It is not just the NRL that is hitting Sin City this weekend, but Masters rugby league is also arriving in Nevada with internationals between the USA, Canada and Australia. Here we have a guest post from one of the organisers:
BY NICHOLAS MEW
The initial idea for this came in July of 2023 when the Ontario Greybeards were hosting their first international festival, with visiting teams from Wales, England, and Australia. At the time there were rumours that the NRL was going to play competitive games in Las Vegas.
We asked the visiting Aussie Masters if they thought they could arrange a touring team for that event if we could get a field and bring down a Canadian side. If so, we’d reach out and try to get other countries and sides involved. The answer was an unequivocal and enthusiastic yes.
This would not likely have been the case were it not for the opportunity to engage in person. Being able to sit and meet with our Australian counterparts to plan was vital. We now knew if they said they could bring a touring side they would follow through, and we had earned their trust through putting together a successful festival.
I mailed letters to Peter V’Landy’s and Brad Walter at the NRL, explaining that we wanted to run a masters festival to coincide with their events in Vegas. I emphasized that we were not asking for money, just exposure. An NRL staffer was assigned to liaise with us in order to see if there were ways we could work together, or at the very least not run conflicting events, as well as providing some degree of attention.
From there we contacted a number of teams, players, and organizers with rugby league in the United States. Mike Brogan and Billy Neilsen took on crucial leadership and organizational roles. They committed to participating immediately and this proved to be absolutely essential. While we were unable to find ways to work jointly with the NRL, we started planning for the Masters and the men’s international match between the USA and Canada to share resources.
This was not without its hiccups.
The original location for the joint Masters and international matches dropped out of the contract with no warning and at the last minute, giving no reason for doing so. This led to a scramble to find alternate playing locations and the splitting of the events to two separate venues, though the timing was planned to make sure people could attend both.
With Canada, Australia, and the USA now guaranteed as the participants, referees were engaged who committed to flying over from England. Other countries were also contacted to judge interest for future events, as the current intention is to have a Masters event every year the NRL play in the United States. Wales, England, and New Zealand have made very positive noises, and the hope is to include Ireland, France, and Pacific Island nations.
It’s been a tremendous amount of time and effort to prepare, with weekly meetings and daily messages for the past six months. Concerns have been raised and addressed about diverse issues such as kit and sponsors, team names, field preparation, player safety and insurance, understanding match rules, and an appropriate social venue for after the event.
This will be the inaugural event to learn and build from.
This event is part of our ongoing efforts to increase the footprint of rugby league in Canada. As it stands right now rugby league is not recognized as an official sport in Canada. Once that status is attained it opens up access to important government programs and funding. But to achieve that recognition there needs to be players, teams, and structures in a certain number of provinces.
According to the most recent government documents this must include sport at ALL levels. Women and men at the open age level, youth teams, and also those in the masters category. Sport for all. If we can use this event, and what we’re doing overall, to increase the number of participants that is one box ticked.
Keep in mind that in 2018 there were no Masters rugby league clubs in Canada (or all of North America, for that matter). In 2019 the Ontario Greybeards became the first. By 2022 a second team had formed in British Columbia, the BC Silver Foxes, and a Greybeards tour had a hand in that. This season we are looking at the possibility of there being up to three teams in BC, and another three in Ontario.
Throw into the mix what the Masters do. It’s not just a bunch of older players who show up for a run out and a drink. There are people who have coaching experience and the desire to do more. Others are keen to help organizationally and have already taken on key roles. Business connections have brought in funding. Outside observers who think that Masters is just tig and pass followed by a social might not have any awareness of what else is brought to the table.
Losing the drawing power of the original Toronto Wolfpack, and then having the potential for Canada to send teams to future Rugby League World Cups taken away was extremely damaging to the sport’s upward trajectory. By leveraging the NRL’s presence in Las Vegas to create our own events we can drive national and international attention.
If this results in Masters rugby league taking off in the USA, more tours taking place, and more people involved in rugby league, then we can count this endeavour to be a success.
Let’s see where we are in five years.
The Masters internationals between the USA, Canada and Australia take place at Charlie Frias Park, in Las Vegas, on March 1 from 3pm.
