When the concept of the World League first hit the news feed I was more than willing to hear it out.
Hell, several years back I wrote about a very similar idea based around T2 nations. As more detail emerged a couple of things caught my interest.
First was that it was to include two divisions of 12 nations. Second, and probably the most intriguing was that it would feature promotion and relegation between the two divisions. Or at the very least the opportunity for it.
These two elements piqued my interest thanks to one key factor that many have believed necessary for some time in the game. Opportunity. Most importantly opportunity for emerging nations to be provided with a defined pathway to improvement and progression up the rugby tier system.
Stuart Hogg is told about the World League. (Photo By Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)
With just these two pieces to the puzzle I was in principle in favour of the concept. Unfortunately, I overlooked a couple of universal truths within the game and those at the top of this particular tree.
Those things? Self-interest and greed.
According to this NZ Herald article the once inclusive proposal will become a 12-team closed shop to accommodate the Six Nations insistence on maintaining the integrity of the structure – and the South’s thirst for further sources of income.
The World League will be an exclusive 12-team competition involving the Six Nations teams plus and expanded Rugby Championship that will see Japan and the USA brought into the fold.
There will be no second division and thus no opportunity for the lesser likes to forge a path. Commercially this makes a fair bit of sense.
Both Japan and the States offer large and potentially lucrative markets – which in regards to including them in the Rugby Championship separate to the World League concept I’m actually in favour of. But that’s another discussion.
In regards to fairness, this structure stinks.
It stinks for in particular the likes of the ninth-ranked Fiji who have earned the right to be considered on the verge of T1 status at the very least on the field.
It’s unfair for the nations with ambition to rise through the ranks and compete but probably where it’s most unfair is for rugby itself.
It isolates and marginalises players and fans who are in effect excluded. Which is dangerous. Very dangerous.
So why this model, then? For the T1 nations there’s between $10-14m reason annually if the reports are to believed. And that’s pretty much it.
Under this model, nations will play each other once each calendar year for 11 games in total and will culminate with a final in late November/early December.
The cash grab is on and it has come about thanks to certain unions’ instance on integrating traditional structures into the concept. This effectively killed off the original intent the second the suggestion was made.
How much will Japan bring really? (Gareth Fuller/PA via AP, File)
Originally, the World League was proposed to be run throughout the July/November Test windows. While there wasn’t any clear direction for how this would be structured it made a great deal of sense to work it that way as it would develop the concept while allowing the traditional structures to continue.
Unfortunately, it has since been hijacked by as above greed and self-interest over the good of the game.
When tweaked it could have served as the platform to not only build something compelling but it would allow the traditional structures to continue at both the T1 and two levels.
Going with 12 teams using the UEFA model would allow for four groups of three nations playing home-and-away each year with the top team moving forward to a three game finals series.
For the second division, using the existing regional championships but with more marketing and promotion would operate in a much similar way with the Nations Cup structure. It would be used as a mini-tournament to determine who would either be promoted automatically or play off against the bottom placed first division nations for a place in the first division the next year.
Seems like commonsense to me.
Anyway, more to the point. I believe that the reported structure is hugely damaging to the game and player welfare.
And I’m in reasonably good company. The likes of Kieran Reid, Johnny Sexton and Owen Farrell have each spoken out against the reported structure sighting among other things player welfare and lack of opportunity for T2 players.
So what can we do? Get vocal. If you’re connected to your respective union or World Rugby itself your opinion known.
Voice any displeasure or objection to this greed based isolationist perspective. For the betterment of the game we really must.
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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