RP VOICEMAILS; MLR Draft , Big Name Signings & USA Rugby Bankruptcy

Rugby PickEm · RP VOICEMAILS; MLR Draft , Big Name Signings & USA Rugby Bankruptcy

Jack from Bahstahn - 0:36

"Hey how are ya, this is Jack Rooney I'm calling from Roslindale, Bahstahn Massachusetts. Just calling to check in on the 2020 MLR draft. Just curious about a couple sleepahs you guys had, particular anyone from the New England states. Big fan of the show, first time, long time."

Thanks for calling Jack. Plenty of New England sprinkled throughout the draft.

Here are the lotto picks:

1) Conner Mooneyham - Dallas Jackals

Complete top-down player from Life University. A Cali boy who got his hands on a rugby ball at a young age.

2) Brian Nault - New Orleans Gold

Big powerhouse type of player from our favorite west coast rugby college .... Central Washington University (something's brewing in Ellensburg). Tim Falcon sealed the deal on a recruiting trip, shaking his hand and refusing to let go until he agreed to sign with the Gold 😂

3) Derek Ellingson - Utah Warriors

Tommy played with Derek one summer for Southern Pines Rugby club. He's fast, quick, all the skills that you need.

4) Lui Sitima - Austin Gilgronis

Washington product out of AIC. Hard running back, will be a game changer for the AG's.

5) Aaron Matthews - Seattle Seawolves

Big draft for St. Mary's as two Gaels go in the top 5. Seattle is still the top dawg in the MLR .... the cancelled 2020 season will let them bask in their reigning championship glory for another year. Adding Matthews to their "staff" is huge (front office?).

6) Justin Johnson - New England Free Jacks

From Life University, another Cali kid, absolute wrecking ball on the field. Expect big things from this guy.

Justin Johnson was a wrecking ball for Life University. The power is clearly derived from the legs.

20) Mason Koch - Austin Gilgronis

From Dartmouth .... Vitals: 5'9, 220 lbs - Open space hooker?

Jackie from Jackson Hole - 4:47

"Hey there Jackie from Jackson Hole. Just wanted to get your guys' thoughts on Chris Robshaw signing with the San Diego Legion for the next two seasons. The MLR in general is bringing in top talent from overseas. Do you think this adds value to the league, and what do you think the driving incentive is for these players to leave their current clubs after a long tenure? Love you guys"

66 caps for England, 250 for Harlequins ... Robshaw brings plenty of experience to the MLR

Do overseas signings add value? Of course. But as we move forward, we'd like to see more American talent making the first XV. Even though he will be a huge part of the Legion for the next two years, guys like Robshaw will push Americans to the bench, which can be disappointing for American fans who want our USA Eagles to succeed. 

Eventually though, we will see some overseas stars get benched for younger talent (greener pastures) as coaches and GM's battling for their jobs try and turn a poor win/loss record around.

Cody from North Carolina - 8:32

"He guys this is Cody. You obviously know that USA rugby has filed for bankruptcy due to Corona Virus. How do you feel this will affect the men's clubs across the country?"

Unfortunately the pandemic will put a crunch on smaller, less established clubs. Whether it's losing players who can no longer afford to play because they're been laid off or furloughed, or the fact that until we have a vaccine, the nature of rugby itself poses risks of contraction.

It doesn't help that USA rugby is shamefully bankrupt (this has been a long time coming from years of executive mismanagement, so how dare they point the finger at CoVid). We need to set a budget and stick to it. We need to earn $ before we go off and spend it on high performance camps, overpaid "specialists" (usually foreigners and rarely Americans), and hosting events that lose money.

The people in charge have been at fault, there's no denying that.

Guru - 13:39

Thanks to the Guru for an emotional call, and don't forget to call the number! 720-259-8825

Bonus Outro: Our boy Cole Zarcone got drafted by the San Diego Legion (in the final pick of the draff). Here's a sweet hype video, and we wish Cole the best for what's to come in the future.