Seeing Leeds, the English Super League premiers, defeat NRL counterparts the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in the latest edition of the World Club Challenge on Saturday made me wonder, could a similar thing happen in rugby union?
For example you would have the Super Rugby champions (currently the Queensland Reds) play against the European champions (Leinster) in a World Club Challenge match.
While a suitable date would need to be found for such a match, it would be interesting to see the different styles of rugby played by the two teams, especially considering the contrasting styles of rugby between the northern and southern hemisphere teams at international level.
So, could a World Club Challenge in rugby union work?
What do you think would be a suitable time-frame for the game to go ahead?
Also would the RFU in England and the ARU agree to have a match?
What you have to take into account is what is the best – and I mean the best – date to stage a game, especially when you consider the heavy workload for the players.
The Northern Hemisphere take part in the Heineken Premiership, AVIA Premiership, the European Cup, and Six Nations, not to mention Spring Tours hosted and visits to the Southern Hemisphere.
There is also the possibility that a leading player from a major European club gets a injury and is ruled out of the competitions I mentioned above. Plus there’s the problem of the Lions tour.
So, could the RFU (plus its European counterparts) and the ARU (together with its SANZAR partners) find a compromise in order to stage the game in regards to the time-frame-could early November be an ideal time?
In regards to venue, while Twickenham or Cardiff has claims to stage a game, what about Dubai or Hong Kong – could they put their name forward to be the host venue of the first World Club Challenge game in rugby union?’
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