The 'rebel rising' in United States
The National Rugby Football League, a rebel organisation aiming to launch a professional league in the United States, has fallen foul of the national controlling body.
It was confirmed at the weekend that the Independence Cup match – an encounter between the newly formed NRFL Rough Riders and English Premiership giants Leicester Tigers – has been cancelled.
Tigers had been invited to play the first professional club fixture in the United States against the Rough Riders.
However, the national governing body, USA Rugby, refused to give their official approval and, therefore, the fixture has had to be been cancelled.
While NRFL supporters have labelled USA Rugby a "cancer" in the sport over their decision to refuse to sanction the event, it has also emerged that the NRFL are refusing to operate within established and internationally recognised structures.
It is becoming evident the "rebels" want to organise their own professional league and not register with established structures.
Supporters of USA Rugby hit back at their NRFL rivals by claiming that a future professional league will be awarded to real Rugby Union players and not for NFL (American Football/Gridiron) players who know nothing about the game.
USA Rugby also issued a statement in which they put forward their side of the events.
"Following recent media statements regarding the sanctioning of the Leicester Tigers versus NRFL Rough Riders match in Philadelphia, USA Rugby would like to make their position clear," the statement said, adding: "A sanctioned game between an overseas team and a domestic USA team requires the sanction of both USA Rugby and the overseas team's National Governing Body.
"The teams need to be in good standing with their domestic union and comply with the rules and regulations of World Rugby [the international body sanctioning all Rugby Union events].
"In this specific case, the Leicester Tigers are in good standing with their governing body, the Rugby Football Union.
"The Rough Riders, however, are not a registered USA Rugby club and, as far as we are aware, their players and coaches are not registered members of USA Rugby.
"Thus, the match cannot be sanctioned at this time."
USA Rugby also pointed out that the NRFL has previously stated their intention to exist outside of USA Rugby and World Rugby.
That means no registered club or franchise is allowed to compete with them.
"All coaches and officials, who are registered members of USA Rugby, are required to pass specific courses concerning player safety and welfare," USA Rugby said.
The requirement to have a registered, Level 200 certified coach on a club roster in order to be in registration compliance is to ensure that the participating athletes can play without fear of unnecessary injury.
It is only under these guidelines that USA Rugby can confidently sanction matches.
"Club, player and coach registration is an important player welfare issue here in the United States," said USA Rugby CEO Nigel Melville.
"USA Rugby provides insurance for all of our member clubs, players and coaches. It is not our role to sanction games for teams who are not members of our organization."
A further example of the process can be seen in the sanctioning of the NRFL's match between the English champions Saracens and a Crusaders Super Rugby selection in New Orleans.
In this case both teams are in good standing with their respective unions and the game has therefore been sanctioned by USA Rugby, provided that the playing surface complies with World Rugby Regulation 22.
"It is USA Rugby's understanding that these tests are being undertaken and the match should be played without issue."
The National Rugby Football League – owned by RugbyLaw, LLC., a Minneapolis, Minnesota based Sports and Entertainment Company – is hoping to launch heir first professional competition by next year.
The Independence Cup, as well as the encounter between Saracens and the Crusaders, are all part of an awareness campaign by the NRFL.
RugbyLaw is currently is in the process of selling NRFL franchises within major cities which have happen to have NFL Stadiums.
"It is RL's intention to begin the NRFL with six to twelve franchises in 2016," a statement on the RugbyLaw website said.
"The franchises will be owned by the following entities: current owners of major league franchises; foreign pro teams expanding their brand in the US market; professional athletes from the major league sports; Entertainment – Motion Picture professionals; and Investor Groups interested in owning a major league professional franchise.
"RugbyLaw will make public these individual entities as all parties agree as such."
The Rough Riders are the National Rugby Football League's first professional Rugby Union team.
RugbyLaw also claim to be the "Alpha and Omega" of elite professional Rugby Union XVs in the United States.
"RugbyLaw's mission is to boldly take American professional Rugby Union to a level where nobody has taken it before: a major league sport comparable to the NFL," said a statement on he website.
"The distinction being, RugbyLaw will not only grow the sport nationally; it will simultaneously export the brand worldwide. Why? Because, the world plays and loves rugby at an elite level. An America-based league will have a global appeal."
@rugby365com
