Rugby’s major nations have endorsed a 20-team format for the sport’s 2015 World Cup and have offered to play midweek matches to ensure the lower-ranked teams have more rest time.
Representatives of Tier One nations met Monday to discuss the format and commercial model for the next World Cup, which will be held in England, broaching issues which recently saw a New Zealand-led threat to boycott the tournament.
New Zealand Rugby Union chief executive Steve Tew has said the All Blacks could consider skipping the 2015 event unless the International Rugby Board addresses concerns around the tournament’s effects on Test match revenues and sponsorships for member unions. Australia supported New Zealand’s stand.
Lower-ranked nations competing at the World Cup have also attacked a schedule which has given some of them as little as four days between games, while the top tier countries enjoyed longer breaks.
The International Rugby Board said in a statement Monday that during “a constructive forum” Tier One unions had “unanimously recommended retaining the current format of 20 teams split across four pools.”
“Delegates also reaffirmed their support of the IRB’s planned review of the Rugby World Cup match schedule to deliver the best possible balance of rest days for all teams.”
The IRB said Tier One unions had agreed to play midweek matches during the 2015 World Cup to ensure smaller nations receive a fairer spread of game.
“While the meeting was not a decision-making forum, key recommendations will be put forward to the IRB executive committee or the IRB Council for consideration,” the IRB statement said.
A review of the format and match schedule of the World Cup is undertaken after every tournament.
Ronald
Guest
Just an Idea about the world cup Maybe have the pool games spread out over the 2 seasons before the RWC 1 during the june tests and one during the november tests, this would give some extra interest to the test schedules and ensure fatigue wont be a factor. Then the top four in each pool go to the RWC and go straight knockout all done in 4 weeks
Matthew Skellett
Guest
Well said Glenn, and might I add that they set up an independent referee review panel made up of 'minnow nation ' judges after EVERY international test match , a panle that has the power to sack refs who clearly give all/the majority of the important and prime-time(points when it matters) penalties to top tier nations when they player nations of lesser ranking and/or ability -that will rattle a few cages I can tell you :-)
Glenn Condell
Guest
Yes, good news indeed. On topic, I came across a blog piece I wrote back in 2003, still relevant: MEMO: IRB OK, are we serious about this being a 'World' Cup or aren't we? You can't keep chuntering on about the 'spirit' and 'colour' the lesser teams bring to the occasion and how vital it is to 'spread the rugby gospel' on the on hand and give them such a shoddy deal on the other. You can't on bemoan 80 point differentials while at the same time doing nothing to help 'minnows' escape such fates. At the very least, you must: 1 force big member unions to dock competition points from clubs who won't release players for national teams 2 provide funding for minnows to pay for these players should an independent committee find their unions unable to do so 3 propagate the notion that the Cup is the sport's highest peak (and best advert) and that other rugby interests must yield to it 4 reform the judiciary process that saw a previously unblemished Cau Cau get 2 weeks for an airswing, while repeat offender Lawrence Dallaglio got nada for a punch that opened up Werner Greef's forehead and rendered him unfiit for the Boks' next game 5 make penalties for illegal extra players so clear there can be no arguments or alternative 'interpretations' (who doubts Samoa would have been docked a point?) 6 ensure in future draws that lower ranked teams don't always pull the short straw when scheduling means some sides play four games in 12 days 7 institute some sort of merit system for players in the comp's bottom half.. perhaps a 'best of' team picked after pool games with some small emolument or prize - perhaps even a game against the highest ranked side to miss the semis - a warm up for the final? 8 Decrease the value of penalties and dropgoals from three to two points That'll do for a start.
DanSA
Guest
Ahh, like a breath of fresh air, some good news, lol