Premiership Rugby issues statement criticising World Rugby's 2020 Test match window
Premiership Rugby bosses have criticised World Rugby’s “unilateral decision” to stage extra Test matches in December and called on the game’s global governing body to come back to the negotiating table over the sport’s rescheduling in light of the coronavirus pandemic.
English top-flight chiefs are taking exception to World Rugby plans to stage the southern hemisphere Rugby Championship between November 7 and December 12.
English teams would lose their southern hemisphere Test talents for one week of club fixtures and the first weekend of the Heineken Champions Cup, with next season’s Gallagher Premiership campaign slated to start on November 20. It has left the domestic English governing body, Premiership Rugby, urging global bosses to think again.
“In response to Wednesday’s statement from World Rugby in which a temporary international calendar for 2020 has been recommended, Premiership Rugby urges further discussion to find a calendar solution for the global game as a whole to allow the 2020 season to be played out,” read a Premiership Rugby statement.
“Exceptional circumstances have been created for sport by the Covid-19 pandemic, and discussions between the Premiership and the RFU on how to accommodate the needs of the international and club game in England during the global pandemic have been progressing positively.
Could the English and French clubs be the spanner in the works?https://t.co/lWI20ZPX8j
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 22, 2020
“Premiership Rugby now urges World Rugby to restart the global discussions to unify the unions and professional leagues and agree to a temporary plan that works for all. We regret World Rugby’s unilateral decision to impose changes in the international calendar on our clubs through a temporary amendment to regulation nine when progress is being made with the RFU to reach a compromise for the benefit of all.
“The confirmation from World Rugby that any change to regulation nine is a temporary measure for this year only, and will not be used as a precedent for future calendar changes on a similar basis, is welcome.”
World Rugby on Wednesday confirmed plans for an extended autumn Test schedule to run from October 24 until December 12. This set of fixtures would allow for the completion of the postponed Six Nations, and also a number of autumn Test matches.
Premiership bosses have reacted with frustration, however, insisting their own talks with the Rugby Football Union (RFU) have been constructive on how best to complete the complex fixture puzzle. The delayed 2019/20 season will restart on August 14, with top-flight clubs able to complete the campaign blighted by the pandemic.
The 2020/21 Premiership season will then start on November 20 in a bid to be completed ahead of the British and Irish Lions’ July 2021 tour to South Africa. Premiership Rugby chiefs have now moved to assert some authority, insisting the organisation has reached the limit of its flexibility when it comes to scheduling revisions.
“Premiership Rugby and its clubs have already offered compromises and agreed to stretch the current international window from four weekends to six, offering a solution that would allow the completion of the Six Nations tournament, accommodate an extra game with England vs Barbarians, and allow for the four international matches in the November window,” continued the Premiership Rugby statement.
“The Premiership has also agreed to start the 2020/21 Gallagher Premiership Rugby season during the 2020 international window, on 20 November, to allow the campaign to be completed before next summer’s Lions tour. So a further temporary amendment to regulation nine, which governs player release for Test matches, for weekends in December, would have a further impact on the Premiership and needs to be avoided.”
Tensions rising in France https://t.co/kumY4Dt8NA
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 23, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
Beautiful 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 commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to comments