Agonising reaction as USA fail to qualify for Rugby World Cup | RugbyPass

The Rugby Network went behind the scenes with USA Rugby in Dubai as they looked to beat Portugal for a place at the 2023 Rugby World Cup
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[@frontierlandfrank5314]

If the team was able to play together this wouldn't have been a match. Nearly everyone on Portugal had double digit caps, and lots of familiarity with each other from European league. USA has none of that, a surprising portion (close to half) of our guys got capped a couple weeks ago in South Africa or during this 3 match series. We just need more time together as a national team. Let MLR continue to grow. Go USA. Congrats to Portugal too.

[@ldfreitas9437]

Rugby has been the "fastest growing sport in America" since the 1970s. Well, given that nearly fifty years have gone by, America is still a two tier rugby nation at best. It will never replace American football, basketball, or baseball as being more popular and will always be a fringy sport, and I know: I started playing fifty years ago two months from now, and am still involved in the game as a referee. There might be more colleges with teams, but I've seen a few schools lose their teams in recent years in Northern California.

[@ldfreitas9437]

Another comment: there are if anything less adult clubs now than a few decades back. I've seen women's rugby clubs disappear, many men's clubs too. In the 1970s and 1980s, at the Polo Grounds in San Francisco, on any given Saturday between November and April, there were five games going on at the same time on the pitches there, with these clubs just in one town: BATS, Ex-Os, SFRC, Castaways, Barbary Coast, SF Irish. All those clubs eventually amalgamated into SF Golden Gate by 2000, with just two sides in recent years.

[@frontierlandfrank5314]

@@ldfreitas9437 Im just going to reply here. But rugby IS the largest growing sport in college, that will help. Rugby will always be fringe and that's ok. We have more than enough people to make ourselves competitive. I don't have any rugby experience outside of being a fan, but I wrestled growing up. Wrestling is an extremely fringe sport, I would say more so than rugby, and we are. consistently one of the best in the world, year over year over year. IMO I think the eagles can get to the point of Japan by the time we host the world cup. A solid tier 1 but on the lower end of that scale, with upsets of better teams here and there. We just need better leadership at the top. I understand people have lots of critiques about MLR, but playing more regular rugby is going to improve the national product. But overall our biggest issue is not enough tests and time together as a national team.

[@jp2650]

How can you call it League Rugby when this falls under Union? Get a different name. Rugby League is separate from Union.

[@frontierlandfrank5314]

@@jp2650 you’re a dolt, if you’re really asking that question.

[@King3ran]

Good game Portugal, but every rugby fan knows that sinking feeling of their team being at the finish line and being over taken at the dying moments. Can't say anything but all the best to the team and the coaching staff 👍👍👍

[@sports2hedz542]

I feel like the coach did not prepare them well ... based on his language (and body language) in the pre match presser. He doesn't strike me as a strong leader. Full credit to Portugal. Will be cheering for them next year.

[@ldfreitas9437]

So will I. Look at my last name. I am a third generation American, but still, it's great to see a tiny nation beat a big one in regards to qualifications.

[@JayGoonetilleke]

Thank you for R.P for the video. Congrats to Portugal. I’m proud about our young squad we made critical mistake like penalties on Portugal and Chile games, it showed our squad needs more experience playing as a unit. I have seen Portugal vs Spain in Rugby Europe game. Os Lobos more experience team. At the end of day our boys gave everything and its unlucky. I hope to see Coaching staff return including Gary Gold, and our squad to need to play at least 15-Test matches each year. Cheering from Oklahoma.

[@donaldduck2139]

it's not so much the experience of the team sometimes bro, there's such a thing as the bounce of the ball, if it bounces the wrong way on that certain day, can change things dramatically, kia ora from Aotearoa New Zealand hope to see you guys at the next one, that's if we even make it in there, the teams are all getting harder to knock over. . . which is good

[@gordondwyer3641]

Quite sad. USA with all its resources and large population would be a massive boost to the development of world rugby. Well done Portugal. A good example of making the most of limited resources.

