Rugby Union-London Irish soak up Times Square buzz before match

By Larry Fine NEW YORK, March 10 (Reuters) - London Irish rugby players mixed with rush-hour workers scurrying from skyscrapers, on-duty police and costumed cartoon characters in Times Square to promote a pioneering match on Saturday. The English Premiership club is taking on champions Saracens at New Jersey's Red Bull Arena in the top-flight league's first regular season game played outside Britain and they are balancing business with a little fun. Topsy Ojo, a former England international and the London Irish all-time leading try-scorer, posed with some of New York's finest law-men for photos under One Times Square, the building famed for the ball-drop on New Year's Eve. "It's brilliant, the buzz has gotten more and more as the week has gone on," Ojo told Reuters after he and team mates signed autographs inside a packed Citizens watch shop, the official timekeepers of Premiership Rugby. Saturday's game is the first in a three-year deal that will bring London Irish to the New York area for a regular season match each year, aiming to stir U.S. interest in the league, the club and the sport with backing from U.S. broadcasts by NBC. "I think it's huge," said Ojo. "I think it's the perfect way to kickstart the next three, four, five years of rugby in America. "I think to bring over a league that's done it for many years, that has done it successfully ... I think if we can put on a great game on Saturday it would be a catalyst for really big things in America." Rugby has long been a niche sport in the United States, passionately played at the club level at colleges, but interest has grown and participation received a big boost from the inclusion of rugby sevens in the Olympic program for this August's Rio Games. The U.S. men's national team, the Eagles, has competed in all but one of the quadrennial World Cups and industry associations rank rugby among the country's fastest growing sports. London Irish captain Luke Narraway was energised about Saturday's landmark game which pits his bottom-placed side against the league-leading Saracens. "It's incredible," Narraway said about the midtown scene. "I've been here a few times before but never playing rugby. To see all the support that has come down today and all week, it's a proper pinch-yourself moment. "But hopefully we can get good support at the Red Bull, get a load of Irish supporters down there and come away with a victory." The Times Square visit came one week before St. Patrick's Day and the Big Apple parade which celebrates it. Bob Casey, CEO of the London Irish club nicknamed the 'Exiles', loved the timing and envisioned strong support at the stadium. "For London Irish, we want to grow the brand. We believe we're a global brand. We're a home away from home for all exiles all over the world. "It's a natural fit for us to take a game to New York. We've got the Irish community behind us, the expat community. "We think we'll see a sea of green." (Editing by Ian Ransom)