Premiership Rugby clubs "are discussing the possibility of taking regular-season games to the United States," according to Slot & Lowe of the LONDON TIMES. London Irish is the club "most likely to make the first move" to host a home game in N.Y. or Boston. A game "will be moved to the east coast for next season if it can be organised in time." Premiership Rugby CEO Mark McCafferty said, “We are working on plans for a game out there. There are opportunities; we have to find the right entry point and the right time.” The U.S. "has long been viewed as a market with massive potential." Spreading the game within the country itself, however, "has been a project that has stalled for many years, but there are signs that the ground is now fertile and Premiership clubs are keen to take root." London Irish "looked at playing a pre-season game there" before this campaign. Leicester, whose sponsor Caterpillar is based near Chicago, "have looked at going there for their pre-season." The clubs "are looking edgily at the market." Saracens and Leicester said that they "would seriously consider going only as the away side, because they wanted to protect their income from a home game and did not want to desert their home crowd." London Irish "would be the most likely side to take the opportunity." A St. Patrick’s Day fixture "has been suggested." Leicester CEO Simon Cohen said, “There has been some talk and there would be a desire from our part to be involved. In practice, somebody has to put a deal on the table because it is not a cheap deal." The All Blacks "are also pursuing the American market" and have organized an autumn int'l against the USA Eagles at Chicago’s Soldier Field. How much Americans are going to like rugby after the All Blacks have finished with them "is another matter altogether" (LONDON TIMES, 5/13).
