Now here’s a thought or three for World Rugby. It seems the ‘COVID effect’, combined with a wide range of recent changes and suggestions in rugby union, has given us a rare ‘blank slate’ chance to start anew.
You all know the problems – they are regularly trotted out – too many games, financial viability, format, travel, and so on.
Whatever the proposed solution, someone is bound to find a problem to bedevil that solution without having an alternative.
Hence we go round in circles and the ‘status quo’ becomes the ‘sedate-us quo’ as the issues persist and become tiresome.
Here are my top issues in no particular order.
- 1. Club vs Country – although overwhelmingly an Anglo-French mess, it’s a tail that wags the dogs of the Rugby Football Union and French Rugby Federation.
- 2. Lack of opportunity for the second tier and below.
- 3. Failure to thrive in regions of obvious major potential – ‘growing the game’.
The solutions must be cognisant of the fundamental truth and realities or else more of the above status quo.
As I see it; the most powerful force at work in rugby union is TV money; the basis of high standard of play and audience participation is local rivalry borne out of history and on-field enmity, and; convenient long haul travel as we now know it may not have much of a future.
Having set these out, there are multiple things that could be attempted and a few that should be aborted.
The Six Nations
This is a veritable cash cow and no change will be easily wrought if it might come close to compromising the revenue. Hence, any change of the rugby calendar that might move the Six Nations closer to or into Autumn risks losing the tournament in World Cup years altogether and will meet with stubbornness.
However, the elephant in the room is Italy. What broadcaster really wants to pay top dollar (or top Euro) for Italy making up the numbers?
You heard it here first; the ‘4 + 2′ model.
The top four Six Nations sides as well as the two next highest-ranked sides from Europe and Asia.
That’s Division 1, with Division 2 basically a reinvigorated Europeans Nations cup. Instead of threatening Italy with an ‘in or out’ decision, this allows rthem to qualify via one of two routes and gives nations like Georgia, Japan, Romania and Russia a route in.
At the moment Japan, are a shoo-in. Home Japan games would be the curtain-raiser Saturday Six Nations event. What broadcaster would not bid for that and those 40 million viewers?
Can the Six Nations move to Autumn? Of course it can.
In a Rugby World Cup year, it would merely require a slice of the revenue to grease the wheels. This should also happen by rights if the southern hemisphere Rugby Championship loses games due to a World Cup clash.
Could the Six Nations be moved closer to the World Cup and still work? (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Anyway, Ireland particularly like the Autumn (Chicago 2006). Any naysayers do not just want the status quo, for they are the ‘flatus quo’ – although Will Carling said it differently.
Anglo-French club dominance
You also heard this here first – I want the RFU and FFR to take advantage of the financial crisis COVID will cause by buying a majority share in each top division club of the LNR and Premiership.
In reality, back in 2015 when the RFU was sitting on 150 million quid after the Rugby World Cup, they could have done this – but it requires a change to the legal status of the RFU first. After a few strokes of the pen, with this one act, the entire club vs country debate ends – forever. Note that the Celtic and Anzac countries never had the problem in the first place.
Big in Japan
The song remains true – “it’s so easy when you’re big in Japan” – the next closest competitor is ten hours flying time away.
Due to my earlier points about local rivalry and long-haul travel, Rugby now needs new local competition more than ever as opposed to Munster playing the Western Force.
If rugby is to grow in Asia it will only do so around the Japanese edifice. Likewise – Argentina needs to be the standard-bearer for the Americas rather than crossing ten time zones for a game.
To boost rugby in Italy – where it could rival France – the clear and obvious action is to share any French Rugby World Cup (a relatively frequent event) with neighbouring Italy for a start.
Italy is surrounded by potential rugby bonanza territory. The Teutonic races are perfect for rugby being big, disciplined patriotic and badly in need of an outlet for their aggression, as are the German men, as are the Austrians.
Why is there no Benelux league for Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg?
Does anyone believe the countries that bred the Vikings are not suited to rugby union? All of these are Eurozone countries where transactions take place in a strong currency and have big viewing populations all within one or two timezones.
