USA Rugby

[TheStroBro Profile]

A bit of a storm in a teacup for me. If you were able to read a transcript of what everybody says in unrehearsed environments you'd see we all mangle language constantly.

I'm not sure a major announcement at a press conference should be 'unrehearsed'. Though, I agree that it would appear that it was.

That there has been no apology kind of excerbates the point. He should have clarified what he meant to say (maybe he was trying to simply confirm that it was going to be a test match), apologise and move on.

There is another point here; why are they not playing the US? Do they really think that playing the RSA will draw a bigger crowd? Or is it simply because SKY/BT Sport will pay more for the broadcast rights? If it's the later, it proves what an albatross RIM is to US Rugby.

If they faced RSA, RSA would be the draw, not Wales. However, the article said Washington DC...most Saffers live on the West Coast and a bunch in Texas. Poor location. And if they're relying on their Celtic Brethren to come down from NYC and Boston, they're very much mistaken as seen by the attitude of: There's plenty of Irish in NYC, Irish love rugby, of course they will go to Philadelphia to see two English clubs. Lol wtf.

[sk 88 Profile Website]

It sounds like this Phillips fellow was making himself available for a few announcements and a Q&A on a variety of topics in a fairly informal standpoint (assuming George North, Gatland and June Tests were all discussed at the same forum). He won't have been having a massive formal announcement about 4x Welsh regions wanting the services of George North. The fact that the identity of the side they will play in the US is also unknown further suggests this was not some grand formal announcement.

Maybe bland, robotic soundbites that are prechecked so as to be sure to never insult anyone is what people want? That is the only way to ensure that such unfortunate minor mishaps don't occur in future.

Sorry that's nonsense.

When you are a well paid executive of a company with mass media interest you have to be more precise with your language in public. It's not hard.

No one has claimed it was "some grand formal announcement", just that he was talking to journalists, on the record and knew his words were going to be reported. He can hardly complain when they are reported accurately but are misconceived due to his own poor choice of words!

[TheStroBro Profile]

It sounds like this Phillips fellow was making himself available for a few announcements and a Q&A on a variety of topics in a fairly informal standpoint (assuming George North, Gatland and June Tests were all discussed at the same forum). He won't have been having a massive formal announcement about 4x Welsh regions wanting the services of George North. The fact that the identity of the side they will play in the US is also unknown further suggests this was not some grand formal announcement.

Maybe bland, robotic soundbites that are prechecked so as to be sure to never insult anyone is what people want? That is the only way to ensure that such unfortunate minor mishaps don't occur in future.

When you're a high level executive, assume everything is on the record. Language is how wars are started. He's obviously poorly prepped by their media people if he's just going to swashbuckle like Boris.

[TheStroBro Profile]

Nice article on Nathan Bombrys http://www.rugbytoday.com/clubs/most-su ... pean-rugby

[cardiffrcm Profile]

Gary Gold has been released from his Worcester Warriors contract and starts work with the USAR in January

[Bruce_ma_goose Profile]

It sounds like this Phillips fellow was making himself available for a few announcements and a Q&A on a variety of topics in a fairly informal standpoint (assuming George North, Gatland and June Tests were all discussed at the same forum). He won't have been having a massive formal announcement about 4x Welsh regions wanting the services of George North. The fact that the identity of the side they will play in the US is also unknown further suggests this was not some grand formal announcement.

Maybe bland, robotic soundbites that are prechecked so as to be sure to never insult anyone is what people want? That is the only way to ensure that such unfortunate minor mishaps don't occur in future.

Sorry that's nonsense.

When you are a well paid executive of a company with mass media interest you have to be more precise with your language in public. It's not hard.

No one has claimed it was "some grand formal announcement", just that he was talking to journalists, on the record and knew his words were going to be reported. He can hardly complain when they are reported accurately but are misconceived due to his own poor choice of words!

I'm not denying poor word choice. I'm saying it is understandable to not use a script in such circumstances and that everyone, including those criticising the man, will make similar mistakes when not reading from a script.

Rather than necessarily being the sign of the global anti-Tier2 conspiracy it could maybe, just maybe, be an innocent slip of the tongue.

I fail to see how my point could be misconstrued as being nonsense. But that's language for you I guess!

[4N Profile]

Rather than necessarily being the sign of the global anti-Tier2 conspiracy it could maybe, just maybe, be an innocent slip of the tongue.

Yes I agree. Just a poor word choice by Phillips from my reading.

[TheStroBro Profile]

Gary Gold has been released from his Worcester Warriors contract and starts work with the USAR in January

Early Christmas gift...but they've committed to DOR for more than a year stint, does that mean Hogg is out?

[4N Profile]

David Ainuu (prop) and Nafi Maafu (flanker) were probably the two best U20 players for the US. Future Eagles/Islanders I would think.

Ainuu has signed for Toulouse.

[TheStroBro Profile]

Training Squad for the ARC is out, I'll have my analysis out tomorrow.

https://www.usarugby.org/2018/01/mens-e ... mkuL6uO.07

[victorsra Profile Website]

Do you have a list of the USA squad that will play tomorrow in Uruguay (Punta Sevens)?

[victorsra Profile Website]

Pat Blair, Nick Boyer, Ben Broselle, Alex Elkins; Naima Fualaau, Siale Maka, Anthony Salaber, Devin Short, Sam Walsh, Zach Webber, Connor Wallace-Sims, Anthony Welmers;

Highlights?

