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'The Hollywood of rugby': Meet the US investors planning to launch the world's biggest rugby competition
Some of rugby’s global stars could soon find themselves playing in the United States if a group of American investors deliver on their word of creating a new league that has been labelled “the Hollywood” of the sport.
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The National Rugby Football League, which has links to the NFL, is set to be launched in two years’ time, with a £7 million (US$8.7m) salary cap equal to that of the Premiership in England.
With plans for an eight-team competition to be held during the NFL off-season between April and July, the proposed league has been likened to that of cricket’s glamorous Indian Premier League.
“Our ambition is to be the biggest league in the world,” Michael Clements, the NRFL commissioner, told The Telegraph.
In pursuit of achieving that, Clements wants to attract the game’s biggest names to his prospective competition.
“Our goal is to put the best product on the pitch so we will need some of the best athletes, whether or not they are the names you mentioned I can’t say,” he said when asked if the likes of two-time World Rugby player of the year Beauden Barrett and England star Maro Itoje were on his hitlist.
Leading rugby agent Hilton Houghton, who represents World Cup-winning Springboks captain Siya Kolisi among others, doubled down on Clements’ comments after being courted by the NRFL.
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“They want to make it the Hollywood of rugby,” Houghton told The Telegraph.
“This won’t be a dumping ground for international players. It will be more like the IPL players, where you bring a Ben Stokes or AB de Villiers as your sprinkling of stardust on top of largely domestic squads.”
Clements believes that 16-game season would be an attractive alternative for players on either side of the globe.
Whether it’s through Europe’s lengthy club competitions or a stint in Super Rugby followed by an extensive international calendar, players would face a far less arduous schedule should they commit to the NRFL.
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“Players will be paid on par with the big leagues but, making a comparison with the Premiership, they will play half the games,” Clements said.
“Playing half the amount of game time allows the recovery and recuperation and helps the welfare of the player. When you are done playing, you can have a productive life and you are not beat up.”
Tweaks to the laws of the game would be made to “Americanise” the sport in a bid to appeal to the nation’s demographic, which Clements told The Telegraph would help put rugby in the shop window of the rich American sporting landscape.
“The question has to be asked: How can rugby be better positioned?” he said.
“When you look at the top valued sports properties in Forbes’ list, rugby is not there. Once it steps up from behind the curtain and is presented in the highest class fashion then we are going to raise the bar.”
There is already a professional rugby competition in the United States in the form of Major League Rugby, which was in its third season before the coronavirus outbreak forced its cancellation.
MLR had lured the services of some notable rugby figures for its 2020 campaign, included the likes of two-time World Cup-winning All Blacks centurion Ma’a Nonu and former France captain Mathieu Bastareaud.
However, that league would have to compete for attention and player availability against the NRFL should the latter competition get up and running by its slated start date of 2022.
Leading players in Australia are looking to give rugby in the country an injection of fresh air by proposing a radical new concept inspired by the NFL.https://t.co/m4XcSCy0nf
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 11, 2020
It isn’t the first time the NRFL has attempted to establish itself as a professional rugby league after Clements initially founded the organisation in 2014.
Over the course of nine months, the NRFL hosted two combines featuring over 130 athletes – including around 50 with NFL experience – in Minneapolis and Los Angeles.
Attempts to field a team or a competition fell flat, though, when an exhibition match in August 2015 between the Leicester Tigers and a composite side made up of players from the combines and international stars was scrapped after USA Rugby and World Rugby withheld sanctioning.
Another professional American rugby competition, PRO Rugby, failed to last beyond one season following its maiden campaign in 2016.
The six-team league, which featured players such as ex-All Blacks Mils Muliaina and Jamie Mackintosh, as well as former star USA Eagles wing Takudzwa Ngwenya, enjoyed a solitary season which finished with the Denver Stampede being crowned as inaugural champions.
The competition folded in 2017 amid financial turmoil, where players and executives claimed they had been left with unpaid salaries following disputes between the league and both USA Rugby and Rugby Canada.
Comments on RugbyPass
Great article. No insights to add, just wanted to say that. :)
1 Go to commentsLeinster are going to win the world cup.
13 Go to commentsSuper Rugby desperately needs to lose at least 2, but up to 4 teams. Rebels quietly going bankrupt would have made that a bit easier. Teams like the Rebels and Force serve only to weaken Australian Rugby and Super Rugby more widely. In 13 years in the comp the Rebels are yet to win more games than they lose in a season, have never finished in the top half of the competition, and have come dead last a number of times. The Western Force, barring a brief stint of mediocrity under John Mitchell from 2007-2009 have been even worse. Sadly it’s hard to see a future for Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby. Likewise I think the writing is on the wall for the Highlanders, it’s hard to see how NZ rugby can continue to support 5 SR teams, and population distribution suggests one team in the south island would make the most sense.