[@xeditionstarwars6011]

You don’t consider the fact that rugby is like the 5th most popular sport in America and it’s cousin American football is the most popular

[@jakeclough8090]

You think it’s sad and I guess it is for the inspiration for next generation but on a funding side it’s not too bad Portugal won because the USA are hosting the rugby World Cup in 2031, they’re gonna Chuck money into rugby anyway. This is Portugal’s second ever appearance at the World Cup and won’t be able to fund their rugby as mulch as the US, this is huge for them. And with a good chile and Uruguay team, a good Spain team that qualified but then disqualified for an illegal player, and flourishing Italian and argentine sides, it’s building this potential rugby culture in these Latin/Mediterranean culture countries which could be really good for the sport, so long term I think it’s going to be more beneficial to have Portugal and the others than USA who will fund rugby regardless of this result

[@kiwijcr2984]

@@xeditionstarwars6011 Lame excuse. Plenty of money and resources compared to Portugal, Namibia, Georgia,Uruguay etc.. And football is their national sports not rugby, yet they're off to the WC.. USA have an outdated coach in Gary Gold for a start!

[@fumie4996]

@@xeditionstarwars6011 nor it is popular sport in Portugal, Chile, and Uruguay who kicked you out. most of the players of these countries are semi pros at best with adn they have no professional leagues. US have much more resources and MLR, players are all pros but still can't get to the world cup. something is wrong in the management

[@azcardguy7825]

No one in the US cares about rugby

[@loki_of_earth]

Would love to have seen both Portugal and USA at the World Cup. The US looked so sharp against Hong Kong, sport can be cruel. Congrats to Portugal.

[@ItzCoopzFtw]

Better editing than most of the Tier 1 Highlight vids, and music to pass over regular stuff. They should hire you fellas to do Highlights. Congrats to Portugal, better luck next time U.S.

[@jivesnarker8105]

I understand that there's a burning desire from World Rugby to get America into the game, but I can't help but feel as though our national team has kind of taken the spotlight away from Portugal despite losing to them. Portugal is not considered a stronghold of rugby with a little under 50,000 registered players and a professional league even smaller than MLR yet I've seen way less coverage from the Portuguese side of things. The coaching and leadership of the Portuguese is clearly not to be underestimated and deserves much more praise and attention.

[@0Clewi0]

Language barrier? there's likely a bit more of content on portuguese

[@ldfreitas9437]

Portugal has had rugby for over one hundred years, yet it's rarely given the credit it deserves. They've won a number of international matches against second tier European and North African nations over time. This will be their second appearance in RWC, the same as that larger nation to the east, Spain.

[@HeavyPhoton]

We were always few against many.😅

[@TFARM56]

USA needs to wake up seriously.. Or rather stick with football.. USA is clearly not ready

[@namasi7070]

USA should follow Japans path. A generation ago the Japanese were being beaten by Cricket scores. Now they can mix it with any team.

[@tmdillon1969]

They've gone backwards! I remember hearing a UK sportscaster talking about them in the 03 RWC and to paraphrase him "look at their size and speed! If they ever figure out the game we can all go back to playing darts." They're less competitive now than 20 years ago. And it isn't talent. The last RWC was the first time the starting 15 was comprised of 100% pros. Every player was good enough to make a pro roster and several were starting at the highest level. I played in the 90s and there are more clubs now than then. Georgia, Argentina, and the islands have moved forward and left us behind. And while they definitely have better home training systems almost all of their best players are playing pro ball abroad. If we can have guys starting in the Premiership and Pro 14 then we don't really have an excuse not to be competitive. And the players are good enough to make those rosters then we know it's managment and coach, not talent. There are almost 900 collegiant FB teams here and thousands of HS FB teams. Less than 1% will make it to the NFL. There has to be a way to harness that athletic talent.