[TheStroBro Profile]

Pat Blair, Nick Boyer, Ben Broselle, Alex Elkins; Naima Fualaau, Siale Maka, Anthony Salaber, Devin Short, Sam Walsh, Zach Webber, Connor Wallace-Sims, Anthony Welmers;

Highlights?

Elkins just got called up for the Men's Eagles, Connor Wallace-Sims is a 7s Eagle. Anthony Welmers is a 7s Eagles, was on the Olympic team, All-Army 7s been in the player pool for awhile.

Some of these guys I just don't know, until the other day I thought Friday was taking the bottom 13 of the contracted players (20) down.

ARC Training Squad Preview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1m0Ke9EnKw

[Coloradoan Profile]

Pat Blair, Nick Boyer, Ben Broselle, Alex Elkins; Naima Fualaau, Siale Maka, Anthony Salaber, Devin Short, Sam Walsh, Zach Webber, Connor Wallace-Sims, Anthony Welmers;

Highlights?

Elkins just got called up for the Men's Eagles, Connor Wallace-Sims is a 7s Eagle. Anthony Welmers is a 7s Eagles, was on the Olympic team, All-Army 7s been in the player pool for awhile.

Some of these guys I just don't know, until the other day I thought Friday was taking the bottom 13 of the contracted players (20) down.

ARC Training Squad Preview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1m0Ke9EnKw

To add on:

Blair and Fualaau - frequent SWS players in the past.
Boyer, Webber and Salaber - recent college grads or close to graduating, former u20 reps
Short and Broselle - u20 prospects, HSAA past
Maka - club 7s standout
Walsh - not sure

[Suiram Profile]

Walsh was also a HSAA or u20 but plays in NZ.

Overall a very young squad with 4 19 yo. Basically Pat Blair seems to be the elder statesman of the group

[Buffalo Profile]

Does anyone know what became of Val Lee-Lo? I remember he was a member of the Seattle Saracens before signing with Sacramento in PRO but since then I know nothing. I was super impressed with him at the domestic level though he could use some work on his match fitness even for a Prop. I'd have figured he would have been a popular target for all MLR teams and probably land in Seattle to reunite the Express front row with Barkwill and Kilifi.

[TheStroBro Profile]

Does anyone know what became of Val Lee-Lo? I remember he was a member of the Seattle Saracens before signing with Sacramento in PRO but since then I know nothing. I was super impressed with him at the domestic level though he could use some work on his match fitness even for a Prop. I'd have figured he would have been a popular target for all MLR teams and probably land in Seattle to reunite the Express front row with Barkwill and Kilifi.

I think he's a a Seattle Seawolves target. He's currently not registered and his last registration was with Seattle Saracens which, was just last year.

[TheStroBro Profile]

Dan Lyle Discusses AEG Rugby's promotion of their Super Rugby Pre-Season Fixture: Bulls V. Stormers

https://soundcloud.com/earfulofdirt/eod ... -aeg-rugby

[sk 88 Profile Website]

Just read on twitter Super Rugby pre-season game set for LA has been cancelled.

Shame, what with other cancelled games for various reasons its going to take a lot for the next one to be considered credible.

[4N Profile]

Just read on twitter Super Rugby pre-season game set for LA has been cancelled.

Two South African sides in California was a bad idea anyway. NZ teams would have drawn better.

[Coloradoan Profile]

Just read on twitter Super Rugby pre-season game set for LA has been cancelled.

Two South African sides in California was a bad idea anyway. NZ teams would have drawn better.

LA is a shit choice all around. It's a bad sports market and has never had successful rugby crowds there. SF would have been a better choice and could have tied in somewhat with the RWC 7s promotion.

[Tobar Profile]

Just read on twitter Super Rugby pre-season game set for LA has been cancelled.

Two South African sides in California was a bad idea anyway. NZ teams would have drawn better.

The NZ teams weren’t available and SoCal (San Diego specifically) has the highest amount of Saffies in the country with 20,000. AEG owns the stadium and this made it cheaper to use.

[4N Profile]

SoCal (San Diego specifically) has the highest amount of Saffies in the country

Is that really true? I always thought Houston, Atlanta and DC had the most. There may be 20k in all of SoCal, but how spread out from a population of how many?

[TheStroBro Profile]

SoCal's population density is like 20MM people from Santa Barbara to the Border. Stubhub is going to host a lot of Rugby over the next few years in the build up to 2028 when it hosts the Olympic 7s.

[Tobar Profile]

SoCal (San Diego specifically) has the highest amount of Saffies in the country

Is that really true? I always thought Houston, Atlanta and DC had the most. There may be 20k in all of SoCal, but how spread out from a population of how many?

I'm sorry I realized my wording was a bit awkward. SoCal has the most amount of South Africans. San Diego alone has 20,000 South Africans, at least according to Wikipedia.

As TheStroBro said, AEG is also trying to specifically promote the StubHub Center which will be host to rugby in the Olympics in 2028. They want people to become familiar with rugby at the stadium leading up to the events and this should be the first of many games there. They own this stadium so that's the primary reason why they chose the location. USAR went along with it because it's a great deal and AFAIK they basically outsourced most of the work for promotions.