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Does anyone know anything about Major League Rugby

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    Does anyone know anything about Major League Rugby

    It appears that the US is launching a pro Rugby (union) league this month. And it appears that I have a home team here in San Diego (playing at the Torero stadium where USD normally play).

    Does anyone know anything about it? Is it going to be unwatchably bad? Is there any excitement about it? Is it likely to be worth going to the first ever home game of the San Diego Legion (ugh!)?

    The other teams are Austin Elite, Glendale Raptors (but not from either of the normal Glendales - this one's near Denver, not near Phoenix or LA), Houston SaberCats, New Orleans Gold, Seattle Seawolves and Utah Warriors. Which is an interesing geographical spread. Basically nothing in the east.

    #2
    Here's a primer.

    Our team begins next season.

    I don't think it will be unwatchably bad, the players are coming from the better amateur teams.
    Last edited by ursus arctos; 13-04-2018, 22:15.

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      #3
      Austin Elite are clearly a car. SaberCats are an 80s cartoon with a tie-in computer game on the Spectrum, New Orleans Gold is an easy listening radio station, and Glendale Raptors are clearly named by an eight year old. I'd say you've got off lightly in San Diego.

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        #4
        The Utah one played their home opener in RSL's stadium; don't know how it went.

        http://www.the42.ie/rugby-united-new-york-irish-connections-3868124-Feb2018/More on the NY team

        Austin is playing in the Rangers AA team stadium in Round Rock, I think

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          #5
          From what I've read in the Guardian the standard isn't too bad and is the start of something that's being planned well. Are you thinking about going?

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            #6
            Thanks all. Yeah, AE, I'm probably going to head to opening day to see what it's like. I'm not really a fan of watching rugby on the telly (I'm the kind of person I mock in football - I'll watch the last game of the six nations, World Cup Final, not much else) but I enjoy watching (almost) any sport in the flesh.

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              #7
              BTW, Glendale, Colorado has become the "home of American rugby" in that there is a purpose built stadium and a number of training pitches. The national team plays there fairly frequently, and they have had a team in previous attempts at a league. The federation is now based in Boulder.

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                #8
                They have a TV contract with CBS Sports Network (the cable variety) which showed the inaugural game, Austin at Glendale. I was bouncing between it and MLS and it was a penalty fest, enlivened with a 2nd half red card.

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                  #9
                  'A very monumental occasion': NOLA down Houston in Major League Rugby

                  https://www.theguardian.com/sport/20...y_to_clipboard

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                    #10
                    Seattle v San Diego is now about to start, showing on a San Diego local channel. It's astonishingly low production value in the build-up. It looks like mid-90s coverage of a live football game in Division 2 on ITV. Apparently Seattle have sold out their 4500 capacity ground. As someone who's spent his life supporting shitty, low-rent sports teams, this all makes me feel very good. This is the right level of glam-ness.

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                      #11
                      This is on ESPN+, but given that that now costs USD 4.99 a month above one's ESPN cable subscription, I am not enticed to sign up

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                        #12
                        Unsure if penalty tries are the key to winning the heart of the US sporting public

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                          #13
                          Originally posted by ursus arctos View Post
                          This is on ESPN+, but given that that now costs USD 4.99 a month above one's ESPN cable subscription, I am not enticed to sign up
                          The $4.99 gets you this, all of the non-national MLS games and all of USL, along with some other rugby, cricket, and 1 MLB and NHL game per day, among other things.

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                            #14
                            I watched the first half. It wasn't bad - it was kind of entertaining, although it's definitely lower quality than when I watch 6 nations stuff. Quite a lot of dropped balls, forwards passes, and so on. I think that's something I'll have to acclimatise to - same as watching Oxford United when all you do otherwise is watch Champions League stuff. Sadly, Legion started strong with lots of nice quick possession, but got beat up by the Seattle forwards. I think we were missing our captain which weakened us in that area. Anyway, eventually Seattle just had too much.

                            The commentators were an odd mix of explaining the absolute basics (3 points for a penalty), while at the same time dropping in to using normal rugby terminology (open side flankers, etc) without explaining what that was at all.

                            Anyway, looking forward to next Sunday and seeing it in the flesh. Again, probably only the first half, but the ticket only costs $20.

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                              #15
                              Don't forget we already have a Rugby League, league, still going. http://www.usarl.org/rugby-clubs/boston-thirteens/

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                                #16
                                I did go to the opening home game ever of the San Diego Legion yesterday. It was at USD (we live in a world of acronym confusion - USD, UCSD, SDSU, SDUSD, etc...) which I am told is the super-expensive private catholic university in town. I'd never been in - very nice grounds, but crosses on top of everything, so it looks like an accurate description.

                                The Torero Stadium is in a quite lovely setting - in what feels like a natural basin, so it's surrounded by steep banking in which a bunch of bleachers has been inset

                                Here's a pic



                                Not a massive crowd as you can see from the pic - 6000 seater stadium was probably half full at best. But a nice atmosphere, very relaxed and good natured, although there was an idiot DJ/MC trying to create an entirely false excitement. There were weird booze rules where you could only drink beer in the "beer garden" and not take it to your seats, annoying for something otherwise so relaxed, and it's the US where people drink watch sport all the time. $10 Elysium IPA wasn't a bad deal for a sports event.

                                The rugby itself was OK quality, but not fantastic. When the teams were read out, it felt like all the forwards either had Pacific Islander names or South African names. Only the backs were white American kids.

                                Here's a pic of some rugbyers rugbying. Red and black are San Diego, weird bluey-grey is Utah. Pointing is very important.



                                It's very hard to follow what all the penalties are for when you can't hear the ref. A couple of early tries for SD down the far end with the forwards basically pushing the ball over meant it felt like an easy win was coming, but Utah same back stronger. 17-14 SD at half time, and fairly lucky to have that lead. I left early (dinner reservations), but San Diego held on for their first ever win, 31-24. I'll be back for more. Probably not on a regular, every match, basis, but every now and again.
                                Last edited by San Bernardhinault; 30-04-2018, 19:33.

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                                  #17
                                  I'm reminded that I went to the beach last weekend and saw a big group on the sand playing some beach rugby.

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                                    #18
                                    SB, if you want to see some more eggchasing, the best amateur teams in California are playing a triple header at Qualcomm (satellite pitch)

                                    The quality shouldn’t be that much below what you saw, at least for the Grand Final.

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                                      #19
                                      I'm off this evening to watch the Championship match of this. Glendale against Seattle. It's very kind of them to play it in my home town.

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                                        #20
                                        How was it SB?

                                        Major League Rugby crowns Seattle champions – and looks to season two

                                        https://www.theguardian.com/sport/bl...y_to_clipboard

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                                          #21
                                          It was a lot of fun. Quality was up on the San Diego Legion's home game - but handling was still pretty dodgy. Hot day out there, so players wilted which opened everything up a bit towards the end. The better team won.

                                          And I love the stadium, and the atmosphere - the crowd seems fairly knowledgable, although the announcer assumes that the crowd knows nothing. They didn't sell out, which seems a bit weak considering it was the final - I felt there wasn't much publicity around town. At $20 a ticket, people should be pouring in on a lovely warm afternoon to watch.

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