Super Rugby Pacific could expand to the USA as part of World Rugby’s strategic push to boost American rugby ahead of the 2031 World Cup.
According to Australia’s The Roar, high-level talks are under way between World Rugby officials and potential stakeholders on America’s west coast, with Los Angeles emerging as a front-runner for a new franchise.
New Zealand Rugby CEO Mark Robinson has confirmed these exploratory talks, stating they remain “open-minded” about US involvement in the competition.
MORE: Ireland star in doubt for Lions tour
The initiative follows Team USA’s failure to qualify for the 2023 World Cup for the first time in their history, despite Major League Rugby’s establishment in 2018.
The Roar reveals that World Rugby chairman Brett Robinson and CEO Alan Gilpin recently met with officials in LA.
Time zone compatibility makes the west coast particularly attractive. “The competition is Super Rugby Pacific, and obviously that West Coast is on the Pacific Rim,” Robinson told The Roar Rugby podcast.
“We need to understand any involvement of US-based teams in Super Rugby, and how that’s connected to their pathways and development system.”
Photo: Joe Allison/Getty Images
The post Super Rugby mulls USA expansion appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.