‘To break America, rugby must learn to love its stars’

Rugby must learn to love its stars if an unprecedented push to break the United States is to succeed, according to the agents who represent some of the sport’s biggest names and America’s most influential entertainment figures.

Roc Nation, which has Rihanna and Alicia Keys among the music stars on its roster, expanded into sport in 2013 and rugby specifically in 2019.

The agency now represents South Africa’s two-time Rugby World Cup-winning captain Siya Kolisi, his Springboks team-mate Cheslin Kolbe, former world player of the year Ardie Savea and England trio Marcus Smith, Ellis Genge and Maro Itoje.

“There are so many traditionalists still in the game that want to do things in the traditional way,” said Michael Yormark, president of Roc Nation Sports International.

“But many people are beginning to understand that if rugby is truly going to be a global sport, if it is going to be truly commercially viable, if it’s going to break through in America – then things need to be done differently.

“Why are the NBA and NFL so popular? Star power. Rugby needs to learn from those examples – it doesn’t need to be exactly the same, but it needs to understand what is important, especially when you go to America.

“Look at Major League Soccer. Nobody talked about the MLS until [Argentine superstar Lionel] Messi went there. Star power sells, it is critical, and we need to develop stars in rugby and in America for the game to be elevated.”