USA RL Comp 2022 Summary

[RayCee]

It seems the game in the USA is in poor shape. Anyway, here's a summary of what did take place. 

https://rugbyl.blogspot.com/2022/09/usarl-2022.html

[Number 16]

All very depressing! In a single decade from the highs of qualifying for the 2013 World Cup to now, and a desultory three team competition.

I know that there is now a spark of interest along the west coast but what is it with Rugby League that it all too often implodes.

Compare with USA AFL, founded in 1997, which has now grown to nearly eighty teams, although not without some setbacks, playing in local and national competitions.

[gingerjon]

7 hours ago, RayCee said:

It seems the game in the USA is in poor shape. Anyway, here's a summary of what did take place. 

https://rugbyl.blogspot.com/2022/09/usarl-2022.html

God, that's depressing.

[unapologetic pedant]

3 hours ago, Number 16 said:

Compare with USA AFL, founded in 1997, which has now grown to nearly eighty teams, although not without some setbacks, playing in local and national competitions.

It`s rumoured there was an earlier attempt to bring AFL to America at Roswell in 1947.

[Izmir Zaferi]

Yeah, I don't buy the negativity. 

The USARL is struggling but returning to strength however we have yet to see the CRL competition this year. 

Certainly for the CRL 9's 

İ believe they have 8 CRL teams included plus North Bay Warriors, Laie Warriors ? from Hawaii, Cleveland RL, Carolina Storm. 

Whilst a little sad with the NARL there has also been action from Washington and Atlanta. 

We have seen action also with the new Pacific Coach Rugby League with LA Mongrel and San Diego Barracudas active. 

I actually think RL is positioned stronger than ever in the USA. İt wi need to co-ordinate but the spread is better than ever.

[RayCee]

On 17/09/2022 at 06:03, Izmir Zaferi said:

Yeah, I don't buy the negativity. 

The USARL is struggling but returning to strength however we have yet to see the CRL competition this year. 

Certainly for the CRL 9's 

İ believe they have 8 CRL teams included plus North Bay Warriors, Laie Warriors ? from Hawaii, Cleveland RL, Carolina Storm. 

Whilst a little sad with the NARL there has also been action from Washington and Atlanta. 

We have seen action also with the new Pacific Coach Rugby League with LA Mongrel and San Diego Barracudas active. 

I actually think RL is positioned stronger than ever in the USA. İt wi need to co-ordinate but the spread is better than ever.

The USA RL was the cornerstone of the code in the USA and it's in poor shape. There are initiatives elsewhere but they are still to prove they will do well or even survive. How you come with it being stronger than ever seems based more on potential than reality.

[RayCee]

I decided to extend my coverage to a history of the game based around the eastern seaboard of the USA. Any insights welcome in the comments below. 

https://rugbyl.blogspot.com/2022/09/rl-in-usa-has-been-mainly-based-along.html

[Number 16]

On 16/09/2022 at 19:03, Izmir Zaferi said:

Yeah, I don't buy the negativity. 

The USARL is struggling but returning to strength however we have yet to see the CRL competition this year. 

Certainly for the CRL 9's 

İ believe they have 8 CRL teams included plus North Bay Warriors, Laie Warriors ? from Hawaii, Cleveland RL, Carolina Storm. 

Whilst a little sad with the NARL there has also been action from Washington and Atlanta. 

We have seen action also with the new Pacific Coach Rugby League with LA Mongrel and San Diego Barracudas active. 

I actually think RL is positioned stronger than ever in the USA. İt wi need to co-ordinate but the spread is better than ever.

Okay, I'm an outsider (like you?), but from where I observe, Rugby League in the USA seems weaker now than at any time since David Nui kick started the sport in the early 90s.

Only a few short years ago there were a dozen or so clubs playing in a reasonably stable and structured competition. This year the participants numbered only three.

A handful of clubs on the west coast playing in a couple of 9s tournaments comes nowhere near to making up USARL's losses.

Maybe the game is again on the cusp of a good period of growth across the pond, though I doubt it. Is that being negative or realistic? I've been around the sport for long enough, forty years, to know that my cynicism is fully justified. 

[Izmir Zaferi]

1 hour ago, Number 16 said:

Okay, I'm an outsider (like you?), but from where I observe, Rugby League in the USA seems weaker now than at any time since David Nui kick started the sport in the early 90s.

Only a few short years ago there were a dozen or so clubs playing in a reasonably stable and structured competition. This year the participants numbered only three.

