Forging strong bonds between rugby and traditional U.S. sports such as American football and basketball would help with player welfare and offer an alternative career path for those that do not make the grade and become NBA or NFL stars, according to the head coach of the U.S. rugby sevens team. Speaking to SBD Global at the World Rugby Conference in London on Monday, Mike Friday has called on the NBA and the NFL to invest in rugby in the U.S., which, he argues, would be a mutually beneficial relationship. Friday said that interest in rugby in the U.S. had risen following rugby sevens debuting at the Rio Olympics this year, but it had "not opened a Pandora's box." Friday said, "If the NBA or NFL invested in the game of rugby at high school leading into college level it would complement these U.S. super sports. We need the likes of the NFL and the NBA to buy into the fact that rugby can be positioned to complement these sports. Rugby cannot only create NFL and NBA players, but for the 99 percent that don't make it, for them to have an alternative sporting dream to try and become an Olympian."
TIME TO TALK: While it is understood conversations have not taken place between the NFL, NBA and U.S. rugby execs, Friday believes there is a clear potential for cross-fertilization. In particular, Friday believes that those who do not make the grade in the NBA or NFL could easily retrain and become top rugby players, as long as they have a grounding in basic skills. Top of Friday's wish list is for rugby to form part of the U.S. curriculum. He said, "For rugby to be positioned in high schools as part of the core curriculum to sit alongside American football, basketball and track and field, I think if that happens it would give the sporting population of America more choice, make them better at U.S. super sports. And they would have other options at college and after college."
John Reynolds is a writer in London.
