Yakstorm

Rugby League United (North East) has released its draw for 2024 Just Utah left in the Men's competition.

Florida Rugby League Men's draw: June 1: Atlanta Rhinos v South West Copperheads Tampa Mayhem v Jacksonville Axemen June 8: Atlanta Rhinos v Jacksonville Axemen Tampa Mayhem v South West Copperheads June 15: South West Copperheads v Atlanta Rhinos Jacksonville Axemen v Tampa Mayhem June 22: Tampa Mayhem v Atlanta Rhinos Jacksonville Axemen v South West Copperheads June 29: Jacksonville Axemen v Atlanta Rhinos South West Copperheads v Tampa Mayhem July 20: Atlanta Rhinos v Tampa Mayhem South West Copperheads v Jacksonville Axemen July 27: Florida Rugby League Championship August 10: Eastern Championship August 24: USARL National Championship

What about the Utah Rugby League? The USARL is trying to create smaller more sustainable competitions which are generally state based (with the exception of the north east, as the states there are geographically a lot smaller). Three of the four leagues are already predominately focused around a state (California, Utah & Florida) and the main reason why the PCRL is not called the California Rugby League is the fact that there was a previous CRL they hold the registered trademark.

It's a great outcome. Nice to see the new USA Women's Championship will also benefit from the new structure. Originally it was only going to have 6 teams (3 California / 3 Florida), now NY State Queens & teams from Utah are able to take part in a structure similar to the Men's. Not that the Utah RLA was being held back by the PCRL, but it's nice seeing them being promoted and on equal footing with the other 3 leagues. Means PCRL can focus on California & helping Oregon now, whilst Utah has been putting feelers into Arizona.

Herriman Rabbitahz have announced their intention to take part in the 2024 Utah Rugby League Men's competition. The team is associated with the Rabbitahz club that has been participating in the Utah Junior League. https://utahrla.com/rabbitahz-intent/ The side will be the second team based out of Herriman, with the Herriman Roosters participating last year & also being part of the recent Vegas 9s.

Couple of new clubs have popped up. In the south-east, we have the Miami Shoremen, who look like they'll join the USARL competition. With the Shoremen and the South Florida Speed attempting to return, we could have 6 teams the the SE Conference (Jacksonville Axemen, Tampa Mayhem, Atlanta Rhinos & South West Florida Copperheads are the teams returning). Meanwhile in the mid-west (not sure where exactly) a new Women's club has been formed, the the Midwest Rouge Runners. The new club will play the Ontario Ospreys at York University in Toronto on April 20.

Great to see the Razorbacks back. That gives a nice 4 / 3 split between North & South California, which gives the PCRL more options around the draw. The 2024 USA Women's National Championship now has 7 teams, with East Palo Alto, Santa Rosa, San Diego & LA in the West, and Jacksonville, Tampa and the Carolina based Valkyrie in the east

Women's program launched, which will see New Caledonia play Vanuatu at the end of the year. https://pacifiquetreize.com/en/2024/02/28/pacifique-treize-launches-womens-rugby-league-program/

Vanuatu has released it's proposed schedule for 2024 https://pacifiquetreize.com/en/2024/02/25/vanuatu-rugby-league-release-2024-schedule/

Steve Scanlan was involved in the New York bid for League One and failed purchase of the London Skolars... Not sure if he was also involved in the NARL (which had some of the NYC investors involved it), but doesn't have a great record so far.

Expanded training program has been announced in New Caledonia for 2024, which will run from U10s to Seniors and include both men's and women's https://pacifiquetreize.com/en/2024/02/22/as-pacifique-xiii-announce-expanded-training-program-for-2024/

Unless those clubs are happy to forfeit all those points associated with crowds, they'll still announce attendances. That announcement may only be to RLC & IMG, but it will be announced and verified.

Hopefully, with them playing a number of matches at home early in the season, it allows them to get off to a good start crowd wise. After Catalans, they have Hull FC away, then Wigan, Warrington & Huddersfield at home, before Hull KR away & Salford at home again. Wigan & Warrington should both bring decent away numbers (and have a solid following in the capital anyway), which gives the Broncos their best chance of big crowds early on. Ideal scenario is after those 2 + Catalans they would be between 15K-18K aggregate (Catalans 4.5K + Warrington 7K + Wigan 5.5K) which makes that 3.6K target a lot more achievable.

Tickets remaining at Plough Lane by bay (yes I am excited to see something resembling a crowd buying tickets to a London home game) East Stand: - 117 : 56 South Stand: - 130 : 12 - 131 : 18 - 132 : 15 North Stand: - 112 : 154 - 113 : 21 - 114 : 25 - 115 : 21 - 116 : 31 - 117 : 60 So taking what we know the capacity is in each of those stands, we should be past 4,500 for Friday night. - East Stand : 2,335 (2,391) - South Stand : 1,047 (1,092) - North Stand : 1,153 (1,465) - West Stand : 0 (4,267) Wonder if we'll see the West Stand go on sale, or if they'll cap it at 4,948.

Not sure which stand they've just opened, but North, South & East stands are all open now & selling strongly. I don't know the stadium well, but you'd have to think they'll be pushing 5K vs the Catalans. London hasn't had crowds like that since the Quins days in 2011.