Rugby executives that are hurriedly trying to get a deal done to kick off a World League need to take a tip from Julian Savea and slow down a bit.
Or perhaps it might be best to let Mourad Boudjellal loose at their next meeting to ensure the right message gets through loud and clear; after all, one of the detrimental effects of the World League proposal to increase the number of Test matches per year is that it won’t be a good result for club owners like the fiery Frenchman.
That’s on top of the player welfare issue of increased workloads which has the potential to diminish the quality of Test rugby and take the top players away from their clubs more. Then there’s the reported plan to abandon any promotion-relegation system that would lock out tier-two nations like Fiji, Samoa and Tonga, and the impact on the World Cup and Lions tours.
Broadcasters are apparently eager to firm up a contract for a whopping 12 years that will include only the tier-one nations playing in about three Tests each in the southern hemisphere in July and as many as five Tests at the end of the year in the northern hemisphere.
The competition is designed to have all leading nations play each other once a year, along with a potential final to crown the world’s No.1 team.
It’s been reported this World League structure could make each country an additional $14 million in revenue.
Any advice, Jules? (Photo By Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)
It’s a simplistic model, right? Give the fans more internationals between the top teams, make more money for the players and the World League executives can slap each other on the back for a job well done as the money rolls in.
There are more holes in this proposal than the Chiefs defence in Canberra last Saturday night.
The bosses from the national unions, along with World Rugby’s top executives, hammer home the point that player welfare is paramount and they wouldn’t jeopardise it. But they’re apparently looking at increasing the number of Tests, which are the most physically demanding of all fixtures – and this also comes with the additional burden of more travel.
Never mind the blow back they’ll get from domestic leagues and their clubs, whose broadcast ratings, crowd figures, corporate sponsorship and merchandise takings rely heavily on having their headline players available more often.
It’s not just the window for the release of players for Tests that World Rugby would need to address, but the increased chance of injury that club bosses would be weighing up when they sign up marquee players.
The other detail that’s been reported is that Japan and the United States might be added to the Rugby Championship, which means even more Tests or a compromise on the home-and-away format that currently operates.
As there’s no official announcement about the World League proposal, it’s hard to know their exact schedule, but it’s been reported that the tier-one nations should play each other once a year.
This might mean that the Rugby Championship could become a tournament in which the six teams play each other once only in a season, and then rotate hosting rights each season.
It seems like the only legitimate way that World Rugby could keep a lid on player workloads, but it would also seem far-fetched that SANZAAR would diminish the Rugby Championship.
It should be noted too that even though Japan and the US have enormous commercial potential, they would really struggle early on to be competitive against the All Blacks and Springboks.
“They aren’t even ready to regularly play the Wallabies,” wrote New Zealand Herald columnist Gregor Paul.
Plus there’s due to be no promotion or relegation in an expanded six-team Rugby Championship, which would effectively lock out the Pacific Island nations from top-level Test competition for a massive 12 years.
That would be another blight on World Rugby, who talk a solid game about helping to grow the game in the smaller nations and close the gap to the cashed-up top-tier countries.
The Players Council, a collection of the various national rugby players’ unions, released a statement on Thursday that addressed some of the World League plans.
It was firm and direct, and noted that “it’s believed World Rugby bosses are seeking to ratify the deal in the coming weeks, which has raised concerns among the Player Council”.
Ireland’s five-eighth Jonny Sexton, the Players Council president, was adamant that more end-of-season Tests isn’t viable.
“While players gave this idea a cautious welcome when we met at the end of last year, it now seems like a commercial deal on the future of the game is being negotiated at a rapid pace with little consideration given to the important points we raised with World Rugby in November,” Sexton said.
Johnny Sexton runs at Wales duo Justin Tipuric and Wyn Jones during last year’s Six Nations. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)
“The issue of player load has never been so topical, however it needs to be properly understood. To suggest that players can play five incredibly high-level test matches in consecutive weeks in November is out of touch and shows little understanding of the physical strain this brings.”
All Blacks No.8 Kieran Read, a Players Council member, was clear-cut too about player welfare and its implications for Test-match standards.
“Fans want to see meaningful games; they don’t want to see fatigued players playing a reduced quality of rugby as part of a money-driven, weakened competition that doesn’t work for the players or clubs,” he said.
Details of the proposed World League have not been made public and are due to be discussed further at a World Rugby meeting in March.
But the reports that some executives want to accelerate the deal is worrying for players and fans, who need to mark their territory and let World Rugby know that the most cash from the biggest broadcasters is not always the best deal for the game.
