Pro Rugby starting soon in USA

degsie

Pretty cool...
http://www.prorugby.org/

Hope to catch the odd game and see what the skill level is like.

Sacramento v San Francisco on Sat is the inaugural game.

The Lost Sheep

Its been discussed in a few threads already but probably deserves its own.
I posted a short while back but there's a decent enough irish representation in the competition with quite a few players involved as well as a coach or two.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=99081931&postcount=4505
Ray Egan former Munster elite development officer is coach of San Diego side. Having been coaching a club side out in the states for 5 years since finishing up with Munster

Dog Botherer

They've managed to snag a few big enough names. Muliaina, Wannenburg, and the younger Bergamasco, off the top of my head.

Let's adopt teams.

https://www.random.org/lists/

Currently Supports Your Pro Rugby Team Are!
1. All Others 1. San Francisco
2. Ulster 2. Sacramento
3. Connacht 3. San Diego
4. Munster 4. Denver
5. Leinster 5. Ohio

CMOTDibbler

Dog Botherer wrote: »

They've managed to snag a few big enough names. Muliaina, Wannenburg, and the younger Bergamasco, off the top of my head.

Mils Muliaina. Putting the journey in journeyman

DGRulz

Anyone know how Ohio feels about prawn sandwiches? Can't be supporting a team that doesn't sell them at games.

Stan27

What do people think will be the future of this competition in 10 years time for example. I always thought with the population and money the US have serious potential to be a rugby powerhouse

Utah_Saint

Stan27 wrote: »

What do people think will be the future of this competition in 10 years time for example. I always thought with the population and money the US have serious potential to be a rugby powerhouse

Same could be said for Soccer but its only starting to gain traction now. They def have potential, they have the athletes. They need to play it at grass roots level with kids. Soccer has been ingrained in USA sports culture for decades at underage level, but the sport at senior level still isn't in the Top 4 sports in the country.

The Lost Sheep

Stan27 wrote: »

What do people think will be the future of this competition in 10 years time for example. I always thought with the population and money the US have serious potential to be a rugby powerhouse

Impossible to say. Ive played against/refereed and coached teams against a few dozen American sides touring here over past 7/8 years and its really picking up over there and is one of the fastest growing sports in the states but hard to see them becoming a "powerhouse" in many ways. They'll do well in 7s with it now an Olympic sport but wouldn't be sure about 15 man game.

Utah_Saint wrote: »

Same could be said for Soccer but its only starting to gain traction now. They def have potential, they have the athletes. They need to play it at grass roots level with kids. Soccer has been ingrained in USA sports culture for decades at underage level, but the sport at senior level still isn't in the Top 4 sports in the country.

Soccer much more teams playing so harder to progress. Its so hard to break the big 4 sports that I wouldn't be that focused on it not being up there.

eyeball kid

Deleted User wrote: »

Let's adopt teams.

https://www.random.org/lists/

Currently Supports Your Pro Rugby Team Are!
1. All Others 1. San Francisco
2. Ulster 2. Sacramento
3. Connacht 3. San Diego
4. Munster 4. Denver
5. Leinster 5. Ohio

Go Conndiego!!

Melodeon

Will any of the games be shown (live???) on TV here in Ireland, does anyone know?

Yeah_Right

Hold on. Why does Connacht get San Diego?

Bazzo

Yeah_Right wrote: »

Hold on. Why does Connacht get San Diego?

Seeing as he linked this, I'm pretty sure it was random.

The Lost Sheep

Melodeon wrote: »

Will any of the games be shown (live???) on TV here in Ireland, does anyone know?

Not a hope will games be shown live here
Don't think it has a contract for live games in the states

degsie

Looks like only AOL will carry a live stream for now.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

First games today.

Melting my brain trying to work out the different timezones but I believe Ohio play Denver first at 10pm Irish time. Conditions look good.

https://twitter.com/suniula12/status/721483646474039299

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

It looks like AOL are streaming the second match today, around midnight Irish time. Not sure if it will be GeoBlocked.

irishbucsfan

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

It looks like AOL are streaming the second match today, around midnight Irish time. Not sure if it will be GeoBlocked.

Are they not streaming the Ohio Prawn Sandwiches game? I was hoping to watch that one.

Bazzo

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

First games today.

Melting my brain trying to work out the different timezones but I believe Ohio play Denver first at 10pm Irish time. Conditions look good.

https://twitter.com/suniula12/status/721483646474039299

The 4 zones are Eastern: -5 hours, Central -6 hours, Mountain - 7 hours and Pacific -8 hours. Colorado is under mountain time so it's 7 hours behind us.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Are they not streaming the Ohio Prawn Sandwiches game? I was hoping to watch that one.

