US pushes for super 20 world series

[LarryNJ]

i was wondering why larry haddnt pointed it out

There's Rugby outside of Perth?

Larry is clueless and had no idea it exisited! There is a team not far from me too Philadelphia Whitemarsh They play at home this Saturday but I already have plans to go to a Flyers (NHL ice hockey) game. I'll be sure to get up there for an upcoming game. The NY Winged Foot actual play at home the day I'm going to meet Jedi in NY.

FR the game I went to was an Ivy League college game Penn vs Princeton. Still the only game I've ever seen other than the watching the Force a few times on the internet.

[GIGS20]

I'm still bemused by the fact that the "World Series" doesn't contain the top 14 Provincial Sides from the southern hemisphere the top 20 provincialsides from the Northern Hemisphere or the top nine nations in the world

That's just stupid!

[Phillyrugby]

I am part of the Philadelphia Whitemarsh Club.

The Rugby Super 20 is just a way to get some money into the tier 2 nations or into neglected parts of the tier 1 nations and spread the game.

It involves Japan, Brazil, Canada and the US, etc. and there will be some unions from Tier 1 nations.

This is really pure desire of the sponsors to get their products out through the game; this is great for all rugby. It is key to get the US because it is a big market.

It is supposed to pull players in the US out of the woodwork because currently the US really only has an amateur competition, a well run, but amateur competition where many players pay to play, not the other way around.

Covering expenses and paying the players willl help to do this.

If it works it would be great for rugby in the US.

[Burgs]

G'day Phillyrugby and welcome aboard
Great to have an insiders knowledge into the sleeping behemoth that is US Rugby because Larry is clearly clueless (sorry old mate )
I don't think you will have any problem on this site selling the benefits of this new competition, the vast majority of our members are all for any form of Rugby development around the globe.
I think what you may have read in GiteauIsGunnaScoreTwenty's post (or others) is a global cynicism of the US penchant for tacking "World Series" or "World Champion" onto anything that they can, regardless of the status or number of active nations participating in the sport.
I'm sure he will confirm he, as with most of us, have now problem with this proposed competition going ahead, it just needs to be kept in context where it sits in the pecking order.
With the depth of players in both the US and Canada I am sure that once up and running it will grow North American Rugby and see all participating nations benefit greatly.
Will be great to hear from you along the way as things develop

[RuckNMaul]

Welcome phillyrugby

thanks for the update and the inside scoop on the advantages to the lower teirs of north american rugby, i still think its a great idea and hope that by 2011 rwc and beyond that the benifits will be for all to see

[frontrow]

Welcome Phillyrugby, good to have a more informed rugby contact than the old fart....Just jokes Larry, you're ok...You may even run into the old coot at a home game as he posted earlier that he was gonna watch one...

[chook]

Welcome aboard PR!


Call the comp whatever you like. The World series is fine by me if its reflected by the teams involved (Japan,BRazil,USA etc etc). Most likely a name like that will attract US viewers which is what the purpose is anyway.
Quibbling about the name is the last of our worries.

[LarryNJ]

Welcome Aboard Phillyrugby! How'd did you come across this great site?

The talk about me being clueless is true, but don't listen to all that OLD talk. They just wish they were like me!
I'll be sure to make the trip across the river and see you play when the season starts again.

[Phillyrugby]

I was looking at articles on the Rugby Super 20 and did a google search and this forum popped up.

The funny thing about the name is that a South African made it up - probably to appeal to the US market as was stated.

The Super League here has alot of passion but little money as the big four - gridiron, basketball, baseball and hockey - dwarf our resources.

This is a sponsor driven tournament that will hopefully be the sequel to our domestic club competition, the Rugby Super League.

We struggle here to get our players across the country or even regionally as most of the boys have other full time jobs.

Having a professional league gives us a way to keep the highest level of club alive, but attract all of the athletes who didn't make NFL, etc. but would make great rugby players, at least good enough to promote the sport to the point that eventually rugby becomes a viable option on the same level as NFL, MLB, etc.

Nigel Melville has been doing a good job steering the ship in the US and hopefully this complments his efforts and helps the game develop here.

Be easy on Tony McKeever, my experience with him has been that he has worked tirelessly to try to get this off the ground and he has asked for nothing but cooperation in return, no money, just our sweat - which true rugby men are glad to shed for the game.

You will get a good flavor for our club from Clark DeLeon's website/blog - he was a long time sports columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer, the flagship paper in Philadelphia - sports mad city from the X games to the professional teams to Army Navy gridiron, rowing, Lacrosse, Penn relays for track, etc.
etc.

He is at www.clarkdeleon.com/dailydeleon/rugby/ great read check him out

[RuckNMaul]

love the article
Why Backs Look Funny Tackling Forwards

hahaha

some good stoies in there i just added it to my faves

[hopep]

Sounds great, nice find Krusher!

BTW: The yanks only have one comp called the World Series now in baseball. Back when it started the game wasn't played anywhere else in the world so it truly was a world series.
.

Sorry to burst your bubble Larry - this is another furphy.
The original series was based mainly in the east coast and was sponsored by a major newspaper, which went under in the depression.
The name of the newspaper - The World !

Hence the name of "the World Series" the yanks were just too lazy to change the title.

same as we have the "Investec Super 14"

[frontrow]

Me too, good read...

[LarryNJ]

Sorry to burst your bubble Larry - this is another furphy.
The original series was based mainly in the east coast and was sponsored by a major newspaper, which went under in the depression.
The name of the newspaper - The World !

Hence the name of "the World Series" the yanks were just too lazy to change the title.

same as we have the "Investec Super 14"

No worries mate you didn't burst my bubble you simply have your facts wrong. You silly aussies believe everything you hear.

While true that there was a newspaper in New York called "The World" which went out of business. All baseball historians agree that the naming of the series had nothing to do with the newspaper.

Here's another explaination that makes sense.

BTW: Thanks hopep for teaching me a new word "furphy"!

[hopep]

Well blow be down with a feather LarryNJ.
Thanks - another (highly plausible) explanation for me to trot out at the next quiz night/sports discussion.

Cheers

[Phillyrugby]

http://www.premier-rugby.com/template.php

This is the US Super League Website - all of the club divisions have championships and the Super League is 4:00 PAC. Belmont my old club in California is coached by an Aussie and run by kiwis - in the US there are strange bedfellow .

The games are being streamed and live - use the link on the page above.

Cheers.