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Laporte outlines plan to replace Champions Cup with a new Club World Cup

By Online Editors
Laporte has won the Champions Cup with Toulon.

French Rugby Federation president Bernard Laporte wants to introduce a new Club World Cup tournament to replace the Champions Cup, claiming the showpiece European competition is not generating enough income.

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Laporte, who is hoping to be elected World Rugby vice-chairman next month, says he has already held discussions about the proposed new tournament with World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont.

His Club World Cup idea would see 20 teams from the northern and southern hemispheres compete in a new six-week tournament.

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The tournament, which would include teams from the English Premiership, the French Top14, the Pro14 and Super Rugby, would run every year except World Cup years, and would also include one team each from the United States and Japan.

Laporte told French newspaper Midi Olympique that the introduction of a Club World Cup would help recover some of the losses incurred by the current Covid-19 pandemic, which has brought the global rugby calendar to a standstill.

“This crisis must push us to be innovative. Let’s make this new competition, I’m sure that the public, partners and televisions will follow,” Laporte said.

“I’ve been working with Bill Beaumont on the restructuring of the international calendar in order to standardise the windows reserved for national teams. And, in fact, create a new window dedicated to clubs, which would allow the creation of a new international competition: the Club World Cup.”

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The structure of the tournament would see the 20 teams divided into four groups of five, before qualifying for quarter-finals, semi-finals and a grand final.

The make-up of the Club World Cup would include four teams from the Top 14, four from the Premiership, four from the Pro14, six from Super Rugby, as well as the league champions from the United States and Japan.

The Club World Cup would take place across June and July, allowing the remaining northern and southern hemisphere fixtures to be played out as normal later in the year.

“The European competition is magnificent,” Laporte said.

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“With Toulon I was able to lift the trophy three times (as head coach) and I know what it can represent. But let’s be frank, it doesn’t generate enough income. If we want to develop this Club World Cup, we have to find dates. Without the Champions Cup, nine weekends are available.”

Watch: Episode 2 of Investec Super Rugby Isolation Nation.

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Trevor 2 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.

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B
Bull Shark 6 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
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