Major League signings for MLR?

[Puja]

I think it would certainly be a better idea than the ‘A’ league. They could keep the players in camp for the start of the season and then send them abroad for 5/6 months to play in a fully pro environment in front of decent sized crowds. It would also get the players out of their academy comfort zone.

Only problem is that it's a lot harder to recall players from Texas than it is from Coventry if you have an injury crisis.

Puja

True but LNR seem to think it’s ok and their u23 league is far more onerous than our a league. It’s a risk but it definitely has up sides.

LNR also have budgets so high that they can afford to be buying in young talent for their academies, and have long-term projects bought in from T2 nations. I think they've got rather broader squads than the GP if they're talking about 2 season loans.

Puja

[Mellsblue]

?!?!?!?!?

[Mellsblue]

Not sure if this has been mentioned but Kane Thompson is playing for NOLA this season.

[Puja]

There are some useful new signings to the league this season. Ex Aussie prop Paddy Ryan has joined San Diego (not to be confused with the US prop Paddy Ryan, who has joined RUNY), Fiji lock Api Naikatani has gone to Seattle, as has Stephen Coetzee. Austin and Houston have gone big on some Tier 3 players, with Uruguay scrum-half Santiago Arata being the best.

I think the league reaching the second season has granted it a lot more trust from overseas players. Can't say as I blame them given PRO's collapse and subsequent non-payment of players. I expect a much better quality of games this year with the improved quality of imports.

Puja

[Puja]

Also - a potential new signing for an MLR team, do you think Mells? https://thescrum.aedelhard.com/2018/12/ ... ic-season/

Puja

[Mellsblue]

It’s a worry. From what I know, he thinks he’s good enough to play in the Prem. If he doesn’t crack that by 2020 I’d guess he might look at the MLR. We’ve just had a flanker, Justin Blanchet, called up the Canada squad, another Exeter old boy now I think about it, and he’s almost certainly not Prem quality so he might fancy it.

[Mellsblue]

Also - a potential new signing for an MLR team, do you think Mells? https://thescrum.aedelhard.com/2018/12/ ... ic-season/

Puja

He’s just signed for another season by Bedford so he won’t be moving for the 2020 ..... hopefully.

[Puja]

Bastareaud to RUNY on a 1 year sabbatical?!

[Mellsblue]

Wowzers!

[morepork]

He'll do them proud at prop.

[Puja]

And now confirmed for next season: https://www.americasrugbynews.com/2019/ ... giant/amp/

Officially on loan, so I suspect that's how they'll be getting round the MLR salary cap with SF still paying the bulk of his salary.

In other notable signings, Samu Manoa has joined Seattle and Adam Thomson's signed for Utah.

Puja

[Mellsblue]

Nice. Can’t work out if the league is building nicely or is over stretching itself. I know RUNY’s owners are set for five years of bankrolling but they have very deep pockets and are winning more than they lose, at present. No idea whether this is the case everywhere. Austin were already struggling for money and have won the grand total of no matches so far. Not the most enticing investment.

[Puja]

Nice. Can’t work out if the league is building nicely or is over stretching itself. I know RUNY’s owners are set for five years of bankrolling but they have very deep pockets and are winning more than they lose, at present. No idea whether this is the case everywhere. Austin were already struggling for money and have won the grand total of no matches so far. Not the most enticing investment.

On one hand, San Diego, Toronto, and Seattle are all getting 3k+ crowds regularly and Glendale and Utah both got one this week as well. Houston look like they have an audience once they finally sort their stadium out and NOLA have been steadily building attendance. So for 7 out of 9, it's building nicely and there's hope for the future.

New York worries me a bit - they've gone from 3k crowds down to 1k awfully quickly, are in a crappy stadium, and run the risk of becoming dismissed as small-time by the NY populace (or worse, being overtaken if league makes a positive impression next year). And Austin, as you mentioned, are a basket case - losing every game, in a horrible baseball stadium, and with average attendance around 900.

So, a mixed bag.

Puja

[Mellsblue]

Nice. Can’t work out if the league is building nicely or is over stretching itself. I know RUNY’s owners are set for five years of bankrolling but they have very deep pockets and are winning more than they lose, at present. No idea whether this is the case everywhere. Austin were already struggling for money and have won the grand total of no matches so far. Not the most enticing investment.

On one hand, San Diego, Toronto, and Seattle are all getting 3k+ crowds regularly and Glendale and Utah both got one this week as well. Houston look like they have an audience once they finally sort their stadium out and NOLA have been steadily building attendance. So for 7 out of 9, it's building nicely and there's hope for the future.

New York worries me a bit - they've gone from 3k crowds down to 1k awfully quickly, are in a crappy stadium, and run the risk of becoming dismissed as small-time by the NY populace (or worse, being overtaken if league makes a positive impression next year). And Austin, as you mentioned, are a basket case - losing every game, in a horrible baseball stadium, and with average attendance around 900.

So, a mixed bag.

Puja

20% off RUNY tickets this weekend, plus a free ticket to the last match of the season. I think they know they are struggling. Still, it’s the first season and the stadium is bloody miles/2hrs from Manhattan/Grand Central. A move to somewhere more central into a purpose built stadium should help. The owners are absolutely minted, we’ll have to hope they’re also patient.
The NY sports market must be hard to crack but if they do.....

[Puja]

Surely they're on the wind up with this and it's not actually serious:



Puja

[Mellsblue]

Nah. It’s a running joke.....they posted Jim Hamilton signing a fake contract a few weeks ago.

[Mellsblue]

Steffon Armitage signs for San Diego Legion.

[Puja]

Steffon Armitage signs for San Diego Legion.

Wow. That's a hell of a signing. The media attention will be on Bastareaud, but Armitage could have a massive impact as there is nothing like his attacking ruck work in the league. Hopefully he'll be taking it seriously and not taking the opportunity to let the fitness go.

Puja

[morepork]

All you can eat buffets on the East and West coasts are in for a pounding.

[Puja]

Dom Day's just signed for San Diego as well: https://www.saracens.com/news-article/d ... ego-legion

Not as big of a signing as SArmitage and probably not Prem quality anymore, but a very handy player to have around in MLR. He's the kind of name that might've gone to an ambitious Championship club before - not sure if it's MLR starting to exert greater pulling power or if things are tightening up at Champ level. Probably a bit of both.

Puja

[Puja]

Steffon Armitage signs for San Diego Legion.

That lasted long.

https://sports.yahoo.com/rugby-englands ... --spt.html
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/san-dieg ... 00080.html

Fair play to them - it takes minerals to sack your star signing on a question of morals.

Puja

[Puja]

San Diego have released a teaser suggesting very heavily that they're signing Ma'a Nonu. Incredible, if true.

Puja

[Mellsblue]

Basta v Nonu would be fun to watch.

[Mr Mwenda]

Basta v Nonu would be fun to watch.

On the park or in the nightclub?