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MLR have just binned their entire season

(Photo by Stuart Walmsley/Getty Images)

Major League Rugby have scrapped the 2020 season, announcing on Thursday that all remaining matches are cancelled as a result of the covid-19 global crisis and the health and safety guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

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“On behalf of MLR and all of our teams, I’m saddened to announce that the remainder of the 2020 season is cancelled,” said MLR commissioner George Killebrew.

“We believe it is ultimately the correct decision as we factored in health and safety risks for all parties. I want to ensure our fans that there is no doubt MLR will be back in 2021 and will emerge bigger and better than ever before. 

“We will be using this time as an opportunity to grow all aspects of MLR and we’re excited to continue this journey into 2021, and for many years to come.”

Seven days earlier, on March 12, the league had initially announced it was taking a 30-day suspension to determine next steps in regard to the coronavirus pandemic.

Just five rounds of regular season matches had been played in a campaign France’s Mathieu Bastareaud and New Zealand’s Ma’a Nonu were among the latest stars recruited to help grow the sport’s popularity.

Champions San Diego Legion, who snapped up Nonu, were the only unbeaten team before the break in the twelve-team competition. 

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AM 9 minutes ago
'Freelancer' Izaia Perese shows the need for true inclusivity in Australian rugby

That's Cron's job though. Australia has had one of the most penalised scrums in international rugby for a long time. Just look at the scrum win loss percentage and scrum penalties. That is your evidence. AA has been the starter during that period. Pretty simple analysis. That Australia has had a poor scrum for a long time is hardly news. If bell and thor are not on the field they are woeful. So you are just plain wrong. They have very little time for the lions so doing the same old things that dont work is not going to get them there.


Ainsley is better than our next best tighthead options and has been playing well at scrum time for Lyon in the most competitive comp in the world. Superstar player? No. But better than the next best options. So that is a good enough guide. The scrummaging in the Prem is pretty good too so there is Sio's proof. Same analysis for him. Certainly better in both cases than Super, where the brumbies had the worst win loss and scrum pen in Super. Who plays there? Ohh yes... And the level of scrummaging in Super is well below the URC, prem and France with the SA teams out.


Nongorr is truly woeful. He's 130kg and gets shoved about. That just should not be happening at that weight for a specialist prop who has always played rugby cf pone with leauge. He has had enough time to develop at 23. You'd be better off with Pone who is at least good around the field for the moment and sending Nongorr on exchange to France or England to see if they can improve him with better coaching as happened with Skelton and Meafou. He isn't going to develop in time in super if he has it at all.


Latu is a better scrummaging hooker than BPA and Nasser. and he's the best aussie player over the ball at ruck time. McReight's super jackling percentage hasnt converted to international level but latu consistently does it at heniken level, which is similar to test level in the big games. With good coaching at La Rochelle he's much improved though still has the odd shocker. He should start the November games.

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