I'm not sure World Rugby gave a whole lot of support to PRO Rugby. Brett Gosper came out a few months back welcoming the prospect of Pro12 or Super Rugby getting involved in North American rugby. As said by Tigs Man above it's just all very amateurish all round.
Still, Sunwolves might get Yamada now!
Not specifically to PRO Rugby but to North American nations, yet they fail to achieve anything noticeable yet; in fact, compared with the past, as results, it looks like both are regressing, I remember much better matches to RWC from Canada and USA. Romania is in the same situation, any improvement is only apparent compared with 90s or 2000s.
I don't see any problem if Gosper welcomed SR or Pro12 North American potential franchises, I don't think this can conflict with Pro Rugby, in fact can work along with it in the same way ITM, Currie Cup, Argentinean or Japanese local competitions works with SR. I think it'd be too much to ask from WR to involved in internal competitions...however in what concerns test level, WR was supporting them much better than any other T2.
Mistakes and set backs are inherent with a new competition, so even if it was somehow amateurish I had hopes it will succeed...
Are you actually being serious about Georgia?
Firstly rugby is a big sport in Georgia, Rugby as a sport is not even a dot in America It is tiny as said how many Americans could actually name one rugby player and how many know the rules or even know that league and union is 2 different sports and that union has two separate codes.
Georgia also has far better players than the USA esp in the key areas like front row.
Yes it poor I suppose, but I bet you would get better crowd attendance at a Georgia franchise than a USA one honestly wouldn't be surprised if a is pro 12 team attendance in America is on par with Italian teams after a season esp if they don't get a strong team going and get thrashed regularly.
Re about location and language Georgia is already in the challenge cup and plays in the European league below six nations so don't see your point at all.
money could be an issue but last I heard Georgia rugby had a pretty big backer.
Let's face it Georgia should be in the six nations IMO.
(America rugby problems stems a lot from the top in Blazers not knowing or doing anything to expand rugby more in the last decade).
I think you have some facts wrong about Georgia
I know, there's a lot of propaganda on internet but not all of it is good.
Georgia isn't in the Challenge Cup, I think this is the first year when they'll put a club into the qualifying competition. They only used a selection from internal champioship Didi 10 two years ago and failed to qualify after loosing both matches to Rovigo.
Internal competition is amateur, quite weak and rugby, despite growing popularity is not the first sport of the country, it's still football.
Until place 17-18 in rankings, most teams have good and bad areas. USA/Canada/Islanders fails to management, a part at which Georgia shines. I know you're probably impressed about 3 wins vs Islanders but mind you, Samoa and Fiji fielded experimental teams while Lelos were full squad. Tonga win was however a big one.
With crowds is tricky, they pay peanuts or not pay at all when Lelos play home and have an important match.
Where they shine is the junior system who manage to send a lot of forwards especially in France and lately even some very talented backs although, sadly for them, backs who were excellent at Junior World Cup or other competitions failed to find a contract in France and their development stagnated and they will probably won't reach their potential without a chance in West.
At this moment Georgia does not have the strength, value and especially depth to compete in 6N, with an injury in the backs they won't have a replacement who plays at the same level and we've seen the backs from internal championship cannot cope even with Japanese ones. While it would be awesome for them to be in 6N, this could hinder long term development as every match would be about result and young guns will have hard time getting in. And let's face it, nobody will open that door anytime soon. I don't think they're anywhere near 6N level. Only team in T2 that could cope is Japan. Fiji could be at that level with a better organisation but they're heavily dependent on foreign clubs to release players. None of this team is geographically suited for 6N, I just mentioned them as example of T2 squads that are around 6N level. Georgia isn't by far.
I do think a Pro12 franchise would be much more beneficial for them long term considering they have talented young players who are not exposed to pro rugby level and such team could create more chemistry for national squad players while will allow younger players to be trained and gradually introduced at a much better level than Didi10 or even Fed3 (if they're lucky to sign as backs); This is their main issue now, creating depth. While a Challenge Cup team may help, it's too little I think and as far as I know it's unlikely that EPRC or Qualifying competition will accept franchises / select teams and not regular clubs. Russians seem to be an exception because they're allowed to transfer players from internal competition on purpose for European cups...which kind of meh but hey what to expect from them.
Since the discussion derailed a bit, maybe a T2 General talk thread would be good
