The USA would be a fine host for the 2027 RWC - but don't expect a replica of Japan 2019
Despite the freak weather that played havoc with the schedule over the final weekend of the pool stage, the decision to host the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan has so far been a considerable boon to the global game. It is therefore unsurprising that murmurs have already began to surface about the effect that hosting the 2027 RWC in the USA could have.
Historically, the Rugby World Cup has tended to rotate on a hemisphere basis. From the inaugural tournament in New Zealand and Australia to the 2015 edition in England, the Rugby World Cup has bounced between rugby’s powerhouse northern and southern hemisphere nations, as World Rugby have played to their staunch and traditional supporter base.
That has changed somewhat this year as the tournament has gone to Japan, another northern hemisphere nation, after it was last hosted by England. The tournament will stay in the northern hemisphere in 2023, too, as it is set to be played in France. Admittedly, you could argue that Japan’s rugby is more strongly tied to the southern hemisphere than it is the northern, but it also shows a changing pattern as rugby becomes more at ease with its status as a professional and increasingly global sport.
World Rugby are, completely understandably, driven by financial incentive. Cynics can wag their finger at this and talk about the values of the game, something which should certainly not be lost, but if we, as fans, media and players, all want the game to grow, World Rugby need to have the money to support and build the game in the tier two and tier three countries. Keeping the tournament in the northern hemisphere and in some of the world’s biggest economies aligns with that goal.
With that in mind, hosting the 2027 tournament in the USA would make a lot of sense. The country has the infrastructure and economy to accommodate it and the battle to grow the game in the world’s biggest sports market is one that rugby is perpetually waging, with varying levels of success. To host the sport’s showpiece event could go a long way towards winning that battle.
Continue reading below…
Watch: The scenes following Japan’s historic win over Scotland in Yokohama
That said, there needs to be a tempering of expectation, especially when comparing the potential rewards with those that we are currently seeing in Japan. The USA and Japan are two very different sporting nations.
Despite the size of it, the USA’s sports market is relatively saturated. You have the ‘big three’ of American football, basketball and baseball, followed up by ice hockey and the increasingly popular soccer. Rugby is a long way off breaking into that top five, and that’s before even considering the array of individual sports that thrive in the US, such as athletics, tennis and golf. Unless moved, the Rugby World Cup would also clash with the regular season of the NFL, not to mention the beginning of the NBA season and the conclusion of the MLB playoffs. In Japan, rugby is a more established team sport and although it doesn’t have the mass appeal that baseball or soccer do, it has an ability to grow and embed itself as one of the country’s most popular pastimes.
Going hand in hand with that bloated sports market, the USA also has less history of rugby than Japan and is not currently producing players of the same calibre as the pathways in Japan are. There is a strong university competition at select colleges and the Major League Rugby competition is showing promising signs in its infancy, but there is a large gap to close on Japan, if the Eagles are to start blooding players of the same ability levels as the Brave Blossoms. That ability to be competitive has been key to the Rugby World Cup being so embraced by the Japanese people.
An incredible skill set on this man #RWC2019 pic.twitter.com/Qjqsc38x3H
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 15, 2019
If Japan were not beating the likes of Scotland and Ireland and making it to the quarter-finals of the competition, would we be seeing viewing figures of roughly 60m for their crunch game at the end of the pool stage? Would there be the euphoric scenes in the streets of Japan as fans celebrate their team’s clean sweep of the group? Tournaments are often made by the successes of the host nation and Jamie Joseph’s side have so far delivered with aplomb.
For the USA to be able to replicate that feat in 2027 – as well as pick up a morale-boosting scalp in 2023, if to completely mirror Japan’s path – then the players that are coming through their pathway now and that are beginning to be blooded, would need to be the players who the side relies heavily on in eight years’ time, once they have built up experience in the Test arena. Earlier this year, the USA weren’t even involved in the World Rugby U20 Trophy, the second tier age-grade competition, as their place was taken by Canada, with their North American rivals having won the two-legged qualifier. Over the last eight years, Japan have always been in at least the Trophy competition, as well as three appearances in the top tier Championship.
This is not to say the US shouldn’t host the 2027 tournament, just that we cannot expect for the scenes in Japan, of an enraptured fanbase revelling in the success of their team, to be replicated. The rugby programme in the US is simply not at the level that it is in Japan currently, nor is it at the level that it was in Japan seven or eight years ago. There is plenty of scope for optimism, though if not tempered, it will only lead to disappointment.
