# 2022 in United States rugby league

2022 in United States rugby league saw an eventful season, featuring developments in the governance of the sport within the United States, the split between the United States Association of Rugby League (USARL) and the North American Rugby League (NARL) in regards to the national competition, and the conduction of multiple regional leagues below these.

## Governance Reforms

In 2022, the International Rugby League officially established the Commission for Rugby League in the United States (USARLC) as the governing body for rugby league in the United States. This will see control of the international game transferred from the USARL to the new commission, while the domestic scene will see major changes with the AMNRL to return as the domestic competition in the northern states, the USARL to remain as the legal domestic competition in the southern states, and the Championship Rugby League to become the western national-level competition. The North American Rugby League will remain unsanctioned.

## 2022 USARL Season
### Clubs

Although seven teams were scheduled to participate in the 2022 season, from four states, the entire North Conference was cancelled, leaving only four teams, all from Florida, to compete in the season.
North Conference :
| Club | Founded | City (MSA) | State | Stadium | Titles (Last) |
| Boston Thirteens | 2009 | Boston | Massachusetts | Eastern Boston Stadium | 1 (2015) |
| Brooklyn Kings | 2014 | Brooklyn | New York | Randalls Island Field 10 | 0 (N/A) |
| Delaware Black Foxes | 2015 | Wilmington | Delaware | Eden Park Stadium | 0 (N/A) |
South Conference :
| Club | Founded | City (MSA) | State | Stadium | Titles (Last) |
| Jacksonville Axemen | 2006 | Jacksonville | Florida | UNF Rugby Field | 2 (2018) |
| South Florida Speed | 2022 | Miami | Florida | North Dade Optimist Park | 0 (N/A) |
| Southwest Florida Copperheads | 2018 | Buckingham (Fort Myers) | Florida | Lehigh Senior High School | 0 (N/A) |
| Tampa Mayhem | 2014 | Tampa Bay | Florida | Tampa Catholic High School | 0 (N/A) |

### Results
#### Round 1

| Home Team | Score | Away Team | Date | Venue |
| Southwest Florida Copperheads | 88–4 | South Florida Speed | Saturday June 11 | Paradise Coast Sports Complex |

#### Round 2

| Home Team | Score | Away Team | Date | Venue |
| Tampa Mayhem | 24–12 | Southwest Florida Copperheads | Saturday June 18 | Leto Falcons Field |
| South Florida Speed | 0–80 | Jacksonville Axemen | Saturday June 18 | Ives Estates Park |

#### Round 3

| Home Team | Score | Away Team | Date | Venue |
| Southwest Florida Copperheads | 6–20 | Tampa Mayhem | Saturday June 25 | Paradise Coast Sports Complex |
| Jacksonville Axemen | 30–0 | South Florida Speed | Saturday June 25 | UNF Rugby Field |

#### Round 4

| Home Team | Score | Away Team | Date | Venue |
| Tampa Mayhem | 8–16 | Jacksonville Axemen | Saturday July 9 | Leto Falcons Field |

#### Round 5

| Home Team | Score | Away Team | Date | Venue |
| South Florida Speed | 0–30 | Tampa Mayhem | Saturday July 16 | Ives Estates Park |
| Jacksonville Axemen | 70–16 | Southwest Florida Copperheads | Saturday July 16 | UNF Rugby Field |

#### Round 6

| Home Team | Score | Away Team | Date | Venue |
| South Florida Speed | 0–30 | Southwest Florida Copperheads | Saturday July 23 | Ives Estates Park |
| Jacksonville Axemen | 36–26 | Tampa Mayhem | Saturday July 23 | UNF Rugby Field |

#### Round 7

| Home Team | Score | Away Team | Date | Venue |
| Tampa Mayhem | 30–0 | South Florida Speed | Saturday July 30 | Leto Falcons Field |
| Southwest Florida Copperheads | 16–30 | Jacksonville Axemen | Saturday July 30 | Paradise Coast Sports Complex |
Source:

### Ladder

| Standings | Pld | W | T | L | Game Points | Pts |
| Jacksonville Axemen | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 262 – 66 | 12 |
| Tampa Mayhem | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 138 – 70 | 8 |
| Southwest Florida Copperheads | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 168 – 148 | 4 |
| South Florida Speed | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 4 – 288 | 0 |
Source:

### Grand Final

| Home Team | Score | Away Team | Date | Venue |
| Jacksonville Axemen | 36–12 | Tampa Mayhem | Saturday August 14 | UNF Rugby Field |
Source:

### North Conference Exhibition Matches

Following the abandonment of the North Conference season, the USARL organised a series of exhibition matches between the three North Conference sides and independent former NARL side New York Freedom.
| Home Team | Score | Away Team | Date | Venue |
| Brooklyn Kings | 50–16 | Boston Thirteens | Bushwick Inlet Park | Saturday July 23 |
| New York Freedom | 30–36 | Delaware Black Foxes | Bushwick Inlet Park | Saturday July 23 |
Source:

## 2022 NARL Season

The North American Rugby League aimed to kick-off its inaugural season in 2022. However, the loss of the Brooklyn and Cleveland clubs along with the confirmation of Ottawa's move to Cornwall and the collapse of broadcast partner SportsFlick saw the season abandoned. The future of the competition is unclear, as only the DC Cavalry and Atlanta Rhinos remain affiliated with the NARL organisation.

### Clubs

* Atlanta Rhinos
* Brooklyn Kings
* Cleveland R.L.F.C.
* DC Cavalry
* New York Freedom
* Toronto Wolfpack

## Regional Leagues
### Championship Rugby League
#### Teams

* East Palo Alto Razorbacks
* Laie Rhinos
* Sin City Islanders
* North Bay Warriors
* Provo Steelers
* Sacramento Immortals
* Salt Lake City Spartans
* San Francisco Savage
* Utah Saints Rugby

#### Championship final

Sacramento Immortals 16–20 Laie Rhinos
Source:

### Lonestar Rugby League

The 2022 Lonestar Rugby League (LRL) season was a rugby league competition planned in Texas.

### Midwest Rugby League

The Midwest Rugby League (MWRL) was dormant in 2022