A handful of clubs on the west coast playing in a couple of 9s tournaments comes nowhere near to making up USARL's losses.

Maybe the game is again on the cusp of a good period of growth across the pond, though I doubt it. Is that being negative or realistic? I've been around the sport for long enough, forty years, to know that my cynicism is fully justified. 

I think that the USARL is looking bad. 

I however think there is a stronger overall playing basis with far more teams then ten years ago. Sure, some are not active in long comos as we would hope but look at this list. 

Championship RL - 10 Active sides (all established teams / some dual league / union)

North Bay RAZORBACKSI // M & W

Sincity İSLANDERS // 

RHINOS

Provo STEELERS

IMMORTALS// M & W

SAVAGE

LA ALPHAS

Utah SEAGULLS

DEAD PELICANS - M & W

WARRIORS

Pacific Coast Rugby League - 2 teams. Two removed from the CRL. 

Los Angeles Mongrels

San Diego Barracudas

NARL - 2 genuinely active teams -

Washington DC

Atlanta 

Independent 

Cleveland RL - whilst only playing one formal game, they will play in the CRL 9s and have constant local development. 

Carolina Storm / Thunder - men and women - similar to above they have even had development combine just in the last week. 

Roots Rugby - whilst this group is less of a team and more a cultural collective they have played in multiple events this year under Rugby League rules. 

Laie Warriors - Hawaii - just 9s in the CRL 

USARL 

Clearly a shadow of itself but I suspect given history will rebound, although the international review may have ironically slowed development here. 

The CRL sees themselves as the future of US Rugby League atleast from a club perspective. 

Connected clubs

Boston 13s 

Brooklyn 

New York Freedom (White plains)

Jacksonville Axemen (men and women) 

Tampa Mayhem / Mischief

Delaware Black Foxes

Lakeland Renegades

South West Copperheads 

South Florida Speed 

All these clubs I believe have played at least some games (9s / 13s) 

 

I think the international Review may well have slowed a clear vision as there is jostling in the background. 

İ also suspect that the left over NARL sides may well join the CRL. 

This is not just potential, it is the widest spread and in the CRL atleast the highest standard of Rugby League the USA has ever seen. 

 

 

[Number 16]

7 hours ago, Izmir Zaferi said:

I think that the USARL is looking bad. 

I however think there is a stronger overall playing basis with far more teams then ten years ago. Sure, some are not active in long comos as we would hope but look at this list. 

Championship RL - 10 Active sides (all established teams / some dual league / union)

North Bay RAZORBACKSI // M & W

Sincity İSLANDERS // 

RHINOS

Provo STEELERS

IMMORTALS// M & W

SAVAGE

LA ALPHAS

Utah SEAGULLS

DEAD PELICANS - M & W

WARRIORS

Pacific Coast Rugby League - 2 teams. Two removed from the CRL. 

Los Angeles Mongrels

San Diego Barracudas

NARL - 2 genuinely active teams -

Washington DC

Atlanta 

Independent 

Cleveland RL - whilst only playing one formal game, they will play in the CRL 9s and have constant local development. 

Carolina Storm / Thunder - men and women - similar to above they have even had development combine just in the last week. 

Roots Rugby - whilst this group is less of a team and more a cultural collective they have played in multiple events this year under Rugby League rules. 

Laie Warriors - Hawaii - just 9s in the CRL 

USARL 

Clearly a shadow of itself but I suspect given history will rebound, although the international review may have ironically slowed development here. 

The CRL sees themselves as the future of US Rugby League atleast from a club perspective. 

Connected clubs

Boston 13s 

Brooklyn 

New York Freedom (White plains)

Jacksonville Axemen (men and women) 

Tampa Mayhem / Mischief

Delaware Black Foxes

Lakeland Renegades

South West Copperheads 

South Florida Speed 

All these clubs I believe have played at least some games (9s / 13s) 

 

I think the international Review may well have slowed a clear vision as there is jostling in the background. 

İ also suspect that the left over NARL sides may well join the CRL. 

This is not just potential, it is the widest spread and in the CRL atleast the highest standard of Rugby League the USA has ever seen. 

 

 

To be honest mate, you've posted nothing there that suggests that RL in the USA is due a renaissance. 

Some of the east coast clubs that you've listed have not played for a couple of years, at least! 'Connected' means what exactly.

Who do the NARL teams play? 

