Tournament has been set as a precursor for the USA vs Canada match on Friday March 1st

www.usarl.org

Ontario Ospreys have won their two tour games in Florida, defeating the Tampa Bay Mayhem 44 - 0 and the Carolina Valkyrie 24 - 6.

 

[RedVee]

With the rise of the number of teams in the Pacific and Utah leagues, maybe in a decade or two we might get to a “Coast of Origin” game. Run a line through the middle for qualification purposes.
If West Coast vs East Coast is even a thing over there. Obv I don’t know.

A long way away I know, just dreaming.

 

[RedVee]

So are the teams in the N East, Boston, NY, Philly etc still playing but just not affiliated with the USARL? Or not playing at all?

 

[yakstorm]

So are the teams in the N East, Boston, NY, Philly etc still playing but just not affiliated with the USARL? Or not playing at all?

Boston 13s, Delaware Black Foxes, DC Cavalry & Brooklyn Kings have all confirmed they'll be playing in 2024 in some club competition.

I would imagine that would be the RLU again, although all 4 clubs have gone out of their way not to mention that league name & the RLU Socials have been dead since last year's GF, so maybe it might become USARL North East.

Whatever the competition is called, it is likely to have a loose affiliation with the USARL. The fact that players from the RLU have been picked for both the Jamaica Test in December & Canada Test in March shows there is no hostility between the two.

 

[Coastbloke]

Are NY Knights officially kaput?

 

[yakstorm]

Are NY Knights officially kaput?

They haven't played since 2018, although I see their socials are showing some life. Would be great if some of the old North East clubs could come back.

Speaking of returning clubs, the South Florida Speed have put up an Instagram story saying "Rugby League will return to South Florida" which I hope means they're coming back to the USARL.

 

[RedVee]

Another couple of silly questions from me.

With the 3 LA teams, do they have parts of LA they are based / represent ?
Or do they all train & play out of the same facility?

 

[wain]

I posted a massive reply the other day and for some reason it didn't send and i lost it, but much of it echoed yak's comments on previous and existing teams.

The amount of movement of teams was somewhat due to the fracture at the governing level, with a bit of fallout. Its ironic that USARL came into formation due to not liking the way AMNRL did things, and wanting things more centralised...then CRL came along and disagreed with clubs not having more input, and seemingly wanting things the way AMNRL originally had. Anyway, Im getting sidetracked

I think, however, that many of the teams no longer are in existence due to players moving on. Unfortunately, its one of the negative impacts of having teams that are solely the brainchild and instigation of one person. Unless decent structure has been implemented underneath, then a few of these clubs fold as players age-out or move along. Jacksonville has shown to be the best example of solid foundation in my opinion. Heaps of the old brigade have moved on, but the club still stands. As opposed to some others that existed for only a few years before becoming unsustainable.

I know Ive said it already, but I continue to be impressed with how much this Vegas experiment (coinciding with the IRLF getting on USARL about restructuring governance) has seemingly put a spring in the step of many of the teams and organisers. I hope it can bring sustained unity and growth. having a park level national footprint with localised comps and national playoffs would be massive. Then we can start to look at having a tier above that with semi-pro teams

 

[yakstorm]

Nice to see the Rabbitohs have reached out to the Barracudas whilst they are based out of San Diego

Souths take steps to make Bunnies the happiest players on Earth

South Sydney Rabbitohs players including star hooker Damien Cook will be rolling around Disneyland over the next few days … on mobility scooters.

www.smh.com.au

The Rabbitohs have invited the local San Diego rugby league team, the Barracudas, to their training session on Friday.

The Barracudas have an amateur men’s and women’s team and are founding members of the Pacific Coast Rugby League competition that launched last year.

The 2023 competition included eight teams, with the competition set to expand in 2024 with the introduction of the West LA Jackrabbits and the Sacramento Immortals.

The Rabbitohs have invited the Barracudas to watch them train on Friday and will gift the club their training gear and equipment once they finish their pre-Vegas camp next week.

San Diego also plays home to a professional rugby union team, the San Diego Legion. It’s the home of former Wallabies star Matt Giteau and ex-All Blacks sensation Ma’a Nonu, who will both play in this year’s Major League Rugby competition.

Members of the Legion coaching staff have also requested to come and watch South Sydney’s training session on Friday. It remains unclear if Giteau or Nonu will also come along to the Bunnies’ training session at Triton Soccer Stadium at UC San Diego.