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Global Rapid Rugby

Kpc

Herbert Moran (7)
That is good news.

I wonder though if any young Auckland players who get caught shirking their training will be sent to Siberia?

I think that various options for cooperation are possible. I suggested inviting juniors from Auckland to a tournament in Krasnoyarsk in the summer.
From 2010 to 2013, Krasny Yar collaborated with the Canterbury Union. There were several New Zealand players in their squad. For example, the still young Marty Banks. Also some experienced players are Glen Horton, Toby Morland and others. Some New Zealanders even married local Russian girls. And taken them to New Zealand.
 

kiap

Steve Williams (59)
Couple days old but—what the hell—may as well post it here. Affirming the BOP-backed team to be from Shanghai:

Western Force finally start countdown to history-making $1 million Global Rapid Rugby competition
Nick Taylor​
The West Australian​
Wednesday, 8 January 2020 10:35AM​
It has been two years in the making but Western Force have started the countdown to the history-making $1 million Global Rapid Rugby competition.​
GRR is the vision of mining magnate Andrew Forrest who was angered by Rugby Australia’s controversial axing of the Force from Super Rugby and rejection of his $70 million offer to keep the club alive.​
It has evolved from the ground-breaking invitation World Series Rugby and last year’s Showcase Series in which the WA side was unbeaten.​
The Force are back in training this week preparing for the March kick-off.​
They play a home-and-away series against Manuma Samoa, Fijian Latui, a Malaysian side supported by South African Currie Cup club Valke, Hong Kong’s South China Tigers and a Shanghai team backed by New Zealand NPC outfit Bay of Plenty.​
The grand final will be played at HBF Park in June.​
… <snip> … some other Force stuff … <snip> …​
Sampson lost seven players — recruited to Super sides, overseas clubs and the Australian sevens squad — but he sees that as a credit to the Force program.​
link (paywalled)​
 

ForceFan

Chilla Wilson (44)
Looks like Team Asia is the Shanghai Lions.

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https://www.rugbyasia247.com/are-shanghai-lions-the-grr-team-asia/
 

WorkingClassRugger

David Codey (61)
A Japan based Frenchmen who runs a Rugby blog but usually has good info over on the T2 forum has suggested that Hyundai Glovis may be eyeing GRR as a potential future expansion location.
 

Aurelius

Ted Thorn (20)
Looks like Team Asia is the Shanghai Lions.


Nice way to let the cat out of the bag.

Anyway, you know a competition is truly up and running when its teams have their own Wikipedia pages, so here's the competition so far (squad lists included, though not sure how reliable the Valke one is):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fijian_Latui

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manuma_Samoa

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falcons_(rugby_team)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_China_Tigers

Nothing for Shanghai yet.

Incidentally, one of the Samoan wingers is named Papu Wulf.

Awesome.
 

ForceFan

Chilla Wilson (44)
Which means no viable commercial model this season..

It was never going to be with only a 6 team proof-of-concept season.
If you recall Forrest was expecting to sink about $150M over the first 3 seasons.

2020 is year 1 for GRR.
2019 was the Showcase Series during the buildup to the RWC in Japan.
2018 was the interim WSR to work around approval delays.

2020 will be an interesting year with the Hong Kong situation; Coronavirus in China; (maybe means some games on neutral territory) the last year of the current Super Rugby - and possibly NRC; uncertainty about the level of broadcast funding flowing through to Rugby Australia and the growth of the professional game in Japan with a new comp kicking off in 2021.

Let's hope that rugby is the winner with the game growing in the Asia/Pacific region.

It's encouraging that a professional team has been maintained in WA and is looking the goods on the training track.

Super Rugby kicking off in January.

First GRR game kicks off in 6 weeks.

We certainly live in interesting times........can't wait to see what unfolds on all fronts.
 

kiap

Steve Williams (59)
Nĭ hăo!

Press release:

tHUdzFo.png
CHINA AND NEW ZEALAND JOIN RUGBY REVOLUTION
January 31, 2020
Global Rapid Rugby has unveiled the China Lions as the final team in its inaugural home-and-away competition this year. China Rugby Football Association and New Zealand’s domestic championship winning Bay of Plenty have formed an exciting joint venture.​
The Lions are the sixth team to be announced as part of Global Rapid Rugby Season One in 2020, joining Australia’s Western Force, the Malaysia Valke representing both Malaysia and South Africa, Fijian Latui, Manuma Samoa and the Hong Kong based South China Tigers.​
Fast paced and explosive by name and nature, Season One includes a AU$1 million total prize pool, 30 games over 10 rounds and a one-off Grand Final.​
Global Rapid Rugby CEO, Mark Evans, described the inclusion of China as ‘crucial’ to the long-term development of rugby throughout Asia.​
“Our expansion into China is an important development for the competition. We believe that rugby has the potential to become an extremely popular and successful sport throughout the country,” Evans said.​
“Rugby is a game with broad appeal. Add the on-going energy, entertainment and family fun created by Rapid Rugby and I am confident crowds in Shanghai will love supporting their home team, the Lions.​
“We thank the China Rugby Football Association for its assistance and belief in what we are trying to achieve. The ongoing support of New Zealand Rugby has always been greatly appreciated. It is tremendously exciting to be involved with a progressive operation like Bay of Plenty Rugby Union,” Evans said.​
This year is the perfect time to expand the rugby footprint in China. The national women’s team will make China’s Olympic Rugby debut in Tokyo and the men’s team will continue its attempt to qualify for the 2020 Games.​
Mr Chen, President of China Rugby Football Association, says Rapid Rugby is an appealing concept with an exciting future.​
“China Rugby Football Association partnering with Bay of Plenty Rugby to compete in Rapid Rugby supports the strategy for the growth of rugby in China. We are very excited about our Chinese women’s team competing this year in the Olympics in Tokyo and see this new partnership as part of our strategy of providing opportunities to develop our Chinese players and coaches and raise the profile of rugby in China.”​
Bay of Plenty Rugby Union CEO, Mike Rogers, described the partnership with Chinese Rugby and Rapid Rugby as a bold step forward.​
“Bay of Plenty Rugby is excited about partnering with the China Rugby Football Association to participate in Rapid Rugby 2020 and over time grow the game of rugby in China. The vision of Rapid Rugby is one that we share and we are committed to growing the fantastic Rapid Rugby brand in the Asian region.”​
The creation of Australian businessman and internationally renowned philanthropist Andrew Forrest AO, Global Rapid Rugby began as a Perth based Exhibition Series in 2018 and developed into a 2019 Showcase Series across seven Asia Pacific territories, featuring 70-minute matches, revolutionary new rules and an emphasis on off-field entertainment for fans.​
Global Rapid Rugby Season One will kick off on March 13 with the Grand Final in Perth on June 6. The full match schedule will be released soon.​
Global Rapid Rugby will monitor and follow the advice of relevant health authorities around the Coronavirus and immediately communicate any relevant information to stakeholders.
 

