Rugby League in America

I like many of you are a Union Rugby kind of guy, but over the years I have come to enjoy watching Rugby League. With the recent rugby league world cup now over, my excitement for league states side has gotten me curious and interested on league being played in America. Sadly over here on the west coast league is almost nonexistence. Over the next few months I will post various Q&A’s with those in the rugby league community.  

Mike Featherstone founder of the Chicago Stockyarders RFLC, was gracious enough to answer some questions

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LLR- some history and overview of the stockyarders and what plans lie a head?
MF- 2010 was our start as an expansion team for the AMNRL. We played two exhibition games of sevens rugby league on the east coast v NY Raiders at the War at the Shore (NJ) event and v Philadelphia Fight as a curtain raiser to the AMNRL Grand Final (in Philly).
 
2011 we tried to grow the game locally with clinics at Lewis University (Romeoville, IL) and increase the midwest player pool. We held a Stockyarders v Midwest Allstars exhibition game at Winnemac Park in Chicago in June, 2011 and another exhibition game at Lewis in October, 2011.
 
2012 we formed the AMNRL's midwest development conference along with start up teams Westerm Storm (based in Elgin, IL) and Iowa City Crash and Lewis University. We played against each team and finished with a 1-2 record. We also hosted the inaugural AMNRL midwest sevens losing in the final v a Chicago Irish exiles team. All games that year were played at Winnemac Park, Chicago.
 
2013 has been an indifferent season for RL here. The Storm, Crash and Lewis have been inactive which has hit us hard and although we have practised all summer the only game we could get was a turkey bowl sevens event in November between the Stockyarders and a Midwest Allstars team.
 
Major problem we have is the lack of opposition in the midwest and we are trying to recitfiy this locally by helping other start up teams in the area. We would like to run a RL nines series along the Chicago lakefront during May/June 2014 and regrow the midwest conference from this in coming years.

LLR- What is the current status of rugby league in America?

MF- 2 comps - American National Rugby League (AMNRL) and the USA Rugby League (USARL) run from May until September each year. Talks have been ongoing over the last two years to bring them together following a split in the game in 2011.

LLR- Given the surprise success of the tomahawks (USA) in the world cup, what is your opinion on the status of league going forward in America?

MF- I think it has improved league's status within the general Rugby community. We attracted more interest from local Union players following the Tomahawks achievements at RLWC2013 and the press coverage on Fox Sports, etc because some have seen it as another avenue to represent their country on the world stage. Some people will point to use the heritage players used by the Tomahawks and say it is an impossible dream for local players but it is the same case with all professional sports in the world stage who want to be competitive. It doesn't mean local guys shouldn't aspire to get to the next world cup because if you’re good enough, you'll make it.

LLR- Are there any plans to expand the style of League to the west coast, California, Oregon, and Washington?

MF- Yes there have been some exhibition games played in California by a west coast team over the last year or two against a touring Canadian team and against the Utah Avalanche. The AMNRL have a Californian representative working to kick start RL on the west coast.

LLR- For those who don’t know the difference of rugby UNION and rugby LEAGUE, what are some key differences between the both?

MF- Both games promote passing (laterally), kicking or running a football into an end zone and require the need for strong defense. Aside from the difference in starting playing numbers (15 for union v 13 for league), the biggest difference to me is that Union is characterized by an ongoing struggle for possession of the ball via a number of technical situations (scrums, lineouts, rucks, mauls) whereas League is characterized by having 6 downs (or tackles) in which to score a try (touchdown).

LLR- Can both UNION and LEAGUE work in harmony with each other, or do you believe only one or the other can be “king” of rugby in America.

MF- There is room for Union and League in my opinion because of the size of this country. They are both great products in their own right. Other niche sports survive alongside each other on a minor league basis and offer different formats within that sport. There are also different types of athlete who are more appropriately suited to one code over the other. So why not give athletes the choice? If you consider Rugby a community within this country, I also think it is beneficial for rugby related industries be that facilities, equipment providers, media or apparel retailers to have both formats to increase the revenue pot.

In terms of a "king" of Rugby, I suppose it is a race to see who can professionalize things first. 5 years ago, I would have said League would be most likely simply because as a spectator sport it is easy for new audiences to understand and is similar in format to football. I thought it may become the "professional" option of Rugby in this country for players to move onto after experiencing Union first on an amateur basis. However, I think the inclusion of 7s into the Olympics and the exposure and funding that will bring with it has given that form of Rugby the box seat to become the product most instantly recognized by the American public.

LLR- where can the general public go and get information of united states base rugby clubs who play league and how can others help grow the game of rugby league in north America

MF- www.amnrl.com

www.usarugbyleague.com