Super Rugby Pacific could expand to the west coast of the United States, with high-level talks underway across several countries about the viability of including at least one new franchise as a means to help boost the flagging nation’s performance ahead of the 2031 men’s World Cup.

The Roar can exclusively reveal that World Rugby chairman Brett Robinson will meet with officials in the United States this week about the prospect of financially supporting at least one Major League Rugby club joining Super Rugby.

At the heart of World Rugby’s interest in the expansion is to ensure the United States has a competitive national side by the time the World Cup moves to the Americas for the first time. The men’s team missed qualification for the first time in 2023 – five years after the Major League Rugby started in 2018.

Currently, World Rugby is yippy when considering the United States’ prospects of holding a successful World Cup.

Indeed, The Roar can reveal that it was only during the Hong Kong Sevens that World Rugby decided to back their decision to award the USA the men’s (2031) and women’s World Cups (2033) respectively.

Until then, World Rugby was strongly considering pushing the men’s World Cup in the United States back to 2035 to give the nation a longer lead-in, and awarding a traditional power in the United Kingdom and Ireland the 2031 tournament.

Ultimately, World Rugby decided to back their bet and go all-in on the USA.

World Rugby will meet with officials at the LA Sevens this week to discuss whether a side could in America could join Super Rugby. (Photo by Brendon Thorne – World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images)

Since then, World Rugby has actively taken a vested interest in how rugby in the United States can not just stand on its two feet but start to make headway in an increasingly competitive international rugby market.

World Rugby has started to understand that its investment in the USA isn’t likely to pay dividends.

It’s understood the governing body has invested millions of dollars into a couple of Major League Rugby sides, including Anthem Rugby Carolina, which is predominantly made up of homegrown talent.

The issue is the MLR side hasn’t won a game in three years, is winless during the opening 11 matches this year and is going backwards on the field.

At the same time, the MLR doesn’t appear to be helping the USA Eagles on the field either.

Not only is the homegrown talent being spread too thin, but several top-tier players are playing abroad, particularly in England, while games are jarringly long.

Super Rugby officials are considering whether a US side could add value to the competition, with World Rugby keen to get rugby in the USA firing ahead of the 2031 World Cup. (Photo by Clive Rose – World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images)

As such, World Rugby’s interest has been piqued if one or two teams can be formed to play in Super Rugby in a similar way to the Fiji Drua, or previously the Argentine Jaguares, in an attempt to streamline the talent into the national side.

Several cities on the US west coast are being looked at, including Los Angeles and San Diego. Hawaii and Seattle also have new stadiums being built. Even Las Vegas could be a destination moving forward.

Interestingly, several high-profile rugby stars, including French captain Antoine Dupont, have been to LA recently and worn Rugby FC Los Angeles merchandise.

Could he also defend his Olympic gold medal at the LA Olympics in 2028?

All Blacks great Ma’a Nonu is also a part-owner of the San Diego Legion side.

The Roar understands LA officials have met with New Zealand Rugby and Rugby Australia in recent weeks about being included in an expanded Super Rugby Pacific competition. Officials are also considering whether US representation in an expanded Super Rugby Women’s competition could work, especially given the nation will also host the women’s World Cup in 2033.

It’s believed both parties are interested in the potential markets it could open, especially the NZR, who last year played Fiji in San Diego in front of a sold out crowd.

Super Rugby is enjoying its most competitive season since 2015. (Photo by Michael Bradley/Getty Images)

It comes after the NZR signed a $NZ200m deal with US private equity firm Silver Lake.

Neither party wants to invite risk into the equation.

But The Roar has been told that several millionaires are interested in investing in LA and are willing to cover the costs of running a Super Rugby side.

While Super Rugby previously lost its way by expanding too widely too quickly, the prospect of a new side joining from the west coast of America would at least marry up from a time zone perspective.

However, for any expansion to be successful, it’s acutely aware that any new side would need to be competitive.

Importantly, any new side would need to have considerable US representation, with top-tier players like AJ MacGinty swooped on. However, it’s also known that they would need to be propped up by quality internationals from Australia and New Zealand.

RA has also been told that a new side on the US west coast could also be a solution for players wanting a sabbatical and a sea-change.

Already, the MLR is flooded with Australian players and coaches. Wallabies greats Matt Giteau and Adam Ashley-Cooper also enjoyed stints there at the end of their careers.

Earlier this year former Junior Wallabies star Mack Mason, who had a short career with the Waratahs before moving to the MLR, encouraged RA to look to loan players out to the competition as a way to speed up their development.

“I’m definitely a lot better player than I was when I was in Australia, and I sort of wish a lot more people that are on the fringes can go play week-in, week-out professional rugby in America,” Mason told The Roar.

“I think a loan system would work well over there with an Australian team, but that’s just the way I think.”