Would it be better for rugby to have one large window for all Test matches around the world (at least among nations in the top two or three tiers)? Say 15 weeks from August to November. Or alternatively from March/April to June/July.
In that period you could play regional Test tournaments (like the Rugby Championship and Six Nations) and have tours between regions or hemispheres.
It would be ideal if the European and Southern Hemisphere domestic seasons were also aligned, but they wouldn’t have to be. Club, provincial or franchise based tournaments could be run whenever suited.
However, with strict rules around player release for Test matches, and a full schedule for all tier one and two nations, there would be an incentive to organise top level club and franchise rugby seasons during the other 37 weeks of the year (keeping in mind an off-season would have to fit in this period as well).
Best case scenario would be a global professional rugby season that looked something like this:
February – July: Domestic seasons involving Test players
August – November: third tier domestic competitions (no Test players)
August: International Tours
September – October: Six Nations, Rugby Championship, other regional tournaments
November: International Tours
December – January: Off-season
If the Europeans insisted on playing during their coldest months they could start their primary domestic competitions during or just after the international window and have their off-season in June/July, with Test matches at the beginning of their season.
The other option would be to have the Test match window from approximately April – July. It’s easy to imagine how the European season could fit around that. But I think SANZAR could as well, for example:
February – March: short selection tournaments for top players (for example, in Australia you could have a short tournament between the super rugby teams. Alternatively you could have a larger Wallabies camp and play probables versus possibles, state of origin or other warm up / selection matches)
April – July: Test season and third tier domestic tournaments (CC, ITM, NRC)
August – November: Super Rugby (and club rugby)
December – January: Off-season
A better global season would help accelerate rugby’s growth and popularity. Test rugby and the top European club leagues would not have to clash and emerging nations would gain better access to their players.
You’d also see better quality matches between hemispheres, especially if the top level domestic seasons could be aligned.
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