The Rugby World Cup has kicked off with much fan fare and talk about the closing divide between tier 1, 2 and 3 nations. Indeed the only real cricket score has been the final score of South Africa vs Namibia, but there is a still a glaring gap.
This gap has been exacerbated by the poor scheduling for poor rating teams (typically the lower ranked nations) having to play multiple games in a short period of time. So what are the issues and the answers to these issues?
The common theme of complaints for all the lower ranked sides has been the lack of quality international games and the scheduling for the group stage of the World Cup.
This has drawn some pretty serious criticism from some quarters, with French coach Marc Livermont suggesting that it is not an egalitarian practice to force teams to play multiple games in a week and Samoa’s Fuimaono-Sapolu to make a holocaust reference on his Twitter account.
The gap between the haves and have nots of the rugby world is glaring even outside the world cup structure.
The Pacific Nations Cup is a great idea, but doesn’t give the teams enough game time against quality opposition and often their stars competing in European competition aren’t available.
From next year instead of multiple European nations competing against southern hemisphere teams, old style rugby tours will begin.
For example, Wales will tour Australia next year playing three tests along with mid-week games. This is a great concept for the competing teams, it provides great competition and an opportunity to broaden squads with midweek games.
This does however, leaves nations like Samoa and Portugal out in the cold.
Surely for an egalitarian approach, we must have an even spread of games between the weaker and stronger teams.
Two ideas spring to mind:
1. Tours for the Southern and Northern Hemisphere must include teams from that region outside of the big two tournaments, so when Wales comes to Australia, both Australia and Wales include games against teams like Tonga or Uruguay.
2. In the two year gap between world cups, a Southern Hemisphere and Northern Hemisphere tournament is played. This could include eight to ten teams, provide quality opposition every two years for lower ranked teams and provide qualifying games for teams every two years instead of every four.
These two suggestions would provide a solid ground for improvement of the lower ranked sides while also offering more prestige for the higher ranked nations, winning a Southern Hemisphere final would be more impressive than a Tri/Four Nations, or Six Nations trophy.
This would also provide some interesting games for broadcasters and would be a good chance for countries to host a tournament outside the world cup cycle that would be less expensive and provide a show piece for the game (think what this would do for a country like Argentina).
This would also provide a pathway for players to get professional contracts within the Super Rugby or European game.
Players from the United States and Argentina would be able to show their wares on a world stage at least every two years.
This may also stop the drain of Pacific Islander talent to the national squads of New Zealand, Australia and more recently England and give them greater incentive to perform for their home nation.
The only question is, can the top tier nations see that giving a little could actually see them receive a whole lot more?
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.
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