Major League Rugby, the American men’s professional rugby league, will this year feature a team composed primarily of young American players based in Charlotte, North Carolina, and supported by World Rugby in an effort to boost the American game in the run-up to the 2031 and 2033 World Cups.
The introduction of Anthem Rugby Carolina will recover the competition to twelve teams and two conferences, following the recent collapse of the Toronto Arrows and Ironworkers from New Yorkthe last MLR champion in 2022. The announcement of the new team, widely reported before it was confirmed on Friday, comes just over a month before the start of season seven on the first weekend of March.
World Rugby CEO Alan Gilpin said: “Working with strategic partners in the US and supported by our board of directors, we are activating a transformative and long-term growth plan for rugby in the US that will enable a great sporting nation. and the sport as a whole, to unlock the true potential of hosting Men’s and Women’s Rugby World Cups.
“This ambitious plan aims to make sport more relevant and accessible to more people in… a country that loves sport and events, anchored in entertainment.”
Two MLR champions – New York and the Los Angeles Giltinis, winners in 2021 – have ceased operations. A new LA team, Rugby FC Los Angeles, will play this year, with the new owners having relocated the team previously based in Atlanta.
MLR salaries are low and the facilities sometimes simple. Disagreement over the league’s purpose – to succeed as a business, employ the best global talent, or work to produce US-qualified players and strengthen the men’s national team, or attempt to achieve both – has plagued the game since the kick-off guided. 2018 off.
Alex Magleby, CEO of the 2023 champions New England Free Jacks, told The Guardian last year: “Right now there are professional Americans in every position who didn’t have that opportunity just a handful of years ago.
“Once the league is fully expanded, you’re talking about 300 to 400 professional athletes in North America. It will be really cool to see us get there, hopefully in the next seven to 10 years.”
In the short term, the US Eagles’ inability to qualify for the 2023 World Cup was another blow; defeats to Uruguay and Chile set up a final qualifying match in Dubai in which Hong Kong and Kenya were defeated, but a draw with Portugal saw the Americans miss out.
Portugal’s success in France – beating Fiji, drawing with Georgia and putting up fights against Australia and Wales – offered the American game a glimpse of what could be achieved. Portugal’s improvement has been helped by World Rugby, with most of the men’s national team playing for Lusitanos Rugby Europe Super Cupa tournament with teams from emerging countries.
In MLR, the Anthem RC team is an attempt to build on the work of the USA Hawks, a men’s development team that is based in Charlotte.
In announcing the new team, MLR, World Rugby and USA Rugby said it would “significantly accelerate that performance target by supporting the long-term objectives of the US Men’s National Team prior to qualifying for the 2027 Rugby World Cup (in Australia) and hosting of the 2031 edition on home soil”.
Gilpin gave a nod to Super Rugby, based mainly in Australia and New Zealand, and said: “This type of partnership has proven successful for the 2023 Rugby World Cup quarter-finalists Fiji with the establishment of the Drua, and we are excited about the huge potential of Anthem RC, not just as a journey, but as a key franchise within a long-term vision for MLR success, shared by all stakeholders.”
after newsletter promotion
MLR CEO Nic Benson said Anthem RC would “create new avenues for player development and grassroots participation, building on the excellent foundation our teams have forged over the past seven years.”
Ross Young, CEO of USA Rugby and former general manager of the Rugby World Cup, described a “remarkable partnership” and “an inspiring example of progress we can look forward to as rugby in America begins a new trajectory.”
“Anthem RC offers a truly unique opportunity for accelerated development with USA Rugby High Performance, while continuing to strengthen MLR as a key pathway for the USA Men’s Eagles. The teamwork between all parties to bring this project to life is unprecedented and we are thrilled to see it on a rugby field this year.”
The Anthem RC roster, the partners said, will include “players from various MLR teams who are eligible to compete on behalf of the U.S. in international competition.”
The name “inspired by the American national anthem” means the new team will play in the 10,500-seat venue. American Legion Memorial Stadium in Charlotte, seeking “distinct connections to the Charlotte community” by “drawing on its rich military heritage and incorporating a recognizable color palette that draws on the smoky tones of the Blue Ridge Mountains.”
Team colors and kits for the other 11 MLR teams were announced last week. As of Friday, Anthem RC had not yet been incorporated into the published season scheme.