Superstars, billionaires and big plans for Major League Rugby set to poach more Australian players
We want you! A new threat has emerged in Rugby Australia’s fight to keep its talent in the country, with cashed-up American competition Major League Rugby ready to pounce on rugby’s brightest stars. SEE WHO’S SIGNED.
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The United States is set to emerge as the next great threat to Super Rugby, as the new look Major League Rugby competition takes shape and plans major moves.
Former Wallaby Adam Ashley-Cooper is the latest player signed to play in the tournament starting in just over a week, while skills coach Mick Byrne is joining him at Texas club Austin as the new director of rugby.
A number of international stars including Ma’a Nonu, Tendai “Beast” Mtarawira, Mathieu Bastareaud, Digby Ioane, Rene Ranger, Juan Manuel Leguizamon and Fiji sevens star Osea Kolinisau will feature in the competition this year.
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Drew Mitchell, the Wallabies’ all-time leading World Cup tryscorer, will also feature, although he has not yet decided whether it will be as a player or in an administrative or coaching capacity.
Insiders say the MLR sees itself as where football’s Major League Soccer tournament was a decade ago, before the likes of David Beckham, Thierry Henry and Zlatan Ibrahimovic brought global exposure to the league. Right now the appeal for low to mid-tier players is all about lifestyle.
They earn between $30,000-$50,000 for five months, and can supplement that with other overseas deals in between, usually New Zealand’s ITM Cup, meaning they spend half their year in the States and still earn more than what is offered by Super clubs. However, the US has already indicated it will support Australia’s bid to host the 2027 World Cup, in order to gain favour for their 2031 bid.
American rugby officials believe this is a carrot they can dangle in front of television networks to boost funding for the game and eventually land some of rugby’s top stars in their prime over the next 10 years.
Four club owners are billionaires, and there are already plans to bring in a Los Angeles team next year and eventually expand into Argentina, with an NFL-like conference system.
All of this comes as Australian officials prepare to axe the second-tier National Rugby Championship in favour of a national club competition in 2021, which will see further defections of players on the periphery of professional contracts.
Many Australian officials and players are exasperated at the state of Super Rugby, with the new broadcast deal set to keep the SANZAAR core including South Africa.
But after that deal expires, most expect South Africa to defect to the northern hemisphere, leaving Australia and New Zealand to form a time-zone friendly trans-Tasman competition that most believe will reignite interest. Whether fans will stick around that long remains to be seen. And all the while, the US will be desperately looking to make inroads, while rich European and Japanese clubs continue to plunder our talent.
Mitchell will head to the States in the next month and is impressed by the MLR’s vision.
“Each individual has to weigh up their own decision and where they want to get to, I won’t disrespect Super Rugby, it’s a great competition and gave me a lot, but it does need some changes to continue the success it’s had before,” Mitchell said.
“This is a great opportunity for me to be involved in something with a tremendous amount of potential, a lot of people want to see it succeed.”
MAJOR LEAGUE RUGBY SIGNINGS FOR 2020 SEASON
Austin (coached by Mick Byrne): Adam Ashley-Cooper, Frank Halai
Colorado: Digby Ioane, Rene Ranger, Luke White
Houston: Osea Kolinisau, De Wet Roos, Sam Windsor
San Diego: Ma’a Nonu, Joe Pietersen, Luke Burton,
Seattle: Juan Manuel Leguizamon, Tim Metcher,
Utah (coached by Chris Latham): Richard Stanford
New Orleans: Robbie Coleman, Con Foley, Scott Gale
Old Glory: Tendai Mtarawira, Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz
Toronto Arrows: Tayler Adams, Richie Asiata
New York: Mathieu Bastareaud, Ben Foden, Drew Mitchell (to be finalised).
MICK THE KICK KICKS OFF
With Mick Byrne joining the Austin team and former forwards coach Simon Raiwalui being poached by Fiji after both were let go by incoming Wallabies coach Dave Rennie, there is conjecture over who will run the forward pack in 2020.
Former Wallabies assistant and Queensland head coach Nick Stiles had been heavily tipped to replace Raiwalui last year, but it appears this is not a done deal. Rennie already had attack coach Scott Wisemantel and defence coach Matt Taylor handed to him by director of rugby Scott Johnson - a very strong and capable team. But whether Stiles completes the list remains in doubt.
RA SNUBS CANBERRA
Perth was announced as the venue for this year’s Wallabies v South Africa Test, but it’s Canberra types who are seething after the nation’s capital missed out on hosting an international in 2020.
Rugby Confidential can reveal that the July 18 Test against Fiji will be played in either Townsville, Newcastle or Wollongong, and the Rugby Championship match against Argentina in September will be in either Newcastle or Parramatta’s Bankwest Stadium. With Melbourne and Brisbane landing the two home Bledisloes, Canberra has missed out after their government failed to come up with the lucrative offers of the other regional cities.
WALLABIES FIXTURES 2020
July 4: Australia vs Ireland, Suncorp Stadium
July 11: Australia vs Ireland, Sydney Cricket Ground
July 18: Australia vs Fiji, (to be finalised from Townsville, Newcastle or Wollongong)
THE RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP
August 8: Australia vs New Zealand, Marvel Stadium, Melbourne
August 15: New Zealand vs Australia, Westpac Stadium, Wellington
August 29: Australia vs South Africa, Optus Stadium, Perth
September 5: Australia vs Argentina, (to be finalised from Newcastle or Bankwest Stadium, Parramatta)
Outbound Tests against South Africa and Argentina to be determined.
THIRD BLEDISLOE CUP TEST
October 17: Australia vs New Zealand, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Spring Tour
November 7: Ireland vs Australia, Aviva Stadium, Dublin
November 14: France vs Australia, Stade de France, Paris
November 21: (Likely) Italy vs Australia (venue to be finalised)
November 28: England vs Australia, Twickenham, London
PENRITH REMAIN PUNTED
Penrith Emus officials are furious after being told they’re unlikely to be readmitted to the Shute Shield this year.
The Emus had been told by previous NSW Rugby board directors last year to start training in preparation for re-entry into Sydney’s club competition in 2020, and had up to 70 players attend sessions twice a week over summer.
They were livid when told recently there wouldn’t be a spot for them, and to look at playing in the Subbies comp where they’d likely be in division five or six.