[@ldfreitas9437]

I wouldn't say there are more rugby clubs now in the US, and even the participation of college teams has gone down in my area of the nation: Northern California, once the hot bed of rugby in the US! I've seen quite a few adult clubs come and go since the 90s, both men and women clubs. In just the last few years, these schools don't have rugby anymore regarding men: Univ. of San Francisco, Sonoma State, U of Pacific, San Francisco State. Cal State Monterey Bay lost their women's program last year, only six on the team at start of this school year. Covid really hurt rugby here. Many high schools have to use players from surrounding high schools just to get 15 on the pitch, called multiple school sides. Only a few like Jesuit in Sacramento are actual one school sides. La crosse leap frogged rugby in high schools a few decades ago. The Central Coast Section of high schools in Northern California offered rugby a chance to become a bona-fide school sport and the Northern California Rugby Union turned down the opportunity. La Crosse took it's place. La Crosse really wasn't on the West Coast until the 1990s, and rugby had blossomed at many high schools as a sport in the 80s, and at some schools, where there were teachers or administrators with rugby experience, rugby thrived, but teachers and administrators retire eventually and there was no guarantee of having that sort of support of faculty and principals. La Crosse became more popular for students to play, and it's played at the same time: late winter into spring. So, that's the state of rugby where I live, in what was once the strongest area of rugby in the USA!

[@evangreenberg1666]

@@ldfreitas9437I’m blessed and grateful to have played at Jesuit Sacramento rugby. Fell in love with the game with coaches that truly loved it as well.

[@n-tertainmentx-tended4760]

Some of those Portugal backs would clean up in the NRL.

[@ldfreitas9437]

Portugal always has had a reputation of developing great back line players. It's the influence of the SW French, Basque and Gascony players on the style of play in Portugal, as the Portuguese have tried to mimic their play.

[@Antawnyoo]

Support Portugal who is going to the world cup next year: against all odds we shall remain!

[@charliebrown5463]

Success breeds growth. Some commentators here believe USA will never achieve tier 1 status . I think 2 more WC cycles and they'll be competitive. To tap this huge market World Rugby must do more .

[@kwerk2011]

A few years ago there were as many rugby players in the States as there were in NZ. It would be more now. It'll happen.

[@billbobby461]

How can world rugby help? Just listen to the captain's accent for a start, he's not even American! USA rugby is full of foreign based players and fail foreign coaches. MLR is filled to the brim with South Africans that couldn't make it at home or in Europe, and former international players that are nearing 40 years old! USA rugby obviously have no faith in home grown talent or American coaches.

[@ldfreitas9437]

I heard the same thing back in the 1970s. Hasn't happened since. Maybe those two Gold Medal winning teams of a century ago put into our American rugby minds we could become rugby king pins again, but let's be honest: those two teams, mostly made up of Californians, the 1920 team having had players who had played the game in that Rugby Era in California between 1906 and 1918, the 1924 team having some converted American football players, played France and Rumania. They actually lost some warm up matches in the UK ahead of the Olympics against strong clubs like Blackheath. Can you imagine if New Zealand or a British Islands team of the Four Home Nations (Ireland still part of the UK in 1920) had fielded teams at either of those Olympics? Rudy Scholz, Santa Clara University class of 1918, would not have his 1920 Gold Medal on display at the school!

[@kobusdutoitbosman6240]

The US of A belongs right up there in World Rugby… They should keep at it FLAT OUT, to make the grade. Combined between their States they hold MORE Rugby talent development potential than the rest of the World put together. So, Gary G and Team, other Officials and supporters, JUST KEEP AT IT AND HOLD HEART FIRMLY… There WILL come a time, yet. 👊 🔥

[@tonka1983]

Well done Portugal

[@Ganesha212]

Development is not taken serious, and is non existent after U18. It’s pay to play in college. Foreign coaches who use it for jobs not a passion at college level. Half the U18 players in the country are better than 80% of college rugby players.

