The 2016 PRO Rugby season was the inaugural and only season of the PRO Rugby, contested by teams from the United States. The season ran from April to July 2016. This was the first season of professional rugby union in North America.
PRO Rugby contracted 102 players for its five teams. Of these 102 players, 54 have played international rugby, including 36 for the United States national rugby union team."Pro League Looks to Kick-Start American Rugby", New York Times, Emma Stoney, April 25, 2016. About 30 players were picked from Pacific Rugby Premiership teams and 15 from Midwest Rugby Premiership teams.
Competition format Each team played a twelve match schedule with six matches at home and six away. Most matches took place on Sunday to give clubs and schools the chance to play on Saturday and Friday.
The league had a lighter schedule on June 5 and 12 (the 12th being during the three-week June international window). Those days had just one match. There was however a full slate on June 19 and 26 (both during the international window) and teams lost players to the United States, Canadian or other national teams during this time.
Broadcasting Matches were available for the 2016 inaugural season to stream through prorugby.org or on cable through ONE World Sports or Time Warner Cable Sports Channel. Initially selected matches were available free to all online through www.aol.com but this came to an inexplicable abrupt end. Through the league's official website all matches were streamed free to all viewers. ONE World Sports was offered by multiple cable and satellite providers and covered a range of sports, most notably a large selection of soccer.
Teams and officials Club Metro area Home ground Capacity Head coach CaptainDenver StampedeDenver, COCIBER Field 1,915Sean O'LearyPedrie WannenburgOhio AviatorsColumbus, OHMemorial Park 3,000Paule BarfordJamie MackintoshSacramento ExpressSacramento, CABonney Field 11,442Luke GrossJohn QuillSan Diego BreakersSan Diego, CATorero Stadium 6,000Ray EganPhil MackenzieSan Francisco RushSan Francisco, CABoxer Stadium 3,500Paul KeelerPatrick Latu
Match officials PRO Rugby named the following five referees and three assistant referees to handle the regular-season games for the 2016 season.
Referees Leah Berard Scott Green Nick Ricono Derek Summers Kurt Weaver
Assistant referees Jamie Miller Marc Nelson George O'Neil
Standings
Ladder progression
Players Note: Flags to the left of player names indicate national team as has been defined under World Rugby eligibility rules, or primary nationality for players who have not yet earned international senior caps.
Top points scorers Rank Player TeamPoints 1 Volney Rouse San Francisco Rush 131 2 Kurt Morath San Diego Breakers 120 3 Mirco Bergamasco Sacramento Express 114 4 Will Magie Denver Stampede 113 5 Shaun Davies Ohio Aviators 84
Top try scorers Rank Player TeamTries1 Spike Davis Ohio Aviators14 2 Sebastián Kalm Ohio Aviators 93 Zach Fenoglio Denver Stampede 8 4 Chad London Denver Stampede 6 Dylan Fawsitt Ohio Aviators Filippo Ferrarini Ohio Aviators Hanco Germishuys Denver Stampede Mike Te'o San Diego Breakers Pedrie Wannenburg Denver Stampede
Updated: July 31, 2016
Overall points scorers 2016 PRO Rugby seasonPlayerTeamTotalDetailsTriesConversionsPenaltiesDrop GoalsVolney RouseSan Francisco Rush131433150Kurt MorathSan Diego Breakers120015300Mirco BergamascoSacramento Express114027200Will MagieDenver Stampede113034150Shaun DaviesOhio Aviators84027100Spike DavisOhio Aviators7014000Sebastian KalmOhio Aviators459000Zach FenoglioDenver Stampede408000Robbie ShawOhio Aviators3701430Kalei KonradSan Diego Breakers352830Chad LondonDenver Stampede306000Dylan FawsittOhio Aviators306000Filippo FerrariniOhio Aviators306000Hanco GermishuysDenver Stampede306000Mike Te'oSan Diego