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'Rebel isn't a word I'd used for this': 12s boss fights his corner

By Liam Heagney
(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Former England rugby boss Ian Ritchie has insisted Tuesday’s launch of a new World 12s tournament isn’t a rebel action mirroring some previous attempts to corner a piece of the rugby pie. Ever since rugby voted to go open in 1995 and become a fully-fledged professional sport, there has been regular stories about interests outside World Rugby trying to force their way into the market.

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World Rugby has somehow managed to retain its authority as the sport’s overall global ruling body, but its ability to fuel the game financially has often been questioned and the launch of an ambitious World 12s tournament that aims to create revenues of £250million in five years is the sort of innovation that World Rugby has been accused of lacking. 

Backed by an anonymous UK-based financial consortium that is bankrolling the 12s concept, Ritchie, the ex-RFU boss who was also in charge of Premiership Rugby, has now re-emerged as chairman of World 12s where is joined by non-executive directors, ex-New Zealand union boss Steve Tew and former Welsh union boss Gareth Davies. 

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Their ambition is that the tournament, set to be played for the first time in England next August, will feature 192 men’s players from tier one and tier two nations to be picked via auction to represent eight franchises consisting of squads of 24 who will be overseen by established coaches – and they are adamant that the event complements the existing global calendar and not detract from it. 

Finding support will be an interesting challenge. It’s one thing to row in Steve Hansen and Jake White, a pair of World Cup-winning coaches, as ambassadorial cheerleaders and quite another to make the concept work with the unions and clubs that pay the stay players their wages and who control what they can and can’t do.

A veteran of numerous meetings regarding the global calendar and other regularly troubling issues affecting the progress of rugby, Ritchie was adamant that World 12s should be regarded by World Rugby and other governing bodies as a friend, not a foe and he insisted he was looking forward to the negotiations ahead to make the new event happen with rugby’s global stars reporting for duty. “We want World Rugby approval whether we formally or officially need it,” he said at the virtually held media launch.  

“This is a collaborative venture so we very much want to engage with World Rugby, we want to engage with the unions and the clubs so this is something we want to achieve in an agreement. Rebel is not a word I would use for this. This is not a rebel. Most of the people on the call would not necessarily describe themselves as rebels. This is something we want to do on a collaborative and friendly basis and that is our objective.

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There are a lot of stakeholders and this is the beginning of the process. We want to consult. We have talked to some people in advance of this, but that is only the beginning of the process. We all know that the calendar and player release are going to be issues of difficulty but the overwhelming point is does rugby need to embrace change, embrace innovation? 

“What we are wanting to do now is start the serious process of further negotiation and consultation. Some people that we have spoken to undoubtedly see how positive an idea this is. Many people said this when I first raised it with them, ‘We have been waiting for this for rugby and that is the general view’. So what we hope is people will listen to change with an open mind, will recognise the positive nature of what we are bringing to the party here and will engage and embrace. 

“When you introduce something into most sports, that change is difficult to achieve but it is right to start the process now, to begin the serious business of talking and getting an agreement… we think we stand a good chance of getting that done. 

“We think that getting eight franchises, getting 192 of the world’s best players and eight of the world’s best coaches into a format is going to be truly exciting. The difficulties are there. I speak with feeling having sat in global calendar discussions over the last few years. We know how difficult it is but testament to our two board members, Steve Tew and Gareth Davies, we hopefully can enter those conversations and get a result. All innovation has its challenges, has its difficulties and this is the start of the process. This is an idea really worth progressing for rugby.

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“Everybody I speak to in rugby loves the game. I hope everyone would recognise this is a seriously good idea to try and promote it. We need to make it sufficiently financially interesting to get them involved and get them to agree. This is a voluntary situation. This is not something that falls in the international window. 

“We have no ability to force people to agree with this. We have two things: Isn’t this a cracking idea, isn’t this something that rugby should be doing? And by the way, we recognise totally that you need some financial recompense in order to release the players and for the players to play. I absolutely get all of that and that is what we need to try and develop but all of us on this call think this is really worth a shout.”

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Trevor 56 minutes 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.

21 Go to comments
B
Bull Shark 4 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.

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