The Ghost of Raelene
John Eales (66)
25k or completely unknown? Madness crowd. Playing there must have been incredible.
Rugby News from unexpected places
- Thread starter p.Tah
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25k or completely unknown? Madness crowd. Playing there must have been incredible.
Omar Comin'
Peter Fenwicke (45)
Hong Kong also played the Brumby Runners on the weekend losing 55-14. On the positive side, it's an improvement on last year when they lost 65-0. But World Rugby will have to put a lot of work into them over the next 2 years if they qualify for the world cup (which is expected).
WorkingClassRugger
Michael Lynagh (62)
The Rugby Premier League kicked off last night in Mumbai. Only seen highlights so far as it started around midnight AEST. Boradcast looked good. Games seemed competitive. Not a bad start from what I can tell. First game ended in a 21 all draw. 2nd was 24-5 and the 3rd 24-12.
Wilson
Tim Horan (67)
MLR seems to be in a pretty bad way, will be down 2 teams for next season - NOLA Gold have pulled out entirely and San Diego and LA have merged
www.americasrugbynews.com
Major League Rugby Down Two Teams for MLR 2026 Season - Americas Rugby News
Major League Rugby is officially down two teams for the MLR 2026 season. Tumultuous back-to-back day
www.americasrugbynews.com
Omar Comin'
Peter Fenwicke (45)
Yeah doesn't look great, that league really needs some stability.
The latest reports out of R360 land is that there's at least 2 American teams in the mix - one from Boston, backed by Fenway Sports (owners of the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool FC), and the other from Miami. Given the MLR team, the Miami Sharks has some pretty big money behind it I'm wondering if that ownership group is looking to switch competitions (or I guess they could be in both). One of their owners is the CEO and co-Founder of MercadoLibre (the South American equivalent of Amazon) and the wealthiest person in Argentina.
The latest reports out of R360 land is that there's at least 2 American teams in the mix - one from Boston, backed by Fenway Sports (owners of the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool FC), and the other from Miami. Given the MLR team, the Miami Sharks has some pretty big money behind it I'm wondering if that ownership group is looking to switch competitions (or I guess they could be in both). One of their owners is the CEO and co-Founder of MercadoLibre (the South American equivalent of Amazon) and the wealthiest person in Argentina.
WorkingClassRugger
Michael Lynagh (62)
Could be more yet to come.
Highlander35
Steve Williams (59)
Saudi on tob
WorkingClassRugger
Michael Lynagh (62)
I was more referring to MLR clubs folding. On the Saudi's the head of the state backed investment fund that has financed things such as LIV Golf has publically come out and said that they aren't funding R360.
Wilson
Tim Horan (67)
Seems you were on the money:
Rugby in US suffers another blow as second team in a week exits MLR
Men’s pro competition plunged into further uncertainty with Miami Sharks’ withdrawal after merger and NOLA exit last week
www.theguardian.com
WorkingClassRugger
Michael Lynagh (62)
Hopefully it's the last.
The Ghost of Raelene
John Eales (66)
This was always going to happen. They created a pop gun league with new teams in the idea money in the US would flow to it from old boys.
Wouldn’t surprise me if a lot of fringe funding has gone into the College NIL system now and sports like Rugby are just back in the hobby pile.
They fucked up a bit when they went away from traditional sides like Glendale. They should have leant into already existing communities like NYAC, Austin Huns, OMBAC
Wouldn’t surprise me if a lot of fringe funding has gone into the College NIL system now and sports like Rugby are just back in the hobby pile.
They fucked up a bit when they went away from traditional sides like Glendale. They should have leant into already existing communities like NYAC, Austin Huns, OMBAC
Dctarget
David Wilson (68)
Where have we heard that before
WorkingClassRugger
Michael Lynagh (62)
Outside of Glendale at the time, each of the other clubs you mention are run structurally similar to subbies clubs and not without wealthy benefactors could manage anything closr to what MLR started as let alone whay it has become.
And Glendale were one of the original 7 MLR clubs. Who actually had some money behind them that made the the big destination in the amateur era but quicklu coulfn't compete in pro Rugby even at the relatively low entry that is MLR.
Additionally, they actually tried a club based system with the Rugby Super League in the early 2000s. Featuring many of those same clubs. Which unsurprisinly failed. And that was a largely amateur league with no TV exposure.
WorkingClassRugger
Michael Lynagh (62)
And it's about as realistic. It costs and losses between $40-60m a season to run MLR as it is. None of the US clubs or those here that hoot and holler about it are capablr of finding that funding.
WorkingClassRugger
Michael Lynagh (62)
They seem to be slightly more optimistic about Utah finding or having found that funding. But who knows.
The Ghost of Raelene
John Eales (66)
MLR is glorified subbies in structure and runs bare bones with less capabilities than prem grade Clubs.
If it wasn’t based in the US we wouldn’t even regards it as anything.
If you’re a young player hoping to push higher you can’t go there. Go to the English Championship is gonna do more.
Good luck to the blokes that got some of Gilchrists money from the Giltinis and Gilgronis prior to their death as well.
WorkingClassRugger
Michael Lynagh (62)
Prem Clubs have annual ops budgets ranging between $5-$8m? Spending the better part of $1m of that on talent? MLR recruits directly from the NPC and Currie Cup as well as the Champ in England. There have even been players go from MLR to Super Rugby.
LA pushed the Drua in a trial. Are you seriously suggesting a Prem club could face up to the Drua in such a manner.
The Ghost of Raelene
John Eales (66)
Overall I’m saying it’s a shit comp that offers a week to week paying gig for fringe professionals. Couldn’t care less about the Drua trialling against them.
Of course there have been a few players go from MLR to Super Rugby. Ben Grant is probably the feel good story but a guy like Goddard was taken there by DC from Gordon after winning the SS when he was a Super Rugby player already. Vailanu went there with DC as well from Gordon’s side. And then they show up the MLR and win the whole thing with bench Super Rugby players pretty easily.
There’s a few people that get funny when you have a go at the MLR and I assume they have friends and family who have gone.
Of course there have been a few players go from MLR to Super Rugby. Ben Grant is probably the feel good story but a guy like Goddard was taken there by DC from Gordon after winning the SS when he was a Super Rugby player already. Vailanu went there with DC as well from Gordon’s side. And then they show up the MLR and win the whole thing with bench Super Rugby players pretty easily.
There’s a few people that get funny when you have a go at the MLR and I assume they have friends and family who have gone.
WorkingClassRugger
Michael Lynagh (62)
I've never suggested that it was on the level of any of the T1 Leagues. That Drua side had a lot of depth players in that game. But if you think a league featuring a significant number of players that play in the NPC and Currie Cup is shit then that doesn't say much for our club comps.