[@broli1051]

and the other half of the u18 players payed to be there

[@Ganesha212]

@@broli1051 not always the case but sometimes I mean the average club fee at U18 I’ve seen is $350-$500. ALOT of coaches sponsor players. The point is to have the best players play. Some kids come from poverty, real poverty those are the players that need help. Just look at SoCal rugby

[@ldfreitas9437]

@@Ganesha212 Read my comments. There were more high school rugby teams in the 80s than now in NorCal. La Crosse came to be more popular as that alternative sport.

[@BigBroKuma]

It's a real shame but money is the biggest problem all those clubs need those huge amounts of money cause they don't make the money that american football makes or basketball through their fans so a lot of talent is lost already cause of the barrier to entry

[@waltonbrown]

RWC probably have a player age policy (how old a player needs to be before participating), e.g. in NZ 19yrs is the minimum before playing at elite level, clubs/franchise still develop young players but they can’t send them to play Test level rugby.

[@michaeleager4635]

With world cup happening in USA in 9 years I expect someone with a lot of money to set up a program to ensure that the USA team not only participates in its own tournament but has a good chance of making the quarter finals , as Japan did at their home tournament in 2019. The USA team in 2031 will need to include some athletes that are not even playing rugby yet. That means they need to start very soon to have any chance of a respectable showing at home

[@ldfreitas9437]

Not even playing yet, and those you mention might be playing la crosse instead, unfortunately.

[@kbho4177]

Us needs a coach like Jamie Joseph and they must give him someone that knows the country and the people to work with him give him control of the franchise teams. Play you franchise teams NZ teams of teams from England or South Africa find ways

[@jonathantucker9626]

yep time for that change to come for the usa

[@ldfreitas9437]

I don't know anyone who is American who could coach. Years ago Jack Clark of University of California coached. He came and went. In these modern times, it takes a coach from a top tier nation. Come to think of it, in 1976, when the US reconstituted a national side for the first time since 1924, it was the late Dennis Storer, an Englishman who coached at UCLA, who took the reins.

[@jonathantucker9626]

@@ldfreitas9437 apparently all the pod casts are saying your getting eddie jones on a 8year deal

[@Andy_M986]

Wow Portugal! Who knew,congratulations to them.

[@ldfreitas9437]

It's a sleeper nation, last in the RWC in 2007, and they'd have qualified to return in 2011 had they not lost against Rumania in the final seconds of their match. Rugby has been played there since the 1920s. They've had international matches against second tier nations for a century, Italy one of them when their rugby wasn't at the same level as the 5 nations, Rumania, Spain, Morocco, Tunisia, Holland, Belgium, the former Yugoslavia, Scandinavian nations. They've won the Second Tier European Five Nations title plenty of times in the past. When one thinks of rugby in Spain, it's Catalonia and the Basque region, maybe Madrid. In Portugal, it's centered around Lisbon, Oporto, and Coimbra, where the university pitch is right across from the train station.

[@cjpsmachado]

As a Portuguese thank you to the USA as they increased Portugal value by playing against us in this honorable and sportsmanship way. Hope we can meet again soon. and hoping you can qualify to the next world championship as we are hoping to qualify ourselves.

[@eddiejones.redvees]

Me am a rugby league fan but the USA will have to do better then this in the Union code

[@usarugbyleagueunionfan]

We need to win the Grand Final 4 years in a row like Saints. We’re so far behind dude. Our Union and League teams are not good.

[@Andy_M986]

Hard luck USA, with their potential player base, they are a Super power bubbling underneath, and will rise for sure.

[@zonthechannel4378]

Bro USA just needs to have their top clubs playing in the super rugby pacific if they are really serious about qualifying to the next world cup in Australia 2027 if I'm correct. also they will be hosting the rugby world cup in 2031 if I'm also correct on this one too.

