As a growing fan of rugby, and yes I would rather watch it than just about any other sport at present, one thing that was missing was a pro league in North America, with of course a team in Canada to really get behind.
Well a few weeks ago PRO Rugby launched its inaugural season, and while no Canadian team is among the five playing this summer, teams on this side of the border are hoped for as early as 2017.
First announced last November, PRO Rugby is the first American competition sanctioned by both USA Rugby and World Rugby, the sport’s global and domestic governing bodies. The league is the brainchild of CEO and owner Doug Schoninger—a New York financier with a background in sports stadium deals—and showcases the traditional 15-player-a-side version of the sport, with clubs in Denver, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco and Ohio.
“Now is the right time for a professional league because rugby continuing to grow and grow. Participation numbers are higher than ever in the states, rugby 7s is now in the 2016 Summer Olympics, and it is time to take that next necessary step to compete at a consistent high level,” said league representative Dominic DeFalco via email.
The league is full 15s rugby, with just a tweak, or two.
To make the sport more appealing to casual American viewers, World Rugby has blessed a pair of rule tweaks: scrum resets will be limited to keep the ball in play more, and sudden-death overtime will ensure the no one has to ever utter the word draw.
“It’s exciting. I think it’s long overdue,” said Canadian Ray Barkwill in a recent telephone interview, who is playing with Sacramento, adding it is time for rugby to become more recognized as a pro sport in the United States. “The market has been growing over the last 10-years in particular.”
Barkwill likens the position of rugby today to that of Major League Soccer or the National Lacrosse League when those leagues first launched.
Barkwill, 36 is also a member of the Canada national rugby union team, and was selected to the Western Australians Perth Spirit playing as part of their tour to Adelaide, South Australia.
Born in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Barkwill began playing his rugby at Westlane Secondary School along with Niagara Wasp RFC. He went on to play for the Niagara Thunder while being educated at Brock University in St. Catharines.
Barkwill was selected for the Canadians team for the 2015 Rugby World Cup, which was held in England. He started the first two games vs Ireland and Italy while coming off the bench for the France match.
As for Canadian franchises, time will tell.
“Canada is definitely a possible suitor. Which location is still to be determined,” offered DeFalco. “… We will be adding teams for year two. We will be looking at all possible locations to join the league.”
While that answer was rather scant on the when, or the where, Barkwill was optimistic, based on the PRO Rubgy season start where the Canadian presence in terms of players is good news in terms of hopes for Canadian teams in the league, perhaps as soon as 2017, which has been suggested already.
“That’s the million dollar,” said Barkwill, adding “a lot of people have been asking me that.”
Barkwill said the league, as it grows, will need a growing number of players, and Canada can certainly provide that.
“There are a number of very good players who can play at this level to keep the standard at a good quality of rugby,” he said.
From that base Barkwill said he is confident there are the players in Canada to be the core of teams in this country that can compete in the league.
The league, while only a handful games into season one, is showing a solid level of rugby, said Barkwill
“It is encouraging for players,” he said.
The league is getting plenty of positive press, and players are getting out in the local community supporting rugby and growing interest.
The first game in Sacramento drew just shy of 4000, on a day that was around 30 Celsius.
“The people still came out,” observed Barkwill. He said from all the social media contact he has had since the season started, “… it’s amazing how many people want this to really, really go well.”
And that should be support which can float northward.
“So hopefully next year,” he said, adding Rugby Canada will play a role in making that happen, but there is no reason to think the Canadian association would not be highly supportive of seeming the league expand north.
Barkwill added the league needs to grow if it wants to attract a television contract.
“From what I’ve heard they want to get it to double the teams next year,” he said, adding 10 teams seems the magic minimum for TV interest.
“Long term -- I think it would be successful to have at least 12 teams spread out across North America,” said DeFalco, adding the “US’s talent pool is absolutely sufficient enough to be the base of the league. That is what we want. We want to get these players in a full-time training environment so that they can learn as much as possible and be as mentally and physically fit as possible.”
From a Canadian player’s perspective of rugby in his native country, where would he expect teams to locate in Canada.
“I think it’s pretty obvious Toronto, or Vancouver,” he said, adding they have the population base to build a following from.
DeFalco said the league which started with only five teams, had anticipated a larger start, but ran into some hurdles.
“Venues have slowed us down a bit,” he said. “With scheduling and availability and field turf (which is a bigger issue than anyone thinks), there is a lot that goes into getting the right venue.”
But DeFalco said they are happy to be starting on a solid foundation.
“It is not disappointing that there are only five teams,” he said. “It probably makes the most sense for us right now.”
As for Barkwill’s involvement in the league, he was happy for the opportunity PRO Rugby afforded once it was announced.
Barkwill said when he was playing with Team Canada at the American Rugby Championships when he had an opportunity to talk with the operations manager of PRO Rugby. He said he was aware “they needed quality players, so I had a chat with them.”
Barkwill said as a player there was a definite draw to the league because it was an opportunity to become involved on the ground floor of the new league, and help grow the sport.
Initially there was some concerns over a work visa, but Barkwill said the league worked to make it work in time for him to start the season in Sacramento.
“It does take some time to go through the process … but they got a few of us through it,” he said.
At present six Canadians are spread throughout the five-team league.
Barkwill said he likes the experience of the new league allowing him to make rugby a job, “going into the job Monday and knowing we’ll play a game Saturday.”
The regime of practice, video and community outreach with the
