NEWS

ESPN: Major League Rugby receives official Hawai’i bid

“An expansion bid from Kanaloa Hawai’i has officially been submitted to Major Rugby League officials with five former All Blacks players said to be backing the team.

A slot in the growing American competition opened up after Colorado Raptors pulled out after three seasons, and Kanaloa Hawai’i could move into MLR almost immediately providing the club meets the league’s expansion terms.

These terms were not listed In an official report from MLR, but an expansion fee will be required from the island club for the bid to be recognized.

Team manager Cam Kilgour, who had been rumoured to be joining the latest MLR expansion team, LA Giltinis, told RugbyPass that the lack of a professional sports team in Hawai’i meant there was room for growth in the area.

“Hawai’i has got huge talent, huge potential,” Kilgour said.

“It’s a massive island for growth and has no professional sports team. So we thought, look, let’s try to see if we can connect with other Hawaiians on the island and see if we can move this a lot quicker.”