[@19jamiejokes95]

Yeah the USA is hosting the RWC In 2031

[@ldfreitas9437]

California used to be the hot-bed of rugby in the US. If one looked at the original Eagles team in 1976, it was basically a California team from either end of the state, with few from the East Coast. California, the university, went on a championship spree for several decades. I don't know what rugby is like in other states, as I've never seen rugby played there except on the TV. I guess Kutztown in PA has a great program, Linden College too, but St. Mary's and Cal keep winning records year in and out. So, I don't know where all these US players are from, but I've seen rugby get leap frogged by la crosse in high schools. I just don't see the US ever getting past the second tier to the first tier in World Rugby. Maybe it's the size of the nation, but American football, basketball, and baseball are never going to become less popular than rugby in the US.

[@taraishot100]

I don’t understand lacross is ducking gay how does it pass rugby in the states.. baseball ain’t better than rugby either rugby is one of the greatest sports on the planet. America need to wake the fuck up

[@billbobby461]

They hardly need to be less popular though do they. Rugby in Ireland is the 4th most popular sport in terms of players playing the game at best. It's soccer, gaelic football, hurling and then maybe rugby. It's coaching that's the problem as much as anything in the US. Look at the head coach for example, he's been involved with the downfall of several teams around the globe. Has won absolutely nothing in his career. How could USA ever expect to progress with that?

[@billbobby461]

They hardly need to be less popular though do they. Rugby in Ireland is the 4th most popular sport in terms of players playing the game at best. It's soccer, gaelic football, hurling and then maybe rugby. It's coaching that's the problem as much as anything in the US. Look at the head coach for example, he's been involved with the downfall of several teams around the globe. Has won absolutely nothing in his career. How could USA ever expect to progress with that?

[@ldfreitas9437]

@@billbobby461 In Ireland rugby has really gotten more popular over the last few decades, especially after the Gaelic Athletic Association decided that hurling and Gaelic football players could also play rugby, and you forgot cricket by the way. Yeah, coaching is a problem, but more importantly the USA is a huge nation, and rugby is played at various times of the year as well. East Coast and Midwest split season into fall and spring, West Coast, SW, and SE play late fall into mid-spring. It's a problem in Canada too, with British Columbia playing the UK schedule, September until April, sans a few weeks off in late December and early January, and then the rest of the nation basically plays Spring through the early fall, the Southern Hemisphere season. So, it's hard to have a XV that is on the same page regarding training, let alone coaching, and most players are still amateur or semi-pro at best. The Major League Rugby situation has plenty of foreign players, but you know damn well the best players in the world do not play in the United States or Canada. If anything, a small European nation like Portugal has a better chance of developing into a really good second tier nation, because the nation has only soccer as a rival sport, and it's close enough to France and the UK to be influenced by the first tier nations there, with access to coaching and player development.

[@ldfreitas9437]

@@billbobby461 Since your reply is two of the same, I'll continue. Rugby has been the "fastest growing sport" in America for going on five decades. It's BS. La Crosse has become way more popular, American kids love to wear gear for a sport as well, I'm not kidding, and there's no gear to wear with rugby, let alone soccer. Soccer is much more popular than rugby, as many little kids play it along with baseball. Parents, by the way, are starting to have their kids not play American football so much. Some high schools have dropped it because of head concussions. The problem is that rugby is looked upon by many American parents as being, if anything, even more dangerous than American football, though it isn't overall, which you and I know, assuming you've played the game like I have. However, look how the game has evolved over the last two or three decades, and it looks more like rugby league than the rugby union I played that had lots of kicking and line outs, and therefore less of an opportunity to have the head injured. We American rugby players used to say to people asking about rugby and it's play that cuts happened more than things like bone breaks or head concussions: one bled more than anything else, therefore that old bumper sticker: Give Blood, play Rugby. So, with not enough support by teachers, administrators and parents, high school rugby just hasn't, in the aggregate in the USA, gotten to the point where enough quality players play in high school, go on to play at a university, and then add another five to ten years playing club rugby. And that's for boys and girls, men and women in the USA!

