Re-design the Nations Championship for the growth of rugby, not as a Tier 1 cabal
As Sir Bill Beaumont and Agustín Pichot both vie for the mantle of chairman of World Rugby, it has become apparent how strikingly similar both candidates’ bids for the role are, despite being painted in a contrasting light, with the Nations Championship, or variations upon it, still at the heart of both men’s plans.
Described by one media outlet as the “dinosaur versus the dynamo” earlier this week, both candidates want the same thing – to grow the game – and many of their promises, such as creating a more diverse World Rugby Council, a global season, strengthening the nations of Tier 2 and below, and improving player welfare, are more or less identical.
Pichot has leaned heavily on the prospect of developing a video game that would rival household names such as FIFA, Madden and NBA 2K, and though something that would undoubtedly grow the sport, it remains to be seen how viable that is, without buy-in from one of the major developers. His latest idea is to incorporate rugby kits and emblems into Fortnite, as a way of engaging new fans. Whether that is a level of insight rugby has been missing, or patronising to assume players of the game could be swayed so easily, remains to be seen.
Given the similarities in their approaches, video game politics aside, it seems odd that Beaumont and Pichot would still cling so fervently to the idea of a Nations Championship, something which was arguably the most unpopular development of the pair’s previous tenures as chairman and vice-chairman respectively.
Whilst a great move for Fiji and Japan, who would have emerged from the Tier 2 pool of nations to join the stalwarts of the game in the Six Nations and Rugby Championship, it only further cut adrift nations such as Georgia, Uruguay, Spain and the remaining Pacific Islands. Their exposure to a higher standard of opposition would have vanished in an instant. No more trips to Twickenham, no prospect of the promised tours to the Pacific Islands by England and France.
Promotion and relegation may as well have not even been included, such were the permutations around the concept, which could not occur in a Rugby World Cup or British and Irish Lions year. Then factor in the varying trajectories of development that teams from the top league of the competition would have in comparison to the second tier and the prospect of movement between the two would be extremely slim, even for the most optimistic of critics.
Then you come to the Rugby World Cup itself, the biggest and brightest jewel in the sport’s crown. It is a competition which, for many nations and for World Rugby itself, keeps the sport living and breathing. If you start crowning the world champion every year, with the Nations Championship even having a semi-final and final stage, then you dilute the one thing that rugby arguably excels at, with little controversy or criticism, in this showpiece event. It is the one time the world is watching the sport, not just the hardcore and devoted fans, and you want to take away from that?
And yet here we are, with both candidates again pushing the concept, albeit both admitting that it would have to be a “revised” version of the initial proposal. Well, here is a potential revision, forget Tier 1.
Tier 1 nations are big enough and ugly enough to look after themselves at this point and the sustainability of the game in those countries should be down to their governing bodies. They’ve had long enough now in the professional era to know the way of things in this sporting landscape and how best to ensure the game flourishes within their borders. If they do not, that is, with all due respect, their own problem.
Both candidates want to grow Tier 2 and the global support of rugby outside of its heartlands, so focus the Nations Championship on those territories. Create a global and annual championship for those outside of the Six Nations and Rugby Championship, using the periods of those two competitions to play out the internal fixtures within the Nations Championship, whilst keeping the July and November windows free to continue playing Tier 1 nations.
In recent years, World Rugby made great strides in increasing the amount of Tier 1 versus Tier 2 fixtures moving forward, not to mention pushing for the Pacific Islands, Japan, Georgia and Canada all to host tours from Tier 1 nations. It is not worth sacrificing this for any form of Nations Championship, assuming the actual goal is to grow Tier 2 nations to the point where they can consistently compete with Tier 1 sides.
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A Tier 2 Nations Championship, consisting of Japan, Hong Kong, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Namibia, Georgia, Spain, Portugal, Uruguay, Canada and the USA initially could be based in a northern hemisphere nation for the first block of fixtures in February and March, before decamping to the southern hemisphere for the fixtures in August and September. Home and away fixtures are also an option, but logistically, especially if World Rugby funding is provided, bringing the competition to singular locations could cut costs for participating nations and create an atmosphere and excitement that only major tournaments normally provide. Depending on their respective hemispheres, they would then have international matches to host domestically in July or November.
What better way to force the Rugby Championship’s hand than to see Japan or Fiji excelling in this tournament and the tournament’s growth in terms of quality on the pitch and interest from broadcasters? Similarly, how do you show the Six Nations that Georgia or Spain are ready to come to the party? You let them showcase it in a tournament such as this, which would be a more competitive environment than Tier 2 sides are used to, as well as a route to grow fan interest and subsequently revenues and participation.
At this point in time, Japan should be a Tier 1 nation. They have the infrastructure, player pool and potential for growth that only a few Tier 1 sides can match, and why the Six Nations or Rugby Championship are not bending over backwards to include them is baffling. Give the Brave Blossoms three games in February against their Tier 2 rivals, and then the same again in July. Have them host sides in November and go on tours to Tier 1 countries in July. That is a formula, beyond their obvious Rugby World Cup successes, to show everyone watching that they are ready for more.
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In 10 or 15 years’ time, that’s what we could also be saying about Spain or the USA if given a pathway to sustainable growth, rather than being further cast out by a Tier 1 cabal, which is essentially what the Nations Championship would have created in its former guise.
If financially viable, a Tier 3 championship below that could be formed, or regional tournaments could take place, with a centralised playoff, as teams such as Brazil, Russia, Romania and the Netherlands compete to join the Tier 2 competition.
Neither Beaumont nor Pichot can afford to dismiss or anger the Six Nations and Rugby Championship nations, as they are, after all, the kingmakers in this election. That said, a plan to push forward and grow the game at the Tier 2 level, potentially in this revised form of a Nations Championship, is not something that would adversely affect them. In fact, the Six Nations would almost certainly support the concept, as it would allow them to continue with their championship in its current format, one which has been proven to work, engage fans and in turn be extremely lucrative.
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There would potentially be less support from the Tier 1 nations of the southern hemisphere, with the Rugby Championship, commercially at the very least, sitting very much in the shadow of the Six Nations. The original Nations Championship was viewed by plenty in the southern hemisphere as a way of getting a slice of the money on offer in the northern hemisphere. Any significant move to strengthen Tier 2 financially through a designated championship could, perhaps, even be seen as a threat by the SANZAAR unions.
With those unions reportedly backing Pichot in the upcoming election, Beaumont is positioned perfectly to push for a Tier 2 Nations Championship, should the growth of the second tier and below be something that he really wants to achieve.
Both Beaumont and Pichot have described the Coronavirus outbreak as an opportunity for rugby to reset and realign, and, amidst the chaos it is causing, they are not wrong. This is an opportunity for rugby to get its ducks in a row and move forward more harmoniously, but that is not an excuse to rehash bad ideas that were rightly condemned.
Rugby is a small sport and the only way it can be sustainable in the long-term, in a marketplace dominated by football and US sports, is if it grows. The old Nations Championship concept was not one of growth, it was one of ringfencing and protecting interests. This proposal for a Tier 2 Nations Championship might not be the answer, either, but it is certainly an improvement on what came before.
Comments on RugbyPass
No surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
9 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
9 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
9 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
9 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
9 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
2 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
3 Go to comments