CUW
Roar Rookie
at the end of the day the basic premise is - this is a done deal . i have been exposed to simillar things in banking - first u do the deals behind the closed doors , then it is given to the people ( and sometimes showed down their throat ) 12- 12 thingy is a non-starter. calling Fiji to the table is just an afterthought . what can they say to change the deal? worst part is the whole thing is now SANZAAAR baby - coz the new 2 teams are to be added to 4 nations. and we know from the past SANZAAAAR have green eyes - they only see the $$$$$$$$$ so at the end of the day - either this deal goes thru as exposed by the papers / or nothing else happens. if anyone thinks it will be equitable solution and Fiji will get in and the 2nd tier will benefit and all that fancy thoughts - NOT HAPPENING !!!
piru
Roar Rookie
As it is and shall ever be unfortunately Rugby is now a professional sport and any pretension to holding on to any kind of amateur ethos is past.
CUW
Roar Rookie
i know what u mean - but that wont fly with the TV executives.
piru
Roar Rookie
Yep and fair enough, but this is where WR could be looking to actually grow the game and help out rather than just maximise profits. Start a second 6 nations comp and play the games as curtain raisers for the existing games. Go watch Ireland v England and catch Georgia vs Spain. You know, think outside the box a bit
CUW
Roar Rookie
there lies the problem - ssecond tier may be good but they have no money or people. look at GDP numbers and look at population numbers - economically nothing to make a TV company salivate its like the Siberia joke - everyone knows where it is but noone wants to go there.
piru
Roar Rookie
24 national sides is more pie in the sky stuff - we do that already and call it the world cup . I don't think the top sides need any more games - I'd rather watch a second tier comp then the B teams of the top tier going through the motions.
soapit
Roar Guru
yeah i didnt think it would need to be such a money grab. with 10 teams theyd hardly need to schedule any extra matches but could just reap some benefit from having an organised comp, with or witout usa and japan. i guess i just assumed that a better schedule/product for the fans and a small amount of extra cash would be satisfactory. why they always have to go for the most cash grab i dont know. sure go for some but going for the maximum always has a significant downside.
terrykidd
Roar Pro
and what happens to the Bledisloe Cup ?? One game per year?
Kiwikrs
Roar Rookie
If anyone is interested Sumo and Mils interview the head of the NZ players association on the proposal which gives some great insight. It's the latest episode on their podcast "The Short Ball"
Kiwikrs
Roar Rookie
When will people stop suggesting a NZ/AU super rugby comp? No one else wants it. It will totally kill rugby in the SH
CUW
Roar Rookie
i think players are worried about not just tests - but the travel involved year round. actually the European guys ae lucky - they travel much less than Sh guys. they go all over for super rugger and test rugger - whereas all european guys travel within europe for club rugger and test rugger and a little when they tour the SH. i think what they shud look at is a 3 year tour program , rather than a cramped one year thingy. leaving 6 nations and 4 nations aside look at 3-test tours to one place - rather than the current one test against Eng Ire Sco Wal Ita Fra schedule.
CUW
Roar Rookie
and how ? if ur referring to the proposal - none of the 2nd tiers will be in it bar USA n Japan and Italy. Crucially Fiji will not be in it despite being in the top 10. NZ - Ire - Wal - Eng - SA - Aus - Sco - Fra - Fiji - Arg - Jap - USA - Geo - Ton - Ita - Sam _ Uru - Rom - Rus - Spa the proposal is among 6 nations + 4 nations + USA and Japan. so it excluded Fiji Georgia and Tonga , despite being ranked higher than Italy !! on top of that different people are saying different things. the "leak" on proposal talks of a 12 team event without relegation / promotion for 10 years. but Pichot ssays he supports a 24 team tournament with relegation/ promotion. it is obvios the TV company will not want a 24 team thingy - i mean where can he show 22 matches ?? on top of the current cub content and footy and cricket and tennis and then NFL and BB and baseball and all that?? no way
CUW
Roar Rookie
Windies also have their political rivalries tho the team play together - there are loads of issues behind the scenes which continuously keeps comming up there are players who have refused to play - there are players who are being refused to be selected - there are islands that have issues not having players in the team - there are issues about contracts n pay..... only saving grace is all of dem speak English - unlike Fiji Tonga Samoa PNG .....
