The Most Brutal Sport in the World? Rugby League makes a splash in SoCal

The Most Brutal Sport in the world comes to SoCal?  An interview with the OC Outlaws

written by Vincent McLeod IV


Rugby league is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field.  One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated as a split from the Rugby Football Union in England in 1895 over the issue of payments to players.  Its rules were then gradually changed in order to produce a more entertaining game that would appeal to spectators.  A game that is closer resembling to American Football then Rugby Union, it has been cited numerous times as the most brutal sport for 80 minutes of play.  Any game that has 13 beasts colliding at full speed with no pads in the hopes of scoring countless tries (touchdowns only this once folks) is a sport we can cite as truly insane and heroic.  SCRN caught with the President and Chairman of the OC Outlwas RLFC, Mr. Fred Lewis, to get his take on Rugby League in SoCal and the future prospects to the spectator friendly game.

Interview with President/Chairman Fred Lewis:

SCRN:  How well has your club been received in the area of SoCal Rugby?

FL:  One of the main reasons that we selected Orange County as the club base was that the OC is a fantastic beach community that supports its business & sporting associates.  The entire Orange County Outlaws Board has worked very hard and in a very short time is establishing ourselves as the leading Developmental Rugby League Club on the West Coast.  We are very pleased with the feedback and support that we have received from the Orange County Community...and with that we are extremely excited about commencing a marketing plan for the end of 2011 that will propel us into the 2012 campaign in the USARL.

SCRN:  What needs to happen for Rugby League to take-off and succeed (like it has in Hawaii and the East Coast) in the SoCal Area? Are there any major hurdles you foresee currently?

FL:  Rugby League has been played in the US for roughly 14 years and the majority of the clubs were established on the East Coast.  The (USARL-AMNRL) constituents and  identities involved in establishing this new sport did and continue to do an amazing job in establishing the level of play and expansion of this great game of Rugby League. Thus, we and all the clubs involved in this RL expansion on the West Coast have a tremendous amount of work ahead of us to mirror what has been done on the East Coast.  Hawaii to their credit has worked some magic in developing so quickly.  We would be remiss if we didn't follow the module of successful clubs both on and off the pitch such as the newly crowned USARL Champs, Philadelphia Fight and the Jacksonville Axemen. The expansion of Rugby League in the US is a Win-Win for all parties!  The major hurdles at this point are more associated with the business components of operating a club such as corporate sponsorship and funding to assist subsidizing operational cost.  The key is to create a product that potential sponsors and partners believe in and see as a viable marketing vehicle for their brand.  We have been fortunate to have established a partnership with the UK based RLC National Club, Nottingham Outlaws, called "Outlaws Unite" which has been highly received and provides both clubs/players/personnel shared global opportunities via the game of rugby league.  In addition, we have an alliance with the Western Sydney Outlaws of the New South Wales Physical Disability Rugby League Association, further illustrating that this great game does not discriminate and is played and enjoyed by all.

SCRN:  Concerning recruitment, very few players in the past have made a success switch from Union to League and vice versa. The Chris Ashton's of the world are unique. With a base of 80 clubs and right under 4,000 players registered in the SoCal area for Rugby Union, do you feel pulling from this base is your ideal recruit?

FL:  The recruitment of players is quite an unique blend of as you alluded to your core of Rugby Union Players, ex-pats or students(UK/Australia) living/working in Southern California, and your development players or Cross-Over Athletes transitioning from other football codes and sports.  The bottom line for the Outlaws is that we want athletes that are excited about learning rugby league with the main objective being to develop them into solid rugby league players.  One of my goals when I created this club was to do all I can to facilitate playing opportunities for Select- US-born players abroad in the UK, Australia and New Zealand.

SCRN:  How do you convince an American Football player that Rugby League is really the most brutal sport in the world currently? Do these cross-over athletes play a big part in your team?

FL:  answer in previous question but to add to this.....Yes, the Cross-Over Athletes will play a significant part in OC Outlaws Squad...     We want athletes whom want to challenge themselves to Rugby League...as some describe as "The Toughest 80 Minutes in Sports"

SCRN:  Why Rugby League over Union?

FL:  Personally, I enjoy and have played both codes overseas.  There was an opportunity to start a team from scratch and the challenge of establishing rugby league on the West Coast was very appealing.  Rugby League is probably from a learning and spectators point of view an easier game to pick-up and understand vs. Rugby Union where there are many more rules and interpretations.

SCRN:  Do you have a venue established yet for home games? Is a practice schedule ready for release?

FL:  We are discussing training/home field options with a few venues within  Newport Beach-Costa Mesa, Orange County.  The venue and training schedule will be released in the very near future.








SCRN:  What is your vision for the OC Outlaws? Will the LA Raiders be your major cross town rivalry?

FL:  The vision for the OC Outlaws...Rugby League is a tremendous sport ready to assume its place in the American sporting arena.  Through the medium of education and increased visibility, the OC Outlaws and the USARL intend to promote Rugby League at all levels. We invite you to share in our vision of developing this game throughout our community.  OC Outlaws will provide Rugby League players on the West Coast, the opportunity to compete through the highly competitive, Rugby League in the USARL.  The OC Outlaws are dedicated to the development, promotion and expansion of professional Rugby League in the United States. As part of the global expansion of Rugby League, it is our aim to present to the American sports fan and even more specifically, the Southern California sports fan, this exciting action sport.

Regarding the LA Raiders...We at this point see the LA Raiders as partners in this quest to establish Rugby League on the West Coast...both clubs need to work together to gain traction in the sporting landscape as we develop others clubs on the West Coast.  The close proximity of the clubs makes for a natural rivalry which is good for the game…yet to me a rivalry is based on a history and we have to first establish our existence to commence this rivalry...but we do look forward to the Local Derby...against our Cross-Town Rivals...


Notes on Rugby League:

The American National Rugby League (AMNRL) is a rugby league football competition for semi-professional clubs in the United States. It is the country's first domestic rugby league competition. The AMNRL is recognized as the governing body for the sport in the United States by the Rugby League International Federation (RLIF), and oversees the United States national rugby league team.  The competition that became the AMNRL was established in 1997, with six teams competing in the first season the following year. It grew to eleven by 2010, with future plans for westward expansion. On January 12, 2011, seven teams announced they were departing the AMNRL to form the new USA Rugby League.

The USA Rugby League (USARL) is a semi-professional rugby league football competition based in the United States. The league was founded in 2011 by clubs that had broken with the established American National Rugby League (AMNRL), plus expansion franchises. The USARL began its inaugural season in 2011.