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Nonu, Bastareaud, Mtawarira, Ioane, Ranger: The international stars set for Major League Rugby kick-off this weekend
With the Six Nations, Super Rugby and the Top League in full swing at this early stage of the year, it’s easy to forget that one of the world’s fastest growing domestic competitions is about to kick-off this weekend.
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Major League Rugby will enter its third season of existence on Saturday (local time) when six of the tournament’s 12 teams do battle against one another across North America.
The 2020 campaign brings with it an array of headline acts to provide the MLR, which has expanded from the nine teams that took part in 2019, with unprecedented star power compared to the talent on offer in seasons gone by.
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Perhaps the most significant signing of all the new recruits this year is that of World Cup-winning Springboks prop Tendai Mtawarira.
The 34-year-old joins expansion club Old Glory DC – one of the three new teams alongside Rugby ATL and the New England Free Jacks – from the Sharks in Super Rugby to inject 117 tests worth of experience into the Washington DC-based side.
“I really want to thank the whole Old Glory organisation for making this happen,” Mtawarira said.
“I can’t wait to make an impact on and off the field and help to contribute to making Old Glory the best team in this league.”
Rivalling Mtawarira as the biggest acquisition of the off-season is two-time World Cup-winning All Blacks midfielder Ma’a Nonu, who has linked up with last year’s runners-up, the San Diego Legion, from Super Rugby strugglers, the Blues.
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Renowned as one of the greatest second-fives to have ever graced the game, the 37-year-old arrives in southern California with 103 test caps to his name and will act as a leader in a Legion outfit eager to go one place better than last season.
“Ma’a is a huge addition for us,” San Diego coach Rob Hoadley said.
“It’s undeniable that he will have a major impact on the MLR this season. He is a world class player who has proven himself to be one of the greats of the game.”
"Your Fodens and all these other players…They kind of disappear into the background whereas this guy absolutely does not.”
– @rugbyunitedny founder talks about the impact of @BastaOfficiel with @heagneyl #FRAvENG #MLRugby ???? https://t.co/asNSLRjYI3
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 2, 2020
Nonu isn’t the only former All Black who has shifted stateside in the last few months.
One-cap wing Frank Halai has been signed by a re-branded Austin Gilgronis side from Top 14 club Pau, while blockbusting utility back Rene Ranger has re-located to Glendale to suit up for the Colorado Raptors after plying his trade for the Sunwolves last year.
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Ranger will partner up with former Wallabies speedster Digby Ioane, who has been lured to the Raptors after spending three years with the Panasonic Wild Knights in Japan.
Likewise, Halai will also play alongside a Wallabies veteran as 35-year-old Adam Ashley-Cooper has signed on with Austin after turning out for the Waratahs in last year’s edition of Super Rugby.
Star French midfielder Mathieu Bastareaud, meanwhile, made headlines last June when he announced his move from Toulon to Rugby United New York to play alongside ex-England fullback Ben Foden.
WATCH: Stateside – A RugbyPass Original documentary
Back-to-back reigning champions, the Seattle Seawolves, have added depth to their roster by signing experienced Argentine loose forward Juan Manuel Leguizamon from the Jaguares.
Adding to the influx of foreign talent is 78-test Japanese prop Kensuke Hatakeyama, who was part of Japan’s 2011 and 2015 World Cup sides and started in the Brave Blossoms’ famous upset against South Africa.
He has joined the Boston-based Free Jacks, and could debut in the franchise’s inaugural competition match against Rugby United New York as part of an opening weekend clash in Las Vegas.
Elsewhere, the New Orleans Gold will host Mtawarira and OldGlory DC on Saturday, and the Raptors will travel to Texas to face the Houston SaberCats.
Rugby ATL will open their MLR account against the Utah Warriors in Atlanta, which will be followed by a replay of last season’s final between the Legion and Seawolves at San Diego’s Torero Stadium.
Round one will be signed off in a cross-conference battle between the Gilgronis and the Canadian-based Toronto Arrows in Austin.
After 17 weeks of action, the top three sides in the eastern and western conferences qualify for the play-offs, with the MLR final expected to take place in June.
2020 Major League Rugby round one:
Houston SaberCats vs Colorado Raptors at Aveva Stadium, Houston. KO: Saturday 12pm ET
New Orleans Gold vs Old Glory DC at Shrine on Airline, New Orleans. KO: Saturday 4pm ET
Rugby ATL vs Utah Warriors at Life University, Atlanta. KO: Sunday 3pm ET
New England Free Jacks vs Rugby United New York at Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas. KO: Sunday 4pm ET
San Diego Legion vs Seattle Seawolves at Torero Stadium, San Diego. KO: Sunday 5pm ET
Austin Golgronis vs Toronto Arrows at Circuit of the Americas, Austin. KO: Sunday 8pm ET
In other news:
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be smart - go black
12 Go to commentsNext week the Crusaders hopefully have Scott Barrett back. Will be great to have the captain back. Hopefully he will be the All Black captain as well.