There can be a global season and there must be stronger regional growth. I rest my case.
So, Bill Beaumont, where do I sign?
Phantom
Roar Rookie
Rugby had the chance to start on the road to improvement. Then they re elected Beaumont.
Timmypig
Roar Rookie
Wow! I'd forgotten that. Thanks for the reminder.
Robopoet
Roar Rookie
PeterK I liked your comments which do reflect the prevailing view. However, that same view is not generating answers. With the aim of further debate I thought I should add some more detail to my suggestions 4 + 2 model If an employee is underperforming do you raise the prospect of him being ‘kicked out’ as you put it or might you reassign the person to a role he can actually do? Do you keep him in post in perpetuity, regardless of competing talent? Whatever the answer, the employee does not decide, and neither should a badly performing side in a sports competition. Italy would not be ‘kicked out’ they would have to compete for their place, just as all sides do for the RWC. Leaving one comp’ means going to another os all is not lost. The related issue is that sides like Georgia and Japan have to be shown something to acknowledge their quality because if not, they will regress and the opportunity will be gone. Georgia - like Wales - is a small country where the national soccer side punches above its weight and rugby does face competition. Carpe Diem. Maybe the real question is - ‘’is everything ‘on the table’ for negotiation or not in the 6N? ‘’ W.r.t union club buyout - I think I’ll develop this idea and post another article just on this one topic.
Robopoet
Roar Rookie
Timmypig thanks for your contribution. Once upon a time in 1980 a combined south American side - called the Jaguars travelled the 9000 km across the south Atlantic, played SA - and won https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_American_Jaguars Hugo Porta was the captain So there has been good rugby outside Argentina in South America - and also most relevantly a very proud recent RWC showing by Uruguay in Japan 2019. There was and is something to build upon in South America. Unfortunately Uruguays best players play in north America I guess for the same reasons the PI players leave for tier one countries. That is the current dynamic over there. The ideal situation - and the objective - is strong local competition in every region so Argentina and Japan would not need to cross half the world for a good game. Are there any south American Roarers who want to add anything?
Timmypig
Roar Rookie
BA in Argentina is closer to Capetown than it is to any US city. If travel doesn't work for the Pumas or any other Arg team (eg Jaguares) then the US and Canada is unviable for them.
Robopoet
Roar Rookie
Gonzo99 thanks for reminding me - I knew I'd forgotten something crucial - the answer to your first question is Yes. I don't believe that my idea would be possible at all were it not for the RWC bonanza - so while France could consider it post 2023 - England will need to find a plan B. They missed their chance in 2015. On a more sanguine note, the RFU already pay the English premiership clubs a large amount year on year for player release. That money is better spent as a co-owner. It's like mortgage v rent. I also would bet that the RFU has better credit worthiness and borrowing power than any single club.
Robopoet
Roar Rookie
PaulD, what about making the DG more than a PK (3 and 2 points?)- and a conversion taken by DG more than a place kick conversion (2 and 1 points)? It's the same theme - reward skill and reduce dead ball time.
Robopoet
Roar Rookie
Monorchid, At risk of offending Italians , Italian rugby is something of a 5 act Greek tragedy. when I was just a little younger they beat my own Ireland 3 times in a row. Where did it it all go wrong? The great Chinese Sage Kong Qju (Confucius to you and me) once said " All people are the same, only their habits differ" my point was that there SHOULD be a nascent population of Italians suited to rugby to similar in size their neighbours, France. French rugby is, was and maybe always will be concentrated in a few regions - although I hope it spreads. When it comes to how to grow the game somewhere like Italy, I thought Pichot had more ideas than Bill B. Italy would be ideal for the RWC - its not the whole answer but it would not hurt.
