EXCLUSIVE: World Rugby respond to allegations that Tier 2 nations 'handicapped' at World Cup
World Rugby chiefs have dismissed claims smaller nations will be “handicapped” at next year’s Rugby World Cup in Japan with less recovery time between matches compared to the game’s leading countries.
Pacific Rugby Players chief executive Dan Leo is fronting a campaign to get Tier 2 nations more representation on the World Rugby Council and remains adamant the system is fundamentally unfair despite Samoa being handed a place on the game’s ruling body.
World Rugby is sidestepping direct conflict with Leo, but it is understood they believe significant improvements to the treatment of Tier 2 countries has been instigated, making next year’s World Cup the fairest yet staged.
The counter argument from World Rugby is based on the view that the 2019 tournament has the most balanced playing schedule of any World Cup and they point to the fact that hosts Japan (20) and Tonga and Namibia( both 18) are amongst the teams with the most rest days between Pool matches.
Unlike the 2015 World Cup staged in England, no Tier 2 nation will face a Tier 1 nation after a shorter rest period. In total there will be just two periods of four rest days for Tier 2 nations compared to nine in 2015.
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Leo insists that the Repechage winner that will emerge next month from the play off between Kenya, Germany, Canada and Hong Kong will be an example of an unfair system as they will get less time to prepare for Pool B where they join New Zealand, South Africa, Italy and Namibia. However, World Rugby insist the winner will have the same 18 days to play their four Pool games as double champions South Africa.
However, Leo remains steadfast in his view that not enough is being done and said, “While the awarding of Samoa’s council vote would certainly be a step in the right direction and testament to the campaign, it is certainly not mission complete by any stretch of the imagination
“What the world of sport needs to focus on is that even if the Samoa news is confirmed, there could still be six tier two unions competing at the Rugby World Cup next year who have no seat on the main political body, no vote for the chairmanship and even have no representative on the game’s many committee structures.”
“As a result of this lack of political representation, there is no pushback when Rugby World Cup organisers effectively handicap these tier two countries out of the tournament by giving them a much harder schedule than the richer tier one unions who have the permanent voting majority.”
Watch: Dan Leo Life After Sport
Comments on RugbyPass
Let’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
4 Go to commentsThe URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
1 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
4 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
4 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
4 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
4 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
4 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
38 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
4 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
2 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to comments