Breakers306000Pedrie WannenburgDenver Stampede306000Alex ElkinsOhio Aviators255000David TameilauSan Francisco Rush255000Dominic WaldouckOhio Aviators255000Jamie MackintoshOhio Aviators255000Maximo de AchavalDenver Stampede255000Orene Ai'iSan Francisco Rush255000Viliame IongiSan Francisco Rush255000Devereaux FerrisSan Francisco Rush204000Kyle SumsionSacramento Express204000Riekert HattinghOhio Aviators204000Timana TahuDenver Stampede204000JP EloffOhio Aviators202500Ben LeatigagaSan Diego Breakers153000Cecil GarberSan Diego Breakers153000Jacob FinauSan Francisco Rush153000John QuillSacramento Express153000Langilangi HaupeakuiSacramento Express153000Martin KnoetzeDenver Stampede153000Mike GarrityDenver Stampede153000Olive KilifiSacramento Express153000Phil MackenzieSan Diego Breakers153000Ata MalifaDenver Stampede122100Ahmad HarajlyOhio Aviators102000Bill FukofumaSan Francisco Rush102000Charlie PurdonSan Diego Breakers102000Chris SaintSacramento Express102000Christian WiessingDenver Stampede102000Dustin CroyDenver Stampede102000Garrett BrewerSacramento Express102000Jack O'HaraSan Francisco Rush102000Logan CollinsDenver Stampede102000Maka TameilauSan Francisco Rush102000Mason BaumOhio Aviators102000Matt HughstonOhio Aviators102000Michael HaleySan Francisco Rush102000Mils MuliainaSan Francisco Rush102000Pierce DarganOhio Aviators102000Ryan MatyasSan Diego Breakers102000Sam FinauSan Francisco Rush102000Takudzwa NgwenyaSan Diego Breakers102000Tim StanfillSan Diego Breakers102000Tom BlissSan Diego Breakers102000Zachary PangelinanSan Diego Breakers102000Harry BennettSacramento Express100211Niku KrugerDenver Stampede81010Alec GletzerSan Francisco Rush51000Alex HodgkinsonSacramento Express51000Andrew SuniulaSan Diego Breakers51000Cameron FalconSacramento Express51000Casey RockDenver Stampede51000Cody JerabekSacramento Express51000Derrick BroussardSan Diego Breakers51000Estaphan TuimasangaSacramento Express51000Hubert BuydensSan Diego Breakers51000Jeffery KalemaniSan Diego Breakers51000Jeremy LenaertsSan Francisco Rush51000Jope MotokanaSacramento Express51000Joe Taufete'eSan Diego Breakers51000Kyle BaillieOhio Aviators51000Lagikali TavakeSacramento Express51000Luke WhiteDenver Stampede51000Lynton MareDenver Stampede51000Michael Al-JibooriDenver Stampede51000Michael ReidSan Francisco Rush51000Mose TimoteoDenver Stampede51000Nemia QoroSacramento Express51000Nicholas WallaceDenver Stampede51000Nick BlevinsSan Francisco Rush51000Nikola BursicSan Diego Breakers51000Patrick LatuSan Francisco Rush51000Peter DahlDenver Stampede51000Peter MalcolmOhio Aviators51000Pono HaitsukaSan Diego Breakers51000Ray BarkwillSacramento Express51000Robert MeesonSacramento Express51000Ronald SuniulaOhio Aviators51000Ryan KoewlerSacramento Express51000Shane MooreSacramento Express51000Sione TuihalamakaSan Diego Breakers51000Siupeli SakaliaSan Francisco Rush51000Tai TuisamoaSan Diego Breakers51000Taylor HowdenOhio Aviators51000Tokemoana KefuSacramento Express51000Valdemar Lee-LoSacramento Express51000Martini TalapusiSan Francisco Rush30010
Updated: September 6, 2016
Team of the season The following shows the team of the season, as selected by various media outlets.
Pos Rugby Today"PRO SEASON-END HONORS", Rugby Today, Jake Frechette, August 2, 2016. Americas Rugby News"2016 PRO Rugby Dream Team", Americas Rugby News, August 22, 2016. 1 Jamie Mackintosh Jamie Mackintosh 2 Zach Fenoglio Zach Fenoglio 3 Chris Baumann Olive Kilifi 4 Tai Tuisamoa Tai Tuisamoa 5 Logan Collins Brendan Daly 6 Kyle Sumsion Sam Finau 7 Sebastian Kalm Sebastian Kalm 8 Pedrie Wannenburg Pedrie Wannenburg
Pos Rugby Today Americas Rugby News 9 Shaun Davies Shaun Davies 10 Will Magie Will Magie 11 Timana Tahu Timana Tahu 12 Roland Suniula Orene Ai'i 13 Orene Ai'i Chad London 14 Spike Davis Spike Davis 15 Mike Te'o Mike Te'o