[@galimbertino4939]

The improvement of some and the decline of others... They should expand the rugby world cup to 24 teams if they want it to be more international. But still, USA has to ask itself how did this happen that a 330 million people country is not good enough to qualify for a rugby world cup, while a 11 millions country did. Is there a rugby union league in USA?

[@jivesnarker8105]

There is. The MLR is our top-flight professional league, but it is young-like VERY young. It was only formed in 2017. However, this game clearly showed that despite having fewer resources and a smaller player base Portugal's coaching and leadership is far and away more competitive and better than ours. Portugal also competes in the Rugby Europe Championship which gives them the opportunity to face other tier-2 nations year after year and refine their tactics unlike our national team.

[@fumie4996]

@@jivesnarker8105 you have americas rugby championship though with other tier 2 nations like canada, uruguay, chile and brazil and there's also argentina. you have MLR and the team are 100% pros compared to chile and portugal which is mostly amateurs and semi-pros. It's notthe talent, there is something wrong with management and coaches

[@evangreenberg1666]

@@fumie4996USA rugby is a horrid organization. It shows. From coach picking to management and leadership.

[@0Clewi0]

Surprised by the loss, in the video of Chile qualifying the content creator had high hopes of USA improving with more time to work together.

[@andresjavierporras]

It´s so boring to see the states play rugby, you can tell how little everyone cares about it.. there is 0.0000 feeling to it

[@Trajan2401]

Stick to football not good enough for rugby lol

[@jep1912]

Never understood why they don’t use Isles or Baker in their 15 side. Ah well, too late now chaps.

[@PacifikaGodz]

Isles and Baker will get their career cut short if they tried 15s lol

[@Trajan2401]

Speed isn't everything

[@riangallagher8544]

Well done to Portugal, they look to have legitimately earned their place and play some nice rugby. However, rugby fans around the globe should be very, very worried about the failure of rugby in the USA. At this stage (27 years of professionalism), it's safe to say the strategy and model in the USA simply has not worked and this looks like a low-point for the expansion of the game to the worldwide audience.

[@lucasluchetti434]

Its because the draft system and the league model the usa has (no relegation, no grassroots)doesnt work in worldwide sports that everyone plays

[@emosijougavule2561]

@@lucasluchetti434 Trues up. They should start grassroot level rugby program starting from age 6 like New Zealand, Australia and many other rugby giants.

[@shakes.dontknowwhatyergettin]

Why would we be worried that Murricans aren't good at rugby? Most the major world sports got on just fine without the US for a long time, and would continue to do so.

[@riangallagher8544]

@@shakes.dontknowwhatyergettin I guess you are right there, but I think because of the natural crossover of rugby to American football, the expectations were 20/30 years back that the USA would be a big player in rugby by today... I remember the talk at the time. It's a sad shame that now they can't even qualify for a world cup.

[@ldfreitas9437]

@@shakes.dontknowwhatyergettin As an American I agree. And this stuff about rugby being the fastest growing sport in America is rubbish. Read my comments above. La crosse is more popular.

[@moonstone3578]

Usa only has themselves to blame!!!You guys were more of a challenge the previous world cups than this.Usa rugby is definitely on a downfall.Very sad to see

[@fattwat1]

That's why usa are a tier 2 team and probably will be for years

[@zworm2]

Eagles need a new coach. Simple as that. Their whole approach to this important game was wrong. The game plan was wrong and their pack was embarrassingly beaten. This is a serious business and this was the biggest game you failed to win. Get real.

