Warriors' head coach Andrew Webster's US homecoming

Tuesday, 25 February 2025, 8:23 pm
Article: RNZ

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When Andrew Webster came to the realisation he was not destined for Rugby League stardom, he set out to switch his career path in the most unlikely of places.

So primitive was the game in the United States, the training fields did not even have posts.

Webster would join the Connecticut Wildcats as a player/coach in 2005, helping guide the side to a grand final in the AMNRL.

"I had a big book on how I wanted to coach when I landed in America and I threw it out after the first week. It just needed to simplify things then."

Returning two decades on now head coach of the Warriors, Webster said he was slowly seeing Rugby League more embraced by Americans.

His side will play one of two matches in Las Vegas to kick off the NRL season this Sunday.

However, the game has still yet to develop a strong foothold in the fiercely competitive sporting landscape of the US.

"I think events like this could get the game to take off here, the American fans would absolutely love it. They love contact collision, hard sports."

Struggling to make progress as a player, Webster opted for the move to the states.

"I knew rugby league was over for me professionally, it was a completely different experience, I realised how passionate they were about the game."

Webster said he would have a cohort of at least ten former teammates in the stands for Sunday's clash with the Raiders.

"It was just such a cool part of my journey and so grateful I got to do it."

However, twenty years on, and Webster still finds himself having to differentiate the codes to Americans.

"I always say the difference is rugby union is like softball and ruby league is like baseball."

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