We’re thrilled to announce that the New England Rugby Football Union (NERFU) has signed a four-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with our fellow northeastern Geographic Unions (GUs): Empire, Capital, and Eastern Penn! This renewed agreement solidifies the format for the Atlantic Super Regional (ASR) Competition, a crucial part of the USA Rugby National Championship Series (NCS) pathway.
This collaboration is a testament to our shared commitment to fostering the growth and integrity of amateur senior rugby in the Northeast. We believe this renewed MOU will significantly enhance the experience for all involved – from players and coaches to referees and dedicated fans.
We’re particularly excited to highlight some key changes moving forward that will elevate the ASR competition:
Mandatory Live Streaming: Get ready to catch all the action! Live streaming of the entire event is now mandatory. This means more visibility for our athletes and clubs, allowing family, friends, and fans from across the region (and beyond!) to cheer on their teams from anywhere. This boosts the prestige of the event and gives our athletes the recognition they deserve. We’ve seen similar streaming initiatives in other regions, like True South, draw thousands of viewers, underscoring the immense potential for showcasing our sport. The increased exposure also opens up exciting sponsorship opportunities, and NERFU would welcome conversations with potential sponsors for when we host the ASR competition again in 2029.
Enhanced Player Safety: The well-being of our players is paramount. We’ve added extra provisions for player safety, requiring increased numbers of medical staff to be present throughout the event. This commitment to player welfare improves the integrity of the competition by ensuring a safer environment for all participants.
Centralized Competition Location: To ensure fairness and a consistent experience for all teams, all games within the ASR competition and on the NCS pathway are now required to take place at the principal event location, hosted by the respective GU for that year. In previous years, Men’s Division 1 games had the option to host themselves on neutral territory, but centralizing the event at one location makes the competition more equitable and showcases the best of regional rugby in a unified setting.
We’re also excited to announce the rotation of our GU hosts for the upcoming years:
These changes represent a significant step forward for the Atlantic Super Regional Competition. We are confident they will contribute to a more prestigious, safer, and fairer environment for everyone involved in this exciting pathway to the National Championship.
We look forward to many more years of thrilling rugby competition and continued collaboration with our neighboring GUs!
You can read the full Memorandum of Understanding here.