ForceFan

Chilla Wilson (44)
am i the only one who thinks this competition is going to be a complete dud and struggle to make it to year 2?

The real excitement comes in how it develops in 2021 and beyond.
I'm ready to be surprised.........

It's interesting that many pundits said the same thing about Andrew Forrest when he kicked off Fortescue Metals Group.
FMG is now the 3rd largest Iron Ore producer in Australia.
Andrew Forrest has a nett worth of about AUD10 Billion.

Capture.JPG


2020 has GRR all in place.
The six teams include:
Fiji and Samoa - who have sat on the fringe as the PI nations were considered just too hard.
Malaysia linked with South Africa to assist developing the game.
China linked with New Zealand to help grow the game in China
Hong Kong - GRR HQ and the home of Rugby 7s.
Perth/Western Force - Currently the only Australian team linking into this growing economic region.
 

kiap

Steve Williams (59)
How come the South China Tigers are so called and aren't Hong Kong?
This is possibly not the answer you're looking for (because it has little to do with rugby and, frankly, could be b.s.) but …

Plans were put in place some time back to create a 5-city megopolis around the mouth of the Pearl River, linked by bridges and tunnels to create a massive integrated economic entity to dwarf the likes of The Bay Area in California.

jJQrN63.jpg


It would essentially be the capital of South China with an urban population of 25–70 million, depending on how it's counted.

There was some popular enthusiasm for the concept – but that might have cooled somewhat in Hong Kong given recent events. It's probably inevitable, though, long term.
 

kiap

Steve Williams (59)
So ugh will I have to be the first to mention that the coronavirus could totally fuck this comp?
Yes, it could … however …

One thing that becomes clear (if you think about it) is where the China Lions players come from. Yep - they'll overwhelmingly be from NZ. Should the need arise, they can play games in NZ (at home).

To be fair, Hong Kong won't be quite so easy if the pandemic and lockdown takes hold there. Games might be able to be relocated - or else cancelled. The comp might continue without them using a bye - who knows? … It's wait and see on that one.

My bet is the season will be played.
 

Rugbynutter39

Michael Lynagh (62)
Yes, it could … however …

One thing becomes clear (if you think about it) is where the China Lions players come from. Yep - they'll overwhelmingly be from NZ. Should the need arise, they can play games in NZ (at home).

To be fair, Hong Kong won't be quite so easy if the pandemic and lockdown takes hold there. Games might be able to be relocated - or else cancelled. The comp might continue without them using a bye - who knows? … It's wait and see on that one.



My bet is the season will be played.

Luckily Grr starting 6 weeks time - might have blown over by then (at least the worst of it)
 

Kpc

Herbert Moran (7)
Guys, I told you that it’s worth waiting for Koreans and possibly Japanese. And all did not believe me. I think Koreans should gather their strongest players and add about 10 strong foreigners. Get a good team.
It remains to find another team in Australia or New Zealand. Then we will have the opportunity to divide GRR in 2021 into two conferences North and South. This will simplify the logistics.
 

ForceFan

Chilla Wilson (44)
So ugh will I have to be the first to mention that the coronavirus could totally fuck this comp?

Rest assured that Plan B was/is already in place to cover the possibility of more unrest btwn China and Hong Kong.

GRR is building the case for this concept rather than feeding existing support.

There could be games in Hong Kong, Singapore, New Zealand or even Japan (which is right behind the GRR initiative - as shown by the 2 games in Japan pre-RWC last year).

GRR already has the support of World Rugby, Asia Rugby, NZ Rugby, SA Rugby and tacit approval from Rugby Aus.
Doubters just need to accept that this has been in gestation for some time and is going to happen and will build over time.
The big difference is World Rugby and Minderoo are right behind GRR.
That means $$s to grow the game.

Watch this space..........

KPC - I like your optimism but I reckon wait for the expansion in 2021 before the move to conferences.
 
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