Japan’s next steps forward should be for the national team to join a tier one tournament, for the new proposed domestic competition to come into being and for the age-grade pathway to cement themselves in the Championship, having taken the place of Scotland for the 2020 season. If the country and JRFU can achieve all of those things, Japan suddenly becomes a whole lot more self-sustainable as a tier one rugby nation and efforts at World Rugby can be switched to cracking America.
A few positional changes… (Special mention to the whole Japanese team) #RugbyWorldCup #rwc2019 pic.twitter.com/JdFW3AQBnD
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 15, 2019
There is no doubt that, even if the Eagles were to struggle in 2027, hosting the tournament would provide a big boost to the sport’s popularity. Embracing these substantial economies is the only sure-fire way for World Rugby to be able to keep funding the likes of Fiji, Samoa and Tonga, nations who have given so much to the sport but who cannot realistically compete with the larger countries in terms of financing and infrastructure.
It would be disappointing for the southern hemisphere nations, particularly Argentina, who have yet to host, and South Africa, who haven’t hosted since 1995, but there is increasingly little space in professional sport for sentiment. Ultimately, it is money that dictates things and for as long as we want a global and professional sport, there doesn’t look to be much chance of that changing.
Working in those nations’ favour, however, is the fact that the USA won’t be ready to be the force that Japan currently are in 2027. That would make Argentina or South Africa appealing hosts in eight years’ time, before potentially moving the tournament to the US in 2031, a time when, touch wood, the Eagles would be able to be competitive at a higher level.
Let’s hope that the legacy of this year’s tournament in Japan is one of significant growth in popularity and participation in the country, freeing up World Rugby to focus its resources elsewhere, such as a long-term plan to help the USA get up to similar level.
Watch: New Japanese club competition planned post-Rugby World Cup
Comments on RugbyPass
I wouldn’t spend the time on Nawaqanitawase! No point in having him filling in a jersey when he’s committed to leave Union. Give the jersey to a young prospect who will be here in the future.
4 Go to commentsIt was a pleasure to watch those guys playing with such confidence. That trio can all be infuriating for different reasons and I can see why Jones might have decided against them. No way to justify leaving Ikitau out though. Jorgensen and him were both scheduled to return at the same time. Only one of them plays for Randwick and has a dad who is great mates with the national coach though.
53 Go to commentsBrayden Iose and Peter Lakai are very exciting Super Rugby players but are too short and too light to ever be a Test 8 vs South Africa, France, Ireland, and England, Lakai could potentially be a Test player at 7 if he is allowed to focus on 7 for Hurricanes.
5 Go to commentsPencils “Thomas du Toit” into possible 2027 Bok squad.
1 Go to commentsDon’t see why Harrison makes the bench. Jones can play at 10 if needed, and there is a good case for starting her there to begin with if testing combinations. That would leave room for Sing on the bench
1 Go to commentsWhat a load of old bull!
1 Go to commentsOf 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 commentsIrish Rugby CEO be texting Andy Farrell “Andy, i found our next Kiwi Irishman”
5 Go to commentsI certainly don’t miss drinking beers at 8am in the morning watching rugby games being played in NZ.
1 Go to commentsThis looks like a damage limitation exercise for Wales, keeping back some of their more effective players for the last 20/25 minutes to try and counter England’s fresh legs so the Red Roses don’t rack up a big score.
1 Go to commentsVery unlikely the Bulls will beat Leinster in Dublin. It would be different in Pretoria.
1 Go to commentsI think it is a dangerous path to go down to ban a player for the same period that a player they injured takes to recover. Players would be afraid to tackle anyone. I once tackled my best friend at school in a practice match and sprained his ankle. I paid for it by having to play fly-half instead of full-back for the rest of that season’s fixtures.
5 Go to commentsJust such a genuine good bloke…and probably the best all round player in his generation. Good guys do come first sometimes and he handled the W.Cup loss with great attitude.
2 Go to commentsWord in France is that he’s on the radar of a few Top14 clubs.
5 Go to commentsGet blocking Travis, this guy has styles and he’s gonna make a swift impact…!
1 Go to commentsWhat remorse? She claimed that her dangerous tackle wasn’t worthy of a red! She should be compensating the injured player for loss of earnings at the minimum. Her ban should include the recