Will the USA Eagles ever be good enought to compete on international level rugby ?

Question

Will the USA Eagles ever be good enough to compete on top international level rugby like against the huge rugby nations like South Africa, England, Australia, New Zealand, Wales, France and Ireland ? What im getting at is, therye like usd to playing club rugby and maybe once every 4 years they play a huge international game in the Rugby World Cup. NFL football is all theyre really used too playing ! Will they ever be as good as South Africa and maybe even beat New Zealand ?

Answer 1

Time will tell, but they have pushed the big guys all the way in this tournament and I have enjoyed watching them play!

I think it is down to the USA to promote the game and encourage guys to take it up!

I say this, as American football does not need promoting, so all those  huge players out there,  who are big, fit lads hope to play but do not.

In this case, they should look at the options and take up the rugger game!

They would defiantly be an asset to the game!

Answer 2

Not unless they make it professional in the US, athlethletes in the US want to play for money so they focus on NFL, NBA, NHL and baseball, if they made rugby more popular then people would focus their skills on the rugby.

Answer 3

i believe one day we will have a strong enough team to be competetive... again... (the usa actually won gold medals in olympic rugby in 1920 and 1924... beating france each time)This world cup- look how well the US EAGLES played against england (who won last world cup).  eagles' world cup performance has been a positive step and they've stayed pretty close every match so far.  Lets face it- they're doing better than expected.  theyre not winning but maybe they can ruin some bonus poitns for some teams!

the issue in the states is that all our focus is on am.football.  Rugby is not televised here at ALL... when i say not at all- i mean the scores arent even displayed on ESPN or other sports channels!  and hardly anyone knows about rugby.  I had no idea it even existed until i saw half naked men running around the rugby pitch outside my dorm room window in college and i was trying to figure out how i could be one of the girls that practiced with them!!!  thats what drew me in!!  but most ruggers in the states are college educated because thats where we first see rugby.  we're well on our way to a real-life career, not a rugby career and if we continue playing- which most don't, we end up playing club- because thats all there is.  

Any network would be stupid to put rugby up against a football game based solely on the advertisement time.  the only commercials in rugby matches televised are half time and before and after.  football games have so many commercial breaks that it is ridiculous.  they even schedule in commercial breaks in the game (as you find out if you go to a stadium to watch) Networks would lose money with a rugby game.  in order for rugby to be televised, there needs to be a restructure of how to provide ample ad time.  

high schools are just starting to have rugby teams in the south.  there are more in the northern states and california.  Theres been a huge advancement in collegiate rugby, in that it is finally being seen as a varsity, instead of strictly club, sport.  This means that colleges may start to recruit and rugby programs will finally be funded by the college.  These are true signs of growth.  i play for a women's team and we're d**n close to having enough for one full side.  we've been growing a team for the past 4 or so years.  its slow progress here in the south!!

If U.S.Americans put 1/4 as much effort into rugby as we do into american football, we'd be champions every year.

Answer 4

Sure.  I am a Springbok living in the USA and I think the problem is that there is practically no Rugby promotion going on.  No news on the World cup either which is a shame as the US DOES have a team for goodness sake.  With public education and promotion would come more awareness and then the money would pour in.  I have often said that if I win the lottery I will definitely get involved in promoting the game here in the States, and of course I would also get bullet proof vests for police doggies.  The last statement has absolutely nothing to do with rugby LOL.  I will be watching the USA Springbok match at an Irish pub on Sunday.  Cant wait.  Only hope the big bad Bokkies dont hurt the Eagles toooo much.

Answer 5

One day they will. Rugby is getting stronger and stronger in the States with a lot of guys heading that way at the end of their careers, the money can be good. However, it will take a while. Just think back 10-15 years with teams like Argentina, Italy, even the northern hemisphere teams to see how far they've come. Like Pantene, it wont happen overnight but it will happen.

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