CUW
Roar Rookie
perhaps u missed the part where the semis and finals will be in USA / Europe. which means the NZ team will ON CURRENT FORM become the Harlem Globetrotters. also maybe u missed the part where the semis and finals will be in December - making players travel around a lot week in week out. the issue is not about the number of tests - it is about the travel and rest. for eg: what do u think will happen if NZ sent its A TEAM to play England one week and the next week B TEAM to play USA ?? remember this deal is comming from a TV company - so there will be a clause that says all the best available players will play. i remember a long time ago when West indies were going to Tour Sri Lanka - and most of their top guys refused to sign contracts then West Indies sent down a team that had hardly any players who had test caps. the TV deal and match sponsor deal went out of the window and Sri lanka cricket had to spend its money on the series. ( the series when Lara made like 2 200s against Murali and Gayle first showed his super powers ) . the current setup only favors 6 nations - simply coz they live next door to each other. even with the proposal it favors 6 nations coz they will travel less than SH teams
CUW
Roar Rookie
yes obviosly - else people will not be jumping up and down so much :) https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/feb/28/johnny-sexton-owen-farrell-criticism-of-world-rugby-global-revamp
CUW
Roar Rookie
FYI - Elliot Day has taken a contract with less money to play for Saracens next year onwards. not all top players a re getting their value - it happens only when they are Europe and even there in France and England only. the disparity in wages is not just from top to bottm player-ranking wise - but also where they are based at. it is not just in rugger - happens in most games/sports and that is about economies and economics.
CUW
Roar Rookie
@ soapit the problem is the teams good at rugger have no money and teams that have money are not so good at rugger. why do u think USA and Japan came in to the picture ahead of others??? however IMO - this whole thing is another silly product simply based on someone crunching GDP figures and TV viewers' data. just look at super rugger - they put japan in it to make sure some money came in . but the japanese rarely play at home - they play in HK !!! simillarly look at the USA experience - there was a great crowd to watch " The mighty all blacks " but a small crowd to watch Ireland .
CUW
Roar Rookie
why chop world cup - u can do the 3-test tours for 3 years and then have a WC 4th year and then go back to 3 -test tours. but then u will have to chop 4 nations and 6 nations - and perhaps the other little cups like pacific nations cup , americas cup, european cup .... cricket has a schedule that makes all play all - whilst having the traditional matches and even windows for private leagues. but then there are like only 10 teams who play tests , so ..... still cricket system is thought silly by many - for eg: Sri Lnka played a 2 test series with Saffaas , and all wanted to have 3 matches but not supported under the FTP. whereas India England and Aussy play 5 tests - coz that is where the money is . at the end of the day rugger will not be able to escape the green monster ...
CUW
Roar Rookie
@ Carlos the Argie I think he wants 24 teams with promotion /relegation. " agustin pichot @AP9_ My position and my proposal has always been the same since day 1. 12+12 with promotion/relegation with enough rest periods for the players. Nothing has been decided yet, and I doubt it will, I won’t stop trying. If we can’t make this happen it wont be because of the people who wanted the growth of the game worldwide. " this will never work - we are not talking footy here to have a 24 team competition. i saw somewhere that a team may get $10 mio from this deal its just peanuts compared to footy - i mean Liverpool's Mohamed Slah maked GBP 200 000/- per week !!! they can get so much becoz there is so much TV and sponsor money in footy rugger gets like 10% of that money on the best day of 4 years !!!
CUW
Roar Rookie
the need is for a schedule which makes teams play tests with everyone ( say the top 10 ) , rather than having one team play 3 against another and then none against others. the current situ is similar to super rugger - where some play against each other twice but dont play against others at all. the way it is proposed - 6 nations will play 5 matches in that tournament and then another 6 against the other sides , basically 4 nations + Japs and USA. so in that sense 4 nations also becomes one match against each other. and then there will be semis and finals to declare the champs - to be played in biggest stadia in USA and Europe. the issues are for current champs NZ - they may want to play more Bled-cup tests with Aussy ; they will most probably have to go around the world - assuming they will be in semis and finals. the Europeans will have less issues - coz of proximity to most teams. so less travel and jetlag. the whole thing stand on the legs of the TV company who gives the money - so if they dont like the product it will fall down they will want the rich guys in it - also they will not want a bigger tournament as the Argie guy says , with 2 tournaments for tier 1 and 2. that is like 24 teams - but if u look around most rugger tournaments with clubs have like 12 -14 teams. if there are 24 , then it will have to be groups like the not heinecken cup . i think rugger shud look at cricket and decide on a test schedule that gives everyone a chance to play everyone whist not ignoring the traditional rivalries like Lions tours and Bledisloe cup.