cudas announce inaugural match and combine in long beach
women’s combine announced for morning of december 10, followed by cooney-calverley cup men’s showdown in the afternoon
newly established west coast rugby league pcrl to host first women’s combine and men’s match in long beach, ca.
Pacific Coast Rugby League (PCRL), the internationally affiliated 501(c)3 organization serving the West Coast, announced today its inaugural men’s rugby match and women’s combine to be held at Cal. State University Long Beach, CA on December 10th 2022. The event marks the first official match since the league’s inception and will feature the only full 13-a-side rugby match played in the Western United States in 2022.
The PCRL, established in 2022, looks to be the preeminent rugby league in the Western United States, catering to both men’s and women’s rugby. The organization currently consists of three publicly announced teams; your San Diego Barracudas, the Los Angeles Mongrel, and the Los Angeles Bandidos. The organization was founded to further enthusiasm and participation in traditional rugby league throughout the West Coast where demand is high, but with little to no options for involvement until now. The League has been working with the internationally recognized internal regulatory bodies to garner accreditation, with a vision of being an active participant on the national and global rugby stage.
The day will consist of two events. The first will be a Women’s combine, where new participants of all levels of experience are encouraged to join to attend and learn from Team USA coaches. At the combine, players will be instructed on the specifics of involvement in the organization, be given an overview of the international rugby environment, and receive elite level coaching.
The second event of the day will be a men’s match, and will mark the first full 13-a-side rugby game played in the Western United States in 2022. It sees the return of the Cooney-Calverley Cup, competed for by the Mongrel facing off against your very own Barracudas, with the winner moving on to play the Bandidos at a match in early 2023.
“We could not be more excited to achieve this milestone of hosting our first major event as a league” said Ben C Calverley, the Vice President of the PCRL and Barracudas head coach. “For more than eight months we have been meeting and dreaming of building a home for rugby league on the West Coast and this event is the culmination of those efforts. We know that interest in rugby on the West Coast is strong and we hope that as many enthusiasts are able to join us as possible. The perfect way to kick off the PCRL will be a resounding win for the Cudas over our noisy neighbors to the north.”
“Rugby League is my passion and having a place such as the PCRL to meet and connect with other people who enjoy the sport as much as I do means so much to me,” said Eli Welsh, men’s Club Captain of the Barracudas. “I love the community in rugby league and how there is a place for everyone on the pitch. Rugby League makes everyone a stronger person and allows them to be uplifted by those around them. PCRL is the perfect place to learn and grow as a person and a player.”
Mongrel coach and PCRL President Ady Cooney added “We cannot wait to take the field against the Barracudas on December 10th. After months of meticulous planning, hard work, and dedication from the Pacific Coast Rugby League board we are now ready to kickstart our campaign with a full day of events focused on growing rugby league. This is a great opportunity for us to thank our sponsors for their support. Whilst we may be rivals on the field, we are committed partners off it along with the newly formed Los Angeles Bandidos.”
This event marks only the first of many for the newly founded organization. The PCRL looks to host more standalone events such as the one announced today in the run up to a full 2023 rugby season. The League is also actively pursuing additional player opportunities such as interleague and international matches, in full alignment with USARL, the national governing body for rugby league in the USA.
With the addition of more new teams to its roster heading into the new year, the League plans to host the West Coast conference of the USARL for the 2023 season, beginning in June. The PCRL is actively recruiting both teams and free-agents and encourages all those interested in rugby to visit the league’s website for more information.
about pacific coast rugby league
Pacific Coast Rugby League, Inc., a 501(c)(3) organization, was born out of a passion to deliver a structured, safe and welcoming environment where rugby league players are encouraged to thrive and grow, where supporters can share their love of the game and where all children, teenagers, and adults can play the sport they love for generations to come. We are a family of hard working teammates who have drawn on over 50 years experience in the game to bring our vision of Rugby League to the West Coast! Our vision is to create a legitimate and fun rugby experience for thousands around the region by administering the sport in full alignment with the National Governing Body, USARL.