An ambitious plan to stage a match between New Zealand’s Crusaders Knights and English Premiership club Saracens in New Orleans has been cancelled.
The planned fixture on 1 August at New Orleans’ 70 000-capacity SuperDome was designed to capitalise on growing US interest in Rugby Union.
However, the fixture – just like the Independence Cup match, an encounter between the newly formed NRFL Rough Riders and English Premiership giants Leicester Tigers – has become a victim of the ongoing battle between USA Rugby and RugbyLaw.
USA Rugby is the recognised national controlling body registered with World Rugby, while RugbyLaw is planning to launch a new professional league, the NRFL, in the United States.
However, USA Rugby declined to sanction the encounter between Tigers and the Rough Riders – because the Rough Riders are not registered with USA Rugby.
Now the dispute between USA Rugby and RugbyLaw have claimed another victim.
Crusaders Chief Executive Hamish Riach said the match organisers, US-based promoter RugbyLaw, had contacted the 7-time Super Rugby champions to say it was not going ahead.
“This is obviously a disappointing outcome, given that we had received all assurances up until this point that the game would proceed,” he said.
“The decision is out of our hands though, so we have no choice but to accept that result and move on.”
“Our main concern now is around whether there may Crusaders fans here who had already booked tickets to attend the game.
“We would urge people to direct any queries about the cancellation of the game to the match organisers, RugbyLaw.
“We would also like to personally acknowledge how disappointing this news will be to any of our local fans who may have already booked flights to New Orleans, so we are asking any Christchurch-based fans in this position to contact us so that we can thank them for their support with a season’s pass to the 2016 Crusaders home games,” Riach added.
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