Yet another example of RL shooting itself in the foot with pointless in-fighting. United we stand, divided we fall and all that. Wasn't there talk of a "Super Bowl" type game, between the winners of each comp?

Regardless, they should look at reconciling as soon as possible, and using their combined resources to make the game stronger over there.

Given the fanaticism shown towards school and college sports in the USA, they should try and get RL installed in schools. They could probably use the gridiron fields on which to play.

Who plays in these teams? Is it guys who have picked up the game as adults?

What do you think of RL's prospects in the US? Do you think it will grow, even if it's only slow growth?

Quote ="BigRedV"Who plays in these teams? Is it guys who have picked up the game as adults?'" Yes, teams tend to consist of a couple of guys with RU experience, former players from other sports such as American football or just complete novices. In addition, most of the teams have a couple of import players from Australia and the UK. Former Australia international Shannon Hegarty turned out for Jacksonville this year, and a couple of other teams have former top-grade players such as Dustin Cooper and Gareth Frodsham. One of the issues that the USARL clubs had with the AMNRL and Niu was that they tend to neglect things like grassroots and youth development in favour of grandiose ideas like the Melbourne game mentioned above, which are great for attracting publicity but ultimately pointless if you don't follow it up afterwards. Last year the USARL launched the American Youth Rugby League Association, which implemented initial programs in schools and correctional facilities in the Rhode Island and Philadelphia areas. I posted a link to the AYRLA website earlier, and they also ran a youth development blog documenting their activities. usarl-yd.blogspot.co.uk/view/magazine This is the first youth development of any kind in the USA, so it's a big step. The AMNRL also claimed that they were beginning youth development in response to this, but AFAIK nothing has yet transpired.

Quote ="BigRedV"Who plays in these teams? Is it guys who have picked up the game as adults?'" Yes, teams tend to consist of a couple of guys with RU experience, former players from other sports such as American football or just complete novices. In addition, most of the teams have a couple of import players from Australia and the UK. Former Australia international Shannon Hegarty turned out for Jacksonville this year, and a couple of other teams have former top-grade players such as Dustin Cooper and Gareth Frodsham. One of the issues that the USARL clubs had with the AMNRL and Niu was that they tend to neglect things like grassroots and youth development in favour of grandiose ideas like the Melbourne game mentioned above, which are great for attracting publicity but ultimately pointless if you don't follow it up afterwards. Last year the USARL launched the American Youth Rugby League Association, which implemented initial programs in schools and correctional facilities in the Rhode Island and Philadelphia areas. I posted a link to the AYRLA website earlier, and they also ran a youth development blog documenting their activities. usarl-yd.blogspot.co.uk/view/magazine This is the first youth development of any kind in the USA, so it's a big step. The AMNRL also claimed that they were beginning youth development in response to this, but AFAIK nothing has yet transpired.

Yeah, the number of teams is growing every year, a couple get lost along the way but the number of teams in regular competition has pretty much doubled from a few seasons ago. Someone earlier mentioned the AMNRL and USARL needing to work together, but the truth is that they have radically different philosophies; the AMNRL seem to like chasing expansion at all costs and getting as many dots on the map as possible, while at present the USARL appear to be more interested in consolidating what they have and building a strong league with depth. Ideally they would reunite and form a two division structure, because both leagues have a couple of teams lagging behind and getting flogged every week. The problem is that I don't expect David Niu and his allies will want to relinquish power, that has really been the issue all along, they seem to value their own importance over what is best for the sport. And obviously the situation with the national team is a big problem, which really should have been resolved by the RLIF by now.

That being said, it's no barrier to growth, it just makes it more difficult. If you're expecting RL to 'take off' there and enter into mainstream culture, then no, that's probably not going to happen any time soon. But there's no reason the USA can't grow to at least a reasonable standard in RL terms quite quickly, especially given the sport's lack of global profile.