12 Go to commentsExciting place to be for the young fella. I expected he was French Polynesian when I saw him included in the France 6N squad (after seeing him in NZs), and therefor be strong grounds we might loose him to rugby down here. Good, in that he is good enough to warrant such a profile, and from a journalism’s fan interaction aspect, to finally get a back ground story on the fella. Hope he has settled into NZ OK and that at least one rugby country will fit with him to help his development, which, if so, he should surely continue for a few years, and then that he can experience France to it’s fullest with a bit more maturity and less reliance on family than you would have at his current age. A good 3 or 4 years before he would be ready for International duty if he wanted to wait. Of course he already sounds good enough to accept a call up, and to cap himself, in the more immediate future (he’d have to be very very good in the case of the ABs), and he’ll get a great taste of that being with the Canes who have a bunch who are just a few years further into their career and looking likely Internationals themselves.
12 Go to commentsI remember towards the end of the original broadcasting deal for Super rugby with Newscorp that there was talk about the competition expanding to improve negotiations for more money - more content, more cash. Professional rugby was still in its infancy then and I held an opposing view that if Super rugby was a truly valuable competition then it should attract more broadcasters to bid for the rights, thereby increasing the value without needing to add more teams and games. Unfortunately since the game turned professional, the tension between club, talent and country has only grown further. I would argue we’re already at a point in time where the present is the future. The only international competitions that matter are 6N, RC and RWC. The inter-hemisphere tours are only developmental for those competitions. The games that increasingly matter more to fans, sponsors and broadcasters are between the clubs. Particularly for European fans, there are multiple competitions to follow your teams fortunes every week. SA is not Europe but competes in a single continental competition, so the travel component will always be an impediment. It was worse in the bloated days of Super rugby when teams traversed between four continents - Africa, America, Asia and Australia. The percentage of players who represent their country is less than 5% of the professional player base, so the sense of sacrifice isn’t as strong a motivation for the rest who are more focused on playing professional rugby and earning as much from their body as they can. Rugby like cricket created the conundrum it’s constantly fighting a losing battle with.
3 Go to commentsOh wow… “But as La Rochelle proved in winning in Cape Town this season, a cross-continental away assignment need not spell the end of days.” La Rochelle actually proved quite the opposite. After traveling to Cape town and back they (back-to-back and current champs) got mercilessly thumped the next week. If travel is not the reason, why else would a full-strength powerhouse like La Rochelle get dumped on their @r$e$ one week later?
26 Go to commentsYou know he can land a winning conversion after the full time siren is up. (Even if it takes two attempts.)
5 Go to commentsA very insightful article from Jake. I would love to know how South African’s feel about their move to Europe. Do you prefer playing in Europe or want to go back to Super Rugby?
3 Go to commentspure fire
1 Go to commentsA very well thought out summary of all the relevant complications…agree with your ”refer the Cricket Test versus 20/20 comparison”. More also definitely doesn't necessarily mean better!
3 Go to commentsMust be something when you are only 19 y.o and both NZ and France want you. Btw he wasn’t the only new caledonian in french U20 as Robin Couly also lived in Noumea until 17. Hope he’s successful wherever he chooses to play.
12 Go to comments“Several key players in the Stade Rochelais squad are in their thirties” South Africans are going to hate the implications of that comment!
5 Go to commentsI know Leinster did a job on La Roche but shortly after HT Leinster were 30-13 ahead of them and at a similar time Toulouse were trailing Exeter. At 60 mins Leinster were 27 ahead but after 67 mins Toulouse were only 19 ahead before Exeter collapsed. That’s heavier scoring by Leinster against the Champions. I think people are looking at Toulouses total a little too much. I also think Northhampton are in with a real chance, albeit I’d put Leinster as favourites. If Leinster make the final I expect them to win by more than ten and with control.
5 Go to commentsHey Nick, your match analysis is decent but the top and tail not so much, a bit more random. For a start there’s a seismic difference in regenerating any club side over a test team. EJ pretty much had to urinate with the appendage he’d been given at test level whereas club success is impacted hugely by the budget. Look no further than Boudjellal’s Toulon project for a perfect example. The set ups at La Rochelle and Leinster are like chalk and cheese and you are correct that Leinster are ahead. Leinster are not just slightly ahead though, they are light years ahead on their plans, with the next gen champions cup team already blooded, seasoned and developing at speed from their time manning the fort in the URC while the cream play CC and tests. They have engineered a strong talent conveyor belt into their system, supported by private money funnelled into a couple of Leinster private schools. The really smart move from Leinster and the IRFU however is maximising the Irish Revenue tax breaks (tax relief on the best 10 years earnings refunded at retirement) to help keep all of their stars in Ireland and happy, while simultaneously funding marquee players consistently. And of course Barrett is the latest example. But in no way is he a “replacement for Henshaw”, he’s only there for one season!!! As for Rob Baxter, the best advice you can give him is to start lobbying Parliament and HMRC for a similar state subsidy, but don’t hold your breath… One thing Cullen has been very smart with is his coaching team. Very quickly he realised his need to supplement his skills, there was talk of him exiting after his first couple of years but he was extremely shrewd bringing in Lancaster and now Nienaber. That has worked superbly and added a layer that really has made a tangible difference. Apart from that you were bang on the money… 😉😂
5 Go to commentsNot sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
26 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
2 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to comments