Questions the 'League of Nations' will have to answer
Rumours have sprung up this week out of France to suggest that there could be a large scale shake-up of international rugby on the cards.
The proposed change would introduce an annual tournament between the top 12 teams in the world, split up into pool and knockout stages.
Whilst there have been cries for change for the last number of years, these requests have typically been to better align the Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere seasons at both domestic and international levels – which begs the question: what does this ‘World League’ hope to achieve?
Having an actual trophy to fight for come November does add a little bit more of an incentive to winning the end of year tests, but the potential tournament does seem to be geared more towards giving some extra game time to the Tier 2 teams that have been starved of regular, high-quality opposition.
Whatever the purpose of the tournament, we have some questions that need to be answered before we can really buy in to this potentially massive change to the game.
How will the teams be decided?
If rumours are to be believed and the competition will be battled out between four pools of three, it will be curious to see how these twelve teams are decided. If it’s based on world rankings, then at present you would see the five home nations, the Rugby Championship teams and Fiji, Japan and Tonga competing in year one.
The world rankings, of course, are fluid by their very nature, so it seems unlikely that these twelve teams would be guaranteed permanent places in the competition. Using the rankings would mean that the competition would have new nations involved every year, with the Pacific Island teams, Japan, Italy and the Tier 2 European teams likely swapping places regularly.
Of course, if the tournament takes place every year then we would hope to see the competitors for each year’s competition confirmed as early in the piece as possible to avoid scheduling issues. As it stands, most international fixtures are at least partially locked in a year or two before the matches take place – with many of the June tours finalised at the start of the World Cup cycle. Scheduling would certainly be considerably easier if the competing nations remained constant from year to year, but this throws up a number of other problems.
With the expectation in place that the competition would change Hemispheric host each year, one other possibility is to include the core nations every year (i.e. the home nations and the Rugby Championship teams) and then bring in other sides based on where the competition is located.
Perhaps when England host the competition we would see the likes of Italy, Georgia, Romania and the like taking part, with the Pacific teams getting involved when the competition is hosted in the Southern Hemisphere.
Whichever way the competition goes, it’s important that we aren’t left with the same old teams competing every year, continuing the sequence of the strongest teams growing stronger and the Tier 2 nations being left out in the cold.
How to avoid international rugby growing stale?
The Six Nations attracts a huge audience year after year. Say what you will about the quality of the rugby on display, but the competition is always a tight affair and pundits will pay ample money to watch from the stands or from their couches at home.
The Rugby Championship, in contrast, is stuttering along with questions regularly asked about what value there is to the tournament.
Although there is the odd upset from time to time, it’s almost a given every year that the All Blacks will take out the trophy. Arguably the biggest difference between the Rugby Championship and the Six Nations is the level of competitiveness. Rarely is it easy to call who will win the Six Nations before the tournament commences.
There are other problems too.
Australian fans are dwindling, rumours emerge every second week that South Africa are considering other options, and Argentina have finished bottom of the log in almost every championship they’ve taken part in.
Arguably, the most exciting international matches in the calendar are the tours in June and November – and that’s largely because of their novelty. When the same teams play each other year after year, you can’t help but get a little bored. Though we’ve seen the odd quirk in the schedules (for example, Australia playing England four times last year), the current timetable has meant that we’ve seen at least some variation between matches from year to year.
Any sort of World League must preserve the variability of the one-off international matches; if New Zealand and England play each other every year, the fixture will lose some of its lustre. Signs so far point to a knockout style tournament – which should at least ensure that we’re not seeing the same teams playing one another all the time. Any sort of tournament would have to maintain this structure to guarantee that matches are still savoured by the fans.
What does it mean for the World Cup?
Simply put, a World League would completely undermine the current World Cup setup – but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. When considering the teams who are actually capable of winning the World Cup, there are only really three matches at most that matter – the finals.
It’s almost a given that New Zealand, South Africa and the other true contenders will always make it out their pools (though let’s not forget England 2015), which means the pool stages of the competition are all but pointless. Given how low the overall standard is, some of the pool matches barely even count as legitimate warm ups.
With the very real possibility of World Cup expansion on the cards and dilution of quality all but guaranteed, maybe it’s time that a new competition is introduced that really pits the best against the best? That’s not to say the we shouldn’t maintain the World Cup as showpiece tournament, bringing in countries from all over the world and growing the game, but there’s certainly room in the calendar for a real ‘champion of champions’ tournament with only the highest quality allowed to compete.
Perhaps the rumoured competition is merely that – just a pipe dream conjured up by some higher ups to create a bit of a stir. One way or another, we’ll hear from World Rugby soon and the picture should clear up. Regardless of what happens, any new World League style competition will need to put a few people’s fears at ease before it can be rolled out.
In other news:
Comments on RugbyPass
SBW is fast becoming a laughing stock, his misplaced comments & lack of insight Is actually pretty sad.