They don't appear to be. I checked their site and it only mentions the later game.

OldRio

I just found this

https://www.oneworldsports.com/stories/one-world-sports-pro-rugby-tv-schedule/


I have been checking my android box for links via kodI, but no joy as yet

pickarooney

Jasis their website doesn't even load on android browser

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

First games today.

Melting my brain trying to work out the different timezones but I believe Ohio play Denver first at 10pm Irish time.

So........ I got this one wrong. It seems to have started at 9 Irish time.

Pitch a while before kickoff...

LeinsterDub

As everyone knows the most important thing about any PRO rugby league is the jeresys. And they are shocking.

irishbucsfan

LeinsterDub wrote: »

As everyone knows the most important thing about any PRO rugby league is the jeresys. And they are shocking.

Certainly not as fashionable as we'd like for the OPS's but at the least they're leading with 10 minutes to play

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

LeinsterDub wrote: »

As everyone knows the most important thing about any PRO rugby league is the jeresys. And they are shocking.

I was all set to become a Denver supporter and then they went and had the worst kits of the whole lot.

LeinsterDub

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Certainly not as fashionable as we'd like for the OPS's but at the least they're leading with 10 minutes to play

What's the crowd like. I can't get it to play?

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

LeinsterDub wrote: »

What's the crowd like. I can't get it to play?

Not great but the weather won't be helping.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Oooh, Denver try to level the score and conversion is missed. 2 minutes left.

Trust the yanks to end their first pro match in a draw.

AbusesToilets

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Oooh, Denver try to level the score and conversion is missed. 2 minutes left.

Trust the yanks to end their first pro match in a draw.

I think it's set up so that it can't end in a draw

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

AbusesToilets wrote: »

I think it's set up so that it can't end in a draw

How could they do that without changing the rules?

Just as I type that....

https://twitter.com/ProRugbyUSA/status/721817926089609217

LeinsterDub

http://www.thisisamericanrugby.com/2016/04/pro-rugby-referees-named-rule.html?m=1

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

And Denver get the super bonus sudden death over time win. TOUCH DOWN!

https://twitter.com/ProRugbyUSA/status/721819571296940032

connemara man

can we watch these?

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

https://twitter.com/ProRugbyUSA/status/721820443770916864

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

connemara man wrote: »

can we watch these?

Couldn't find that first game anywhere. AOL are streaming the SF v Sacramento match later tonight. Not sure if it will be geoblocked or not.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Attendance for Denver v Ohio was 2,312 according to Pro Rugby USA's twitter. Doesn't look that way from the pictures, maybe that's how many tickets they sold but not everyone braved the cold. Or they have an indoor viewing area.

LeinsterDub

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Couldn't find that first game anywhere. AOL are streaming the SF v Sacramento match later tonight. Not sure if it will be geoblocked or not.

According to the guardian they should all be free on AOL worldwide
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/apr/16/doug-schoninger-us-pro-rugby

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Weather looks slightly better in Sacramento.

Swan Curry

AOL stream has gone live http://www.aol.com/article/2016/04/14/watch-live-pro-rugby-makes-debut-in-the-united-states/21344397/

and of course there's the national anthem, i was hoping they might have left that out

AbusesToilets

Really like that aspect of US sports, much better than settling for the draw IMO

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Not afraid of the offload these boys.

thomond2006

Midnight rugby on Sunday, I could get used to this!

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Decent crowd at this one. They said earlier they're all on one side because it's too hot to sit on the metal seats on the other side

Swan Curry

There's a faded white line right beside the touchline that's really confusing me

connemara man

lovely scoop

Lyaiera

I'm in a chat room with an American friend who played with the Sacramento 14. He thinks the standard of play has improved for the competition. Overall the defense is shocking, and Sacramento are losing the ball far too easily. It's wild and loose and actually quite exciting. Some of the lads are obviously eager, but that's meant they're forcing things rather than slowing it down and building play. No up your jumpers rugby here.

pickarooney

Maybe with a positive/naïve mindset they'll get decent crowds and attract more players and strengthen the national team. It can't really hurt.

degsie

Sac vs SF replay here..

http://www.aol.com/article/2016/04/17/watch-live-pro-rugby-makes-debut-in-the-united-states/21344397/

The Pheasant2

Do we have any info on Irish pros in America? I know Pierce Dargan (a former Blackrock SCT lock) and Dylan Fawsitt (flanker with the Blackrock '09 dream team) are both involved with Ohio...any others?

Bazzo

Sacramento's openside and I think? captain John Quill is from Cork.