[@mybadgaming6786]

This is so sad. 😔

[@OFolau]

Club rugby worries more about championship than developing our local players. We have retired overseas players taking the opportunity from local players. We should have local coaches now working with our U18 and college players for the next cup. Let get rid of the bloody overseas coaches.

[@billbobby461]

But the retired internationals aren't even any good! They miss most of the season with injuries. It's a shit show from top to bottom in USA rugby. I'd wonder does the national team even have a style of play they wish to achieve? You know they are such a mixture of different nationalities that I'd argue they don't have one style they all believe in, a style that is innate to their culture. New Zealand, South Africa, England, Ireland and France etc etc have their innate style that's essential to their being, take it from them and they aren't effective. Watching France this Autumn Nations I'd argue that very point that they stopped running as much as they had over the previous 2 years and really focused on this absolute nonsense about kicking away the ball because the team with more possession is more likely to lose apparently, but they were much less effective and you can see that discontent seeping into the players that they aren't playing their game anymore. USA must find their way to play first and foremost, and from what I can make out that's smash mouth rugby of the highest order, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

[@0Clewi0]

Just so you have dome ideas some soccer national leagues function with a cap or foreign players that works as a balance of competitiveness and local development.

[@RPercheiro]

Now do one for Portugal :)

[@WalesTheTrueBritons]

Not as woeful as the embarrassment that was Wales vs Georgia. Pivac and his staff should be gone, and most of the players should be sent packing too.

[@hellovanite]

America should throw an offer Scott Robertsons way. He will lift your team

[@munkipunk]

lol Rugbypass not even able to pay for the sound they use over their opening tile. Can still hear the "audiojungle" watermark there.

[@nickybutt9733]

RICKETY RICKETY RICKETY RICKETY ROOOOOOOOO

[@charles952]

Damn this really sucks. Its time to change the coaching team

[@meimiaolin2581]

Portuguese players left foot was on the dead ball line before grounding the ball at 1:55. No try ref!

[@migueldebarros1989]

They reviewed it in game for just that and it was awarded

[@meimiaolin2581]

@@migueldebarros1989 I wonder why they do not show the review in slow motion?

[@wayoflifefutures5017]

What we are finding is a transition of sport to the Arab nations, this is apparent in cricket but very noticeable in boxing, as Frank Bruno would say 'Na a meen Harry' that's cricket. A neutral event certainly in boxing has its appeal away from home advantage. FSOL Central Industrial

[@honest1296]

Oh dear.

[@HelpMe-kj2kh]

They don't recruit the right player 😂😂😂

[@Troy13]

Not to worry. In 2031 usa will have a direct entry.

[@RazorEdge11]

How embarrassing would it be if USA rugby don't even qualify for their world cup in 2031?

[@sports2hedz542]

I think they get a bye

[@andrewkerrigan5835]

I don't think they'll be good enough to be competitive enough to qualify for any rugby world cup at the rate they're going

[@RazorEdge11]

@Craig Hackett at least they won't be the first nation that exists the world cup before the knockout stages 👀👀

[@Trajan2401]

Host nations are automatically in i think

[@colinanderson1655]

At least we won’t be subjected to that bloody chant of “USA USA USA USA”!

[@johntepu1869]

Nui te aroha ki a koutou te kapa whutupaora o USA i tenei wa pouri. Kia kaha kia maia, kia manawnui no Aotearoa New Zealand. I have been impressed with USA progress in such a short space of time. Although I understand the logistics of organising and hosting a successful viable event. What I cannot understand, is why do countries have to qualify for a World Cup Event? A country that has a national side in said sport, should have automatic entry or rename the event The Rugby Cup.

[@frontierlandfrank5314]

Also, when two out of the 4 teams are not competitive enough to win, it should not be on aggregate. Unfortunately, Kenya and HK had zero chance of qualifying. This final game should have been played to a victor not a tie and aggregate.

[@watzkoloz2184]

Seems like USA is only into their 7’s rugby program.