3 Go to commentsJust well you guys are couch 🛋 potatoes selector's, picking a team of greenhorns to play England! “What are you people smoking?” The halfbacks will be Christie, Fakatava, Perenara Props; Newell, Bower, Lomax, Tunga'fasi, Hookers; Asosa Amua when fit, Taylor, Samisoni,
11 Go to commentsQuite frankly, all this is a bit pathetic. The first time Wales get the Wooden Spoon in 21 years and everyone is on the bandwagon for a ‘play-off’ game. Wales have no obligation to Georgia and no obligation to the rest of the Six Nations to play such a game. If they want Georgia in so badly then they need to include South Africa into a Northern Hemisphere competition with 2 leagues of 4 teams with the top 2 competing for the Championship. Sadly, this will end Triple Crowns and Grand Slams forever. Is this really what you want?
4 Go to commentsI think Finau to start Blackadder to come on. Poss Prokter instead of Ioane, haven't seen much from Reiko so far this year.
11 Go to commentsJoe will have had a good chat with Dave Rennie, a smart move to begin with while it’s doubtful Fast Eddie will be consulted? Plenty of Aus players hitting top form so they should go OK.
3 Go to commentsMmm. Not sure I like this article or see it as necessary.
3 Go to commentsBlackadder but no Finau! 😀 It’s Razor so you are probably right, plus Taylor at 2…
11 Go to commentsThe strongest possible AB side would actually include Aaron Smith, Bodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Leicester Fainga'anuku, Shannon Frizzel.. don’t get me started on the rest of the injury hit brigade that got flung on the heap so left. Many a whole not getting filled as of yet.
11 Go to commentsI don’t think anyone knows what Schmidt will do, one thing is certain it ain’t gonna be all the picks we on the keyboard will think. My impression of him is that he will be looking at who can step up and what is the best combination. He will ignore individuals as he looks for guys who can build a powerful team and not just guys who can make a flashy run or ignore the winger as they want to score themselves.
3 Go to commentsSome dumb selections there. Not Porecki Not Donaldson Not Gordon Not Lonegran - both Not Nic White - Fines instead Not Liam Wright Not Paisami Definitely not Vunivalu Other than that not bad.
3 Go to commentsI've never been convinced that Patty T is a test match all black. Otherwise I probably agree it's the best side available to beat the poms. Caveat that Codie Taylor is yet to be seen and could very likely warrant selection by June. I hope that Razor brings the young loosies, half backs and locks into the training squad and develops/ selects the best
11 Go to commentsYou doing the same thing I disliked about the example of Samisoni Taukei'aho, Nick. He’s great the way he is, you’re trying to do what modern-day coaches frustrate me doing, turning everyone into the perfect athlete. Next thing you’ll be telling me you’ll bench him until he’s hit that arbitrary marker, and can’t overtake the current guy who’s doing all his workons. He’s a young Kieran Read, through and through, plays wide and has threat, mainly (and evident in your clips) through his two hand carry and speed. Just let him work on that, or whatever he wants, and determine his own future. Play God and you risk the players going sideways, like Read did, instead of being a Toutai Kefu. I mean I was in the same camp for a while, wanting our tight five to have the size, and carry ability, as the teams they were getting beat by. Now I’m starting to believe those teams just have better skilled and practiced individuals, bigger by upwards of 5kg sometimes, sure, but more influentially they have those intrinsic skills of trust and awareness. Basically our guys just didn’t know wtf they were doing. Don’t think I’m trying to prove a point here but hasn’t Caleb Clarke been in much better form this year, or does he just ‘look’ better now that he’s not always trying to use his size?
44 Go to commentsThe pack lacks a little in height for the line out and I wouldn’t be completely convinced by some of the combinations till we see it in action.
11 Go to commentsThe side is good but lacks experience. International playing bona fides udually trumps super rugby form for good reason. And incumbents are usually stuck with. Codie Taylor should start or come off the bench. B Barrett will start at fullback. Blackadder has not earned the position, Finau has. TJs experience and competitiveness earns him a starting role, Christie or Ratima off the bench
11 Go to commentsPretty good side. Scott Barrett should be the captain. Ethan Blackadder a great choice at blindside. He is going to go from strength to strength having made a couple of starts for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson rates him highly. Perenara could start a no 9.
11 Go to commentsI question and with respect. Was enough done over the last few years to bring through new blood knowing the Whitelocks and co couldn’t last forever. There should have been more done to future proof the team. New squad new coach, he and they weren’t set up well. IMO
6 Go to commentsJacobsen will definitely be in the 23
11 Go to commentsLots of discussion points, Ben, but two glaring follies IMO: 1. Blackadder at 6. Has done nothing so far this season to justify his selection. Did you see him going backwards in contact at the weekend? Simply has not got the physical presence at 6: we need a Scott Barrett or a Finau (or wildcard Ah Kuoi), beasts who are big enough to play lock, like Frizzell. If Barret played at 6, Paddy could be joined at lock by Vai’i or one of the young giants we need to promote, like Darry or Lord (if he ever gets on the field). Blackadder best left to join the queue for 7. 2. Not even a mention for Christie? Ratima gets caught at crucial times at the back of the ruck when he hesitates on the pass. The only way he starts would be if Christie and TJ are injured.
11 Go to commentsWhat a dagg in more ways than one
6 Go to commentsRegroup come back next year but sack some of the coaching team and don't be like the ABs last minute sacking. If Crusaders don't do well ABs don't do well.
5 Go to comments