Mayhem and Savage playing a time or two a year is hardly proof that they are ready for a full season's action.

And the CRL... a few union clubs playing a couple of 9s a year!!! 

Too many false dawns in the USA. Too many false prophets. 

I remain convinced that the USA could be fertile ground for RL. However, the growth won't come from the present maelstrom that engulfs the game over there.

[Izmir Zaferi]

The AMNRL was always weak with clubs hardly playing and then dying. İt was never strong.

The USARL probably had one good season before COVID, arguably two with the smaller structure and the Southern second tier (all of whom moved up). 

However neither of these competitions had the playing strength of the CRL as it already has. They have not just played 9's.  Unfortunate evidence you have not actually looked very hard.

This is not difficult to tell if one watches their games online, every single team in the CRL at present already has MLR players active in it. 

There is no doubt that the USARL took a beating from COVID and the faulted rise of the NARL has done damage. 

That said, I don't think that using the problems in the USARL is sufficient grounds to say the game is weaker over all when there are more teams active then ever, at least 8 active women's teams and the first Youth Rugby League development program in Utah (bar a short stint in Rhode İsland). 

As someone in a developing context I also think those in more heartland areas think of development in a one dimensional mindset. 

İt must be Full clubs - full national competition.

I even think this is a problem with the Euro Rugby League framework. 

For instance, here in Turkey we have about 10 - 12 clubs involved in Rugby League in some way. However we flex between 6 - 9 clubs in full competition.

This year we need those 6 minimum full competition clubs for full membership of the ERL and İRL. 

İf my club were to pull out of the TRL and establish a local competition with a four week schedule, three local clubs and then a united team for friendlies the IRL would consider our game to have gone backwards, despite more players playing. İt would not matter that we play five teams in seven aside, touch tag and tackle. İt only.matters that 13aside is played in a national competition. 

We can play in the national competition but it costs us two months local wage for every away game, just in fuel. 

İf we play five games away I could employ a local development officer but the game is focused on club teams rather than players participating.

I believe this is also the problem with viewing the USA through the sole lens of the USARL competition. 

Right now, more players are playing then ever, male, female, youth and wheelchair. 

More teams are active on some level (atleast 24) 

There have been multiple 9's events (Naples, Philadelphia, Nevada)

The CRL in particular is expanding on the back of a strong competition. 

The USARL and USA in general need to work out alignment but allow diversity in approach but I have no doubt in 12 months the eastern clubs will be more stable again and the CRL will have stably grown. 

I suspect, we will also see the PCRL turn into a small lower level competition as well. 

At the end of the day, time will tell but I don't see any need for doom and gloom so long as the USARL takes a role as national oversight facilitating coordination and national team selection, not act as control freaks. 

Ps. İmage is from the upcoming CRL 9's event in Nevada. 

 

Edited September 20, 2022 by Izmir Zaferi

[RayCee]

1 hour ago, Izmir Zaferi said:

The AMNRL was always weak with clubs hardly playing and then dying. İt was never strong.

The USARL probably had one good season before COVID, arguably two with the smaller structure and the Southern second tier (all of whom moved up). 

I'm not an expert with all that is going on in the USA but I do have some depth of knowledge of the AMNRL and USARL. They were not as bad as you portray them, the USARL in particular. I'm not sure where your perspective comes from but your put down of some decent seasons in the USA for RL doesn't me much confidence in what you say about things I know less about. I think we should agree to disagree.

All the best for things RL in Turkey. 

[Number 16]

Fair enough, but I remain to be convinced! There have been too many false dawns over the years, and not just in the States.

And please don't accuse me of not looking hard for evidence, because I have, and to be honest I've not found much. I've not found full results, club websites, contact details etc etc. Things you'd expect a progressing competition to have. Please point me in the right direction!

Ditto with YouTube. I've found half a dozen games but no more.

It really does come across as a few union clubs tagging on a bit of RL at the end of the year!

Oh, and I live in a development area and have been involved with a club so am fully conversant with the trials and tribulations of trying to expand the game's footprint.

[fighting irish]

There's a great opportunity here for the Big Picture.

With his unrivalled vision for the game and his unparalleled insight into the unique nuanced requirements of sports development in the USA, he could pull all these disparate groups together, wash and brush them up and present them to his billionaire investors group as the next ''big thing'' over the pond.

By recruiting from the NFL draft failures each year he could take the game full-time-pro' in no time and be vying for world domination by 2025.

[Gomersall]

 

[Gomersall]