Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
NZ NZ

Ben Ryan defends radical new 'RugbyX' concept

By Online Editors
IMG_20190529_184527-1920×1080

Ben Ryan views RugbyX as a radical new format that is essential if a younger audience is to be attracted to a sport with an ageing supporter base.

ADVERTISEMENT

The O2 will host the debut event on October 29 when England, Ireland, France, Argentina and the USA compete in men’s and women’s competitions, with tickets going on sale on Friday.

Smaller indoor pitches, teams consisting of five players and simplified rules are all designed to produce a faster game that will broaden rugby’s appeal to families and sponsors.

Ryan, the technical director of RugbyX and former coach of the Fiji sevens team – who won gold at the 2016 Olympics – believes it can have the same impact as Twenty20 did on cricket.

“We want it to be attractive to new supporters by being easy to understand,” Ryan told Press Association Sport.

“The demographic for rugby supporters is older now and that trend is continuing. We want a new age group of supporters to come in and then move into other parts of the game. With that will come different types of sponsors.

“We need to do what cricket did by bringing in Twenty20 to attract a younger generation.

“Whether we like it or not, young people want shorter, sharper and faster versions of things. It will be an entertainments package.

ADVERTISEMENT

“We’re hoping it will be closer to an NBA game at Madison Square Garden rather than 80-minute XV-a-side rugby that is more about the game’s intricacies.

“Ten-minute games with music and entertainment and all the other stuff that will bring the game to life like live statistics for the fastest player, who runs the most, lowest heart rate etc are what kids want these days.

“Cricket is a great example. Purists will always enjoy a five-day Test match, which won’t disappear. But on top of that you have one-day and Twenty20 games.

“Shorter versions of games are coming in everywhere as other sports look for new fans.

“Rugby is the same marketplace and people have a number of things they can choose to see and do.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Rather than seeing RugbyX as having the potential to eat into the supporter base for sevens, Ryan insists the formats will complement each other.

“Teams will mainly be international sevens players. Everything is aligned to the season plan, so it doesn’t clash with other rugby events, especially the World Sevens Series,” he said.

“It will supplement and significantly increase sevens players’ salaries – most of them aren’t paid much at all and like Olympic athletes, are on the bread line.

“We’re not looking to compete with sevens, we see it as an entry level event that will add to the sport.

“There’s always a risk with something new and people will think it’s a novelty. It’s up to us to convince people that it’s a product that will add value.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Join free

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | Episode 6

Sam Warburton | The Big Jim Show | Full Episode

Japan Rugby League One | Sungoliath v Eagles | Full Match Replay

Japan Rugby League One | Spears v Wild Knights | Full Match Replay

Boks Office | Episode 10 | Six Nations Final Round Review

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | How can New Zealand rugby beat this Ireland team

Beyond 80 | Episode 5

Rugby Europe Men's Championship Final | Georgia v Portugal | Full Match Replay

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

A
Adrian 23 minutes ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

6 Go to comments
T
Trevor 3 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

21 Go to comments
B
Bull Shark 7 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

29 Go to comments
FEATURE
FEATURE Why the All Blacks are serious about giving Sam Whitelock one last hurrah Why the All Blacks are serious about giving Sam Whitelock one last hurrah
Search