Player development The following list shows PRO Rugby players who earned their debut cap for the U.S. national rugby team during the 2016 season: Angus MacLellan (June 25 vs Canada) Langilangi Haupeakui (June 25 vs Canada)
Attendance
By team These are the attendance records of each of the teams at the end of the home and away season. The table does not include finals series attendances. Team Hosted Sacramento Express 6 2,150 3,400 1,500 12,900 San Diego Breakers 6 1,916 2,500 1,500 11,500 Denver Stampede 6 1,941 2,346 1,500 11,646 Ohio Aviators 6 1,691 3,400 750 10,050 San Francisco Rush 6 916 1,700 700 5,500 League total301,7233,40070051,696
By week Week Total Games Avg. Per Game Week 1 5,712 2 2,856 Week 2 4,200 2 2,100 Week 3 4,000 2 2,000 Week 4 2,700 2 1,350 Week 5 4,000 2 2,000 Week 6 3,846 2 1,923 Week 7 2,700 2 1,350 Week 8 1,500 1 1,500 Week 9 1,250 1 1,250 Week 10 3,500 2 1,750 Week 11 3,000 2 1,500 Week 12 1,450 2 725 Week 13 3,000 2 1,500 Week 14 2,450 2 1,225 Week 15 3,000 2 1,500 Week 16 5,400 2 2,700
Regular season
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
Week 10
Week 11
Week 12
Week 13
Week 14
Week 15
Week 16
Season transfers
Denver Stampede P Name In Out HK Glendale RaptorsHK Glendale RaptorsPR Austin BlacksPR Denver BarbariansPR SouthsPR Eastern SuburbsPR Glendale RaptorsLK Seattle SaracensLK Kansas City BluesLK Glendale RaptorsLK Glendale RaptorsFL Denver BarbariansFLPeter Dahl Belmont ShoreFL Glendale RaptorsFL Kansas City BluesN8 Glendale RaptorsN8 OyonnaxSH Denver BarbariansSH Glendale RaptorsSH San Francisco Golden GateFH BarnesFH Denver BarbariansFH Glendale RaptorsCE Seattle SaracensCE Glendale RaptorsCE Denver BarbariansCE Glendale RaptorsWG Denver BarbariansWG Glendale RaptorsWG Newcastle KnightsFB Glendale RaptorsFBMaximo de Achaval Denver Barbarians
Ohio Aviators P Name In Out HK Sacramento ExpressHK Life UniversityHKPeter Malcolm Wheeling Jesuit UniversityHK ColumbusPR Life UniversityPR MontpellierPR Chicago LionsPR ColumbusPR James BayLK Atlantic RockLK ClontarfLK New York Athletic ClubFL ZebreFLMatt Hughston CharlotteFL DallasN8 LindenwoodN8 ColumbusSH ColumbusSH Life UniversitySH Hartpury CollegeFH Chicago LionsFH ColumbusFH RichmondCE Wheeling Jesuit UniversityCE ColumbusCE ChalonCE London IrishWG Davenport UniversityWG ColumbusWG ColumbusWGShawn Riley Notre Dame CollegeFB Detroit TradesmenFB Winnipeg Blue BombersFB Austin Blacks
Sacramento Express P Name In Out HK Ontario BluesHK Ohio AviatorsHK Santa RosaHK Sacramento BlackhawksPR Sacramento BlackhawksPR Seattle SaracensPRValdemar Lee-Lo Seattle SaracensPR Sacramento BlackhawksPR Sacramento BlackhawksLK Classic EaglesLK San Francisco RushLKRobert Meeson Santa RosaLK CalFL Sacramento CapitalsFL DolphinFL BYUN8 East Palo Alto RazorbacksN8 Sacramento BlackhawksSH East Palo Alto RazorbacksSHJope Motokana Seattle SaracensSHChris Saint Potomac ExilesFHHarry Bennett MetropolisFH St. Mary'sCE ZebreCE University of WyomingCE Life WestCE MetropolisWG Dallas RedsWG Seattle SaracensWG MetropolisWG East Palo Alto RazorbacksFBJoshua Holland San Francisco Golden GateFBRyan Thompson Tempe
San Diego Breakers P Name In Out HK Old Mission BeachHK Hawke's BayHK Belmont ShorePR Castaway WanderersPR Castaway WanderersPR Santa MonicaPRMason Pedersen University of ArizonaPR TempePR Seattle SaracensPR Belmont ShoreLK Belmont ShoreLK Naval AcademyLKBrian Doyle Old Mission BeachLK Old Mission BeachFL Craighouse Old BoysFL Seattle SaracensFLJean-Baptiste Gobelet Old Mission BeachFLBruce Thomas San Francisco Golden GateFL Old Mission BeachN8 Belmont ShoreN8 Seattle SaracensN8 Seattle SaracensSH WaspsSH Santa MonicaFH Old Mission BeachFH BiarritzCE All-ArmyCE SaleCE Old BlueCE BucureștiWG Mystic RiverWG BiarritzWG UCLA BruinsWG Seattle SaracensFB Belmont Shore
San Francisco Rush