Rugby Union: Can North America Handle Its Huge Summer Schedule?

By
at Internationaled.org

Published: February 25, 2013

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In early November 2004, your humble correspondent was able to secure a single seat in the back-row of the upper-deck in London's Twickenham Stadium, to see his beloved Canada take on England on their home ground. As I eagerly purchased my commemorative program, I was shocked to see that Canada was going to take the field without most of its compliment of overseas professionals, who had not been released by their pro clubs.

It was a forgettable day for Canadian rugby that will never be forgotten. Sadly enough, there were those in the British press - such as rugby analysts at The Guardian - who easily predicted the 70-0 massacre that was to follow. 

The width of several prairies separate the impoverished Canadians from their hosts and playing for the Castaway Wanderers or the Old Boy Ravens at the University of British Columbia is clearly no preparation for top-level professional sport. The International Rugby Board (IRB) meets in Dublin this week and its big hope is for rugby to win Olympic recognition and thus qualify for greater funding in countries where rugby is currently a poor relation.

After sheepishly dragging my Canadian flag past throngs of festive, but depressingly sympathetic English rugby fans, I had the opportunity to read the following words in the Canadian media the next day.

They were the words of the then Canadian National Senior Team Head Coach - and current USA Women's Sevens Coach - Ric Suggitt, who understood the problem all too well.

We need to play more games of this quality. I'd like to play England 20 times a year if we could. . . . I'm sure each and every time out we would get better.

Almost a decade later and many of the factors that were blamed for the 2004 debacle have been addressed.

Due to the creation of IRB Rule 9, no longer do Canada and the United States do battle on the international rugby pitch without their overseas-based professionals. Centralized tr...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Rugby Union

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