GRR: World Rugby
World Rugby's adjustment to Regulation 8 has put a complication into the Major League Rugby draft and post-draft signings.
Put briefly, overseas players who were only registered with NCR may find some teams reluctant to draft or sign them because of how that affects their USA rugby-residency status.
World Rugby has confirmed a change to Regulation 8 which will have a marked effect on the game in the USA.
Regulation 8 deals with how players are eligible to play for a national team. Among the issues it addresses are these:
The arrival of Anthem RC into Major League Rugby seems fairly logical on first glance.
GLENDALE, CO (January 19, 2024) – USA Rugby, Major League Rugby (MLR), and World Rugby have officially confirmed a strategic partnership to launch a new MLR expansion club in Charlotte, North Carolina, named Anthem Rugby Carolina (RC).
The new club will immediately join competition for the 2024 season, with American Legion Memorial Stadium serving as its match day home.
World Rugby has made some adjustments to the world schedule, but also today confirmed what had been hinted at by GRR for a while—the men's Rugby World Cup will be expanded to 24 teams for 2027 and beyond.