[@Trajan2401]

They haven't won any of the main titles in 7s either

[@CableB_]

The only way the US could’ve qualified while still drawing with Portugal is if they had scored four more tries than Portugal 🇵🇹

[@jovesheerwater]

How terrible.

[@billbobby461]

Didn't take Americas 1 spot, or Americas 2(taken by Uruguay and Chile respectively) and then can't take the repechage spot either! Goes on to describe his team as a side that is showing progress!? Delusional. Why USA rugby hire coaches that don't have winning records I'd beyond me. It's time to throw a big bag of money at Eddie Jones to come on after the 2023 RWC. This is his specific type of project suited to him.

[@0Clewi0]

Maybe coaches with winning records don't want the job? There are thing beyond money that USA Rugby could be doing to turn coaches off.

[@craiggoodwin7556]

Gary Gold must go !!! Nothing else needs to be said .. Nothing personal but he is useless worst attitude I've see coming from a coach ever !!!

[@johnhanson5943]

Sorry for the US fans - but it is good for rugby when it is kept away from the US oligarchic predator class and most dubious clique of the few. The more the people of the US and the World distance themselves, their culture, markets, companies, institutions and sports away from this most criminally collusive ‘mob’ of US (mainly) oligarchs, the better.

[@charlietipene7818]

get a proper coach man, all black coach tomorrow and next world cup will yours easy pezzee

[@jeogito]

😂

[@honawikeepa5813]

Bloody Biden effect.

[@jivesnarker8105]

What the hell does that even mean? 🤨🤨🤨🤨

[@andresjavierporras]

This happens when you´re not skilled enough.. simple not because you´re a country you are supposed to qualify to nothing.

[@estebanwilson1798]

Eagles were so unlucky. Last minute mistakes in both final qualifying matches. Wanted them to qualify.

[@zworm2]

No luck involved, just mistakes.

[@estebanwilson1798]

@@zworm2 that’s what I said

[@zworm2]

@@estebanwilson1798 You said they were unlucky. I say no luck involved just poor decisions and gross mistakes.

[@taraishot100]

the legendary Ma’a Nonu and Nehe Milner Scudder play in America on the same team I’d be trying to pick their brains if I was an American just saying You got a back to back world champion winner right there

[@soleeyeguy396]

naa mate once an ALL BLACK ALWAYS AN ALL BLACK

[@conradduplooy6570]

Biggest economy, NFL stars, cant put together athletes to qualify for a measly world cup. Why are the US even trying rugby. Shut it down.

[@jivesnarker8105]

I have no idea why people keep mentioning the NFL whenever the conversation of American rugby is brought up. 🙄 Rugby and football are two completely different sports with completely different skillsets, playstyles, rules, fields, positions, infrastructure, the list goes on! It seems that everyone (including foreigners) thinks that "Oh! Well we like football so why don't we just take a bunch of football players at put them on the rugby team? We'll never lose!" You can't just take a bunch of football players and make them play a sport they more than likely have absolutely 0 interest in playing. Many kids go into football with visions of grandeur in their eyes once they go pro. The goal for many of them is to raise themselves out of poverty and gain fame. Rugby (around the world and ESPECIALLY in America) doesn't pay players anywhere near the amounts they'd see in the NFL so there's little to no incentive for people who've been playing football all their lives to switch sports for little gain. Besides, we have had pro football players transition into rugby before and it didn't go well. Look up the 1995 and 1997 Rugby League World 7s competition. In both events team USA had former college football and NFL players on the team and still struggled to even score a single try against the likes of Italy and an Aboriginal All-Stars team.

[@conradduplooy6570]

@@jivesnarker8105 please go look up origins of American football and baseball. Its doesnt matter what sport, athletes of top quality should perform wherever. Tins of former rugby players playing NFL vice versa. There is a big correlation between the two.

[@Trajan2401]

And countries like NZ dominated softball for nearly 2 decades with only about 1000 players