Gonzo99
Roar Rookie
The billionaires in England might be haemorrhaging money, but so are the RFU. I doubt it's possible in good times or bad. Also, the tradition in England and France has always been a system of promotion and relegation. Would the union have to forcibly buy a stake in every promoted club as they come up? And sell their stakes in the relegated clubs? The franchise system doesn't seem to work in leagues that have promotion / relegation. I'd agree that Italy in the 6N has not been a success and haven't made the progress that playing against better teams should have. If anything they should go back to the 5N format, and put Italy back into the Championship. It doesn't do them any good to be beaten every game.
Monorchid
Roar Rookie
I was interested in your views about Italy Robopoet. I spent some time in Italy 2 years ago, and I tried to understand then why Italy fielded a rugby competition at all. Rugby is played in the northern part of the country. This is arguably the wealthiest part of Italy. But even in the north, like the rest of the country, soccer (football) rules. While I was there, there were 8 TV channels covering soccer 24/7 across the country. There was very little coverage of rugby. Quite frankly, I have difficulty seeing how Italy could be part of any model let alone a 4+2 model. You also quite rightly raise the ugly topic of money. It will be interesting to see how the Italian sponsorship Euro fares following COVID which has hit northern Italy very hard.
Paul D
Roar Guru
I think the biggest issue facing world rugby is what teams can score from penalties vs what they get from scoring tries.
The Late News
Roar Rookie
Germany went reasonably close to qualifying for the last RWC.
Robopoet
Roar Rookie
Davec your idea would mean the new 8N played out over 10 weeks with players being away from clubs/provinces for a bloc of 3 months - hand up any club owners who approve. The 6N should downsize if anything. The 6N should be flexible but has no binding obligation- remember its not owned and run by World Rugby. However, most organisations will emrace change IF the terms are right and work for them
Robopoet
Roar Rookie
Thanks PeterK 4+2 - yes it would be very unpopular in some quarters - but it would depend on how the decisions are made by the 6N committee - and even after making enquiries I must candidly state that I have no idea if it needs to be a majority or unanimous decision or something else - maybe another Roarer can inform us? Just be aware that most within the 6N do feel something has to change. It sounds like a like to summer rugby would suit northern Europe very well - and if a global season ever does happen - which is a major aim - it will be in the Northern summer The union buyout of clubs is the hardest issue. I don't think a buyout 'en bloc' all at once is feasible but certainly the struggling clubs are there for the taking. If they then performed well, it would entice the rest to join. All those billionaires in England bar none are haemorrhaging money which is against their preferences. (Exeter excepted this season pre COVID) . With this model those financiers halve their losses. I don't claim any expertise in business modelling but expertise is not needed to see that nothing else has worked so far and that English and French clubs are exetering a controlling interest over the game everywhere else it is played. Keep them coming.
DAVEC
Roar Rookie
for a start change the six nations to 8 include Argentina and south Africa japan somoa Fiji Tonga can join Australia and new zealand. sort out the club versus country issue for once surely your country comes first. surely the six nations have to be able to be flexible like other tournaments look at super rugby changing dates
The Ferret
Roar Rookie
Even if his ideas are not the best at least he is putting something out there. I don’t know what solutions will work to fix the debacle that is Wold Rugby and no one will be strolling through the comments section here to listen to mine either way. We just have to agree that the North stuff it up as usual and we will all continue to suck the life out of the PI nations.
max power
Guest
well played
PeterK
Roar Guru
at least I played the ball and not the man, no aspersions or derogatory statements made
The Ferret
Roar Rookie
Way to rip the new fella a new one. But you are correct on all points.
PeterK
Roar Guru
4-2 will never work. It is one thing kicking Italy out for Japan or Georgia. It is another kicking Scotland out , Scottish rivalries with England, Wales and Ireland are exactly what the tribalism is about. No way will they accept relegation as a standard mechanism. Clubs being bought out by RFU , FRU won't happen since some billionaires who own them just won't sell or knowing they need to buy every club the last hold outs will be at extortant prices. The countries that bred the vikings already play a very physical hard winter game, they are besotted with Ice Hockey, more popular than soccer. Rugby would have to be a summer sport anyway , very hard to play in a metre of snow and when it is 20 degrees below. Most of the germanic countries play Ice Hockey as well but it is not as important as Soccer.