USA 2026

[yakstorm]

Any update on the california competition this year?

Unfortunately it's unclear what might be happening in California. The PCRL doesn't appear to exist anymore, same the United Nations Rugby League have been quiet ever since their Bay 9s tournament in September was postponed indefinitely.

From a club perspective, the San Diego Barracudas, LA Roosters, Sacramento Immortals and Santa Rosa Dead Pelicans are all active and will be taking part in the Vegas 9s, so hopefully something can at least happen with those four. Further the LA Bandidos, which I thought became the Roosters, are still active in some form, and there is also the West LA Renegades who will be taking part in the Vegas 9s as well.

The LA Mongrel have been completely inactive since the issues last year, whilst the East Palo Alto Razorbacks seem to be 100% focused on only Rugby Union these days. The West LA Jackrabbitz, never really eventuated, though maybe the people involved there might be behind the Renegades side.

Will ask around and see if anyone is willing to share any info... surely some of these clubs have been chatting about getting something up.

 

[Ashburn]

there any poddy that cover US RL anymore bro?

 

[Gobsmacked]

Unfortunately it's unclear what might be happening in California. The PCRL doesn't appear to exist anymore, same the United Nations Rugby League have been quiet ever since their Bay 9s tournament in September was postponed indefinitely.

From a club perspective, the San Diego Barracudas, LA Roosters, Sacramento Immortals and Santa Rosa Dead Pelicans are all active and will be taking part in the Vegas 9s, so hopefully something can at least happen with those four. Further the LA Bandidos, which I thought became the Roosters, are still active in some form, and there is also the West LA Renegades who will be taking part in the Vegas 9s as well.

The LA Mongrel have been completely inactive since the issues last year, whilst the East Palo Alto Razorbacks seem to be 100% focused on only Rugby Union these days. The West LA Jackrabbitz, never really eventuated, though maybe the people involved there might be behind the Renegades side.

Will ask around and see if anyone is willing to share any info... surely some of these clubs have been chatting about getting something up.

I wonder what a top down approach from an entity like the NRL would look like. Funding, structure, accountability, administration ect.
What would that model look like.
It would obviously be an investment from the NRL, a cash outlay with an expectation on return.

As a thought experiment:
The NRL fund a west coast Rugby league competition.
A ten team league.
Let's say each club gets 1 million in funding.
For the 1 million dollar grant from the NRL, there's boxes that need to be ticked:
Participation in 10 home games and 10 away without forfeit for a first grade and reserves
3 junior teams.
Keep an attendance record.
Provide online coverage of each game.

The return of investment in the assurance that RL has a consistent sustainable presence in north America.

Would 10 million pa get it done?

 

[yakstorm]

The NRL don't spend $10m on the Vegas event currently, so I don't see them spending that type of money unless they are looking to launch a NRL USA professional RL competition, in which case, I imagine they'd look to have teams from coast-to-coast.

That said, considering the NRL now does have a full time US presence in John Vellis and his team, it would be nice if they could work together with some of the western based teams, especially as most of the USARL administration is on the east coast. Utah would possibly come back to the fold if they were working with someone from the NRL.

 

[yakstorm]

Trio of Canadian teams confirmed for Vegas 9s
Three more Canadian teams have been confirmed for the Vegas Nines, with the BC Bulldogs, BC Storm and Toronto Saints set to join the Ontario Ospreys and Scarborough Aces at the tournament.

All three teams are set to join their respective Men's and Women's community divisions.

Breakdown of teams confirmed so far for 2026 are:
USA: 18 Teams
Canada: 5 Teams
Australia: 11 Teams
UK: 2 Teams

MEN'S:
Premier Division
Titans Industry (Queensland, Australia), Hunslet (Yorkshire, UK), United Sporting Club (Queensland, Australia), Wide Bay Renegades (Queensland, Australia), Atlanta Copperheads (Georgia, USA), National Collegiate Rugby All Stars (USA), LA Roosters (California, USA), Sacramento Immortals (California, USA)

Community Division
Coogee-Randwick Wombats (NSW, Australia), San Diego Barracudas (California, USA), Skirlaugh Rangers (Yorkshire, UK), Santa Rosa Dead Pelicans (California, USA), West L.A Renegades (California, USA), Atlanta Copperheads (Georgia, USA), Brooklyn Kings (New York, USA), RugbyExpo Academy (USA), Boston Bears (Massachusetts, USA), Sin City Islanders (Nevada, USA), Bluffdale City Rabbitahz (Utah, USA), Toronto City Saints (Ontario, Canada), BC Bulldogs (British Columbia, Canada)


WOMEN's
Premier Division
Titans Industry (Queensland, Australia), Nesian Gummas (Queensland, Australia), Garramilla Duavata (NT, Australia), Hunter Hurricanes (NSW, Australia), Indigenous Mana (Queensland, Australia), National Collegiate Rugby All Stars (USA), LA Roosters (California, USA), Ontario Osprey (Ontario, Canada), AusVegas Angels (Australia)

Community Division
San Diego Barracudas (California, USA), Scarborough Aces (Ontario, Canada), FNQ Pearls (Queensland, Australia), Santa Rosa Dead Pelicans (California, USA), Atlanta Copperheads (Georgia, USA), BC Storm (British Columbia, Canada)