There is a great article in this month's Forty-20 magazine (best RL mag/paper by a long shot, worth every penny!) on the American game. This is an interesting read too- www.amnrl.com/news/rugby-league-rising

There is a great article in this month's Forty-20 magazine (best RL mag/paper by a long shot, worth every penny!) on the American game. This is an interesting read too- www.amnrl.com/news/rugby-league-rising

I have heard that RU in America is keen to see off RL,any truth in this?

Not really. Outside of the fact that some RU players claim to hate RL without actually knowing what it is, there isn't really too much interaction between the two. Most Americans tend to refer to both codes as 'rugby' and not differentiate between the two, which can cause some problems since RU has a pretty bad reputation. But overall there isn't really any animosity to speak of, in fact most RL clubs enjoy good relationships with their local RU sides.

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If these guys do 10% of what they promise, then both codes will do OK in the USA......but neither will ever be anything other than very minor sports.

Correct. In general, I think a lot of people marketing League anywhere in the world ( especially the UK ) would do well to chill out about banging on incessantly about the quality of the sport itself. It has far less influence than frankly seems logical. People all over the world watch all kinds of stuff that looks incredibly tedious to me, and we shouldn't be surprised that some people think that of League. And frankly, League can look tedious and one dimensional at times if you're new to the sport. A minor thing that would help in the UK for example would be deep insightful commentary on tactics, not 'where's the chase', and pathetic rants about the ref, because the quicker you can get new viewers understanding what's going on in some depth, the more likely they are to get more out of the game and keep watching.

Much as I think the game is poorer, you get MUCH more from RU commentary.

It would help if you could watch rugby league over here.

Cant watch any of the playoffs or final anywhere

Wasn't there some talk of turning pro in the US? Sure I read an article in rugby league world a couple of years ago.

its on fox soccer but on a delay. i record the games i wanna watch and then try and avoid the results, which is surprisingly easy if i don't look at my phone.

not sure if there are any live games on, but it is definitely on delayed

IIRC, the American networks only took "live" Union last year for the first time with the RWC. The RLWC next year features the Americans, so maybe the networks will look into it....but a nudge from the RLIF wouldn't hurt either.

Well I've just done 10 weeks travelling the US and from my experience a lot of students play Rugby Union.

Upon further investigation, 95% have absolutely no idea Rugby League exists - they know what Rugby is, but it's the wrong one. Quite a lot have heard of Wigan Athletic Football club though, but only because Manchester United have played them before. I travelled on the bus from Chicago to San Francisco and back again. So I did meet a lot of people.

No. There is absolutely no way of running a pro competition without a junior structure of any kind. That was a load of bull from the AMNRL that sadly everyone at the time including myself bought into. With hindsight those claims should have been dismissed for the garbage they were, as now rightfully happens with just about everything the AMNRL puts out.

Jesus wept man.....check your insurance because talk like that will have you burnt at the stake

ESPN just lost RU in the UK. Did they lose it in the US also. If they did, the RFL and the NRL should offer them RL for a knockdown price just to get us some major TV exposure. Give them the World Cup as well so they can feature the US team.

International Union was on FTA in the USA.......they got 800,000 watching the RWC Final Live. Perspective wise, 17,000+ attended the recent USA V Italy game in the states......485 watched the tomahawks beat jamaica to qualify for the RLWC 2013.......both sports are minor playersin the US of A

800,000 out of a population of 260,000,000. Wow.

The USA have been playing RU internationals for the past twenty years at least and been in several RUWCs. RL is in it's infancy. That is not a fair comparison.
if you want to be impressed over 30,000 watched Russia play the US in Moscow a few years ago.

NRL and SL are now on Fox sports extra in the US, as is RU. Now they have an opportunity to watch both versions of the game, we shall see which one the American public prefers.

Is that a RU calculator 800K

I've always thought that the gridiron fans in the US would take to RL more than RU. The idea of 'downs' vs five tackles should be more familiar to them than the kick tennis that goes on in RU.

But Union gives those fat linesmen that don't make it to the NFL something to play!

There has to be a stack of college standard receivers, linebackers, safeties etc who would be brilliant at RL!

Merry flagwavers?

Centres, guards, tackles and nose tackles