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What do I think are the primary issues that need to be addressed within the ‘Rugby Institute’?
I believe that there are four fundamental components:
– IRB Voting Structure
– Law Changes
– Competition Structure
– Competitiveness of International Rugby.
1. IRB Voting Structure
Like the previous Australian Rugby Union voting structure, the IRB structure is out-dated and is not in the best interests of the global game.
Rugby Institute: Establish an independent review into the global governance structure of the IRB.
2. Law Changes
Flowing Rugby is the best product on television. This does not happen often. ‘Positive interpretations’ and ‘coaching in the spirit of the game’ can assist, but is fundamentally naïve.
This does not consider the variable that short term self-interest (correct refereeing/victory) will always dictate over long-term benefits (good of the game).
New Rules were successfully trialed in the South African Varsity Cup, specifically the use of 2-point penalties/drop-goals and 7-point tries. Fellow Roarer, Nomis provided some great insight in this article.
Despite its success, these changes were not implemented. Instead, there has been little law reform, which do not address the fundamental problems.
Rugby Institute:
– Investigate possibility of different semi-professional competitions acting to test Law interpretations to ensure innovation within Rugby’s Laws. Each year, either the Varsity Cup/ITM Cup/French D2/ Zona Campeonato should be chosen to trial new rules to allow for the best possible outcomes.
– Investigate 2-point penalties/drop goals and 7-point tries
– Investigate the removal of the ‘Hit’ in the Scrum
– Investigate concept of the ‘Justin Marshall’ Rule of removing the tacklers rights to the ball. This removes ambiguity (i.e “not releasing/daylight” for referees), while giving attacking team more time and space.
3. Competition Structure
One significant advantage in Rugby is its global growth. The IRB is doing a commendable job on the international scene. However, as with world football, it is the club level that ignites the tribalism, passion and support from fans and consumers. The IRB needs to work at improving the club competition structure.
There is no competition where this needs to be addressed more than Super Rugby. The volume of articles on the Roar prove that the competition is not perfect and is not what consumers want. National protectionism is also preventing the best quality talent in the game.
Rugby Institute:
– Investigate the feasibility of the IRB subsidising three new Australian teams to create the Australian Rugby Championship. New Zealand returns to the ITM Cup, South Africa returns to the Currie Cup.
– Investigate the costs of this new domestic structure against the benefits of adding in the Zona Campeonato of Argentina and the Top League of Japan into a ‘Heineken Cup’.
– Investigate increase of foreign quotas across ARC, ITM, CC domestic competitions, to determine whether the short-term costs of less talent available for national sides is smaller than the long-term benefits of providing options for rugby players from all around the the world.
4. International rugby
Improvements from teams such as Argentina and Italy show that international rugby is slowly becoming more competitive. Countries such as Canada, Japan, USA, Georgia, Spain, Romania and Russia are slowly building up to the level required.
However, there are still only about six teams that can genuinely contend for the Rugby World Cup, making it predictable. As the primary income generator, the IRB recognises that it needs to increase the competitiveness. However more needs to be done.
Providing greater assistance to the Pacific Island teams would immediately provide three new Tier 1 teams, while acting as a positive advertisement to the global game (Hakas/Sipi Tau, etc/Pacific Islander Running Rugby)
There are currently a number of issues affecting the Pacific Island game:
– Youth Poaching: Fijian Head Coach Inoke Male says in this article that England, France, Australia and New Zealand scout Pacific Islands for players as young as 14. The result is that once based in abroad, they are placed in their club academies. After three-years, they become eligible on residency. Recent examples include: Virimi Vakatawa of Racing Metro to play for France, Mako Vunipola of Saracens to play for England, Manu Tuilagi playing for Leicester and for England
– European clubs restricting Pacific Island national representation. Specifically, that the IRB is considering “amnesty”, rather than punishment for European clubs that have broken the rules. Apparently 60 players were not eligible for Fiji in the November tests as a result.
– Eligibility Laws. IRB refusal to relax eligibility laws for Pacific Islander Players, particularly players which fail are no longer required by Tier 1 nations (Jerry Collins, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Sione Luaki).
N.B: Some may not agree with the last policy. However we need to keep in mind that three high-quality rugby nations (particularly Tonga and Samoa) have populations of 104,000 – the size of Launceston and 183,000 – the size of Geelong.
THE RUGBY INSTITUTE:
– Investigate the impact of increasing national eligibility through residency to seven years, as opposed to the current level of three years
– Investigate the impact of relaxing eligibility rules for countries with less than 1 million people
– Investigate the impact of ‘locking-in’ players who have made the U-20 National Age Grade side
Some may not agree with what I believe are the greatest issues affecting Rugby Union. However, I hope that you will understand at least the need the ‘Rugby Institute’.
Today, sport, like business needs to understand that if it is not moving forwards, it is moving backwards. In other words, innovation is key.
However innovation and modernisation of Rugby Union cannot occur because of self-interest in rugby. An independent evidence-based Rugby Institute can provide the evidence that is required for good global governance. If there is no change, we may lose the game they play in heaven.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.