42 Go to commentsNice that Connor Evans is happy to stay on here, that JD Schikerling is returning and Steven Kitshoff. Dobbo is careful to bring back just anybody but having a new financial lease of life, it has made the Stormers a more attractive club. On top of being good quality, having the financial backing helps a lot
1 Go to commentsEngland-qualified too, I believe.
1 Go to commentsThis might turn out to be emblematic of a real issue in Irish rugby. Ireland have one of the best -if not the best - senior sides in the world, and one of the best under 20s sides as well, but don’t seem to be giving graduating under20s players many opportunities to break through into URC starting lineups. There is a risk that a lot of the junior talent they are developing will either be wasted, or lost to other nations.
1 Go to commentsYou ask good questions, Nick. The group who have put together the proposal to play out of Tarneit and participate in the growing of the ground’s capacity are not a bunch of white knights who have been dragged in post-crisis; they were around whilst the Rebels accummulated $23m in debt. Why do we come up with ideas that might make the franchise affordable after it’s broke and not when it might have prevented the trainwreck this offseason was? As for Gordon/Kellaway v Lolesio/Wright, they are both good options. I think the former are better rugby players but the goal kicking of Noah may be decisive when Schmiddy makes his choices. I know Harry Jones has the hots for Edmed but I think it’s one of his few poor choices and he and Jorgensen aren’t close to the other pairs. By coincidence, the wife and I went into town over the weekend to watch Brian Cox and Patricia Clarkson in Long Day’s Journey into Night. Beautifully acted but it was 3.5 hours in the chair and very hard work. Like the Rebels, there were only small bursts of joy to go with a lot of bad news and a depressing story line. In the end, I was hoping it would end and I could give my sore butt a break. Again, familiar.
42 Go to commentsGood decision, very good player but not international quality. But so was Jamison Gibson Park …..
3 Go to commentsLoose forwards always look good going forward and winning. It’s the same loose forwards for the Crusaders and the Canes this year as last year. Too much of the shiny new things getting noticed here while older consistent ones getting bagged. It’s early days. Calm the farm.
6 Go to commentsThanks Nick, and on the money. We tend to be apathetic until something REALLY BAD happens, then we aren't! At least this applies to the Reb players and coach, if not the spectators. They seem to be getting very quick ball at times. Have they altered something, or is it just all of the skills coming together at the right time? It seems almost the opposite of the Reds, who started the season with quick ball, but haven't been showing that in the last 3 losing games. Is it attitude (McDermott hasn't looked “right” to me for 3 weeks), or something else?
42 Go to commentsGood summary. As said, Sevu Reece has been electrifying for the Crusaders. Great try and he has been everywhere. Amazing he is now equal with Caleb Ralph , club record of 52 tries for the Crusaders. That record beckons. Good to see Dallas McLeod getting regular starts at last. A big few weeks are ahead.
6 Go to commentsGood article/interview.As was said Christian Lio-Willie was barnstorming when he came on for the Crusaders. What happened at the end, self-explanatory.Captain fantastic Scott Barrett is due back soon as well, once they are back from Aussie. Great to see Ethan Blackadder back last week.
1 Go to commentsYou must have been watching one team, Andrew - and even then you missed the brightest star in the Chiefs pack - Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 2 turnovers, genuine line-out presence and grunt around the field, and the soft hands of a back.
6 Go to commentsHaha what a crock of sh!t these headlines are. Moorby’s best year was that first. Still doesn’t seem to have the same game about him as when he was fresh but has bounced back well this season to be playing consistent tight accurate footy
3 Go to commentsIt’s even dumber than Bernard Foley not kicking the penalty to touch in the Melbourne Bledisloe in 2022.
3 Go to commentsYes, they are traveling well but it’s early days. The Chiefs were in front with 20 to go while they snatched a last minute win v the Reds. Keep calm.
1 Go to commentsThe failure of the Irish system / rugby playing style to produce their own backs has them looking elsewhere for innovation and flair - not that Jordie has much flair. He’s a converted fullback. The Canes have plenty of other younger options.
13 Go to comments1.Watch Wallace Sititi be the wild card AB. A genuine full time no 8 2. Luke J like Sotutu has not delivered. 3. Chiefs have all the right cattle but badly miss the leadership of Webber. LJ is about as unconvincing as Sam Cane when under the pump. They had the winning of that game in the second half then fell apart.
6 Go to commentsYes the Rebels are showing signs of life because they are literally playing for their live -lihoods and thanks to their Australian attack coach. However they are still playing an essentially dull boring south african style for the rest of the time. And Geoff Parling must be the most useless lineout coach ever. Worse than Steve Hansen even. Interestingly we are starting to see more cheap shots and attempts to get away with cheating by Australian players, now they are being influenced by Joe Schmidt. It was exactly the same when Rennie started out as Wallaby coach and thru his tenure. Trying to teach Australians to play like kiwis doesn’t work, as the last 20 years has conclusively demonstrated. Especially when we are not as good at it as kiwis. Which of course is the whole idea …..
42 Go to commentsGreat signing, not sure where he’ll fit in though. As for him ‘playing alongside RG Snyman, that’s highly debatable given the likelyhood that the latter will spend most of the season on sick leave.
13 Go to comments