Earlier this year I wrote briefly about the inaugural season of PRO Rugby, the first professional rugby competition blazing a path for the game in the USA and potentially Canada.

For those unfamiliar, PRO Rugby or the Professional Rugby Organisation as it’s official known is a five-team professional rugby union league. With teams based in San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento, Denver and Ohio with as many as five more planned for its second season including possibly two Canadian franchises, PRO is a centralised league owned and operated by former bond trader Doug Schoninger.

News of its emergence broke in October 2015 and thanks to a shot clock as part of their sanctioning by USA Rugby things moved quickly to launched the first season in March this year.

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Squads were hastily assembled with what available talent there was and training begun.

So it could be excused if the standard of play was a little sketchy. Excused but not necessary. Out of the gate the games were open and entertaining. Played at high pace. At times the skill levels didn’t quite match the intent but as the season progressed teams leveled out, a much greater parity was established all the while the games remained well worth the viewing.

Early favourites Denver burst out of the gate looking very strong early on. Only to be run down by a hugely impressive Ohio. Mid season teams were named via an online poll. Not bragging but my suggestion of Stampede for Denver and Breakers for San Diego won out.

Sacramento, San Francisco and San Diego had their ebbs and flows.

In the end perhaps fittingly the final game of the season ended up between Ohio and Denver in Columbus, OH. In lieu of a official Championship game (original plan called for six teams but field issues prevented that) a pack Aviator Field witnessed probably the best game of a very good first season.

Unfortunately for Ohio despite Ohio winning two of the two teams three meetings including the final game a dropped game earlier in the season proved costly as Denver claimed the title on points difference.



Overall, PRO Rugby’s inaugural season was hugely successful. Things were trialed and changed throughout the season. Denver moved stadium and the league opted to control its own content but this was expected for what was effectively its Beta Test.

In fact, its success can be measured by recent interest of both the Pro12 and Toulon. Both looking at entering the North American market in so form or another. The Pro12 in the form of a couple of franchises as they look to counter the growing gap financially between themselves and their European rivals and Toulon mooting a potential rival league.

SANZAAR have also been hinted at but nothing public has emerged. Personally, I believe PRO should be given the opportunity to fail. Not that I want that to happen. But they should be at least allowed to fulfill their sanctioning period which runs from 2018 with an option to extend it to 2020.

But that’s not to say I don’t think the likes of SANZAAR shouldn’t look to get involved. Setting up a strategic alliance with PRO would be a shrewd move on behalf of SANZAAR.

With suggestion that PRO will be looking to further align their season with that of Super Rugby, SANZAAR providing intellectual capital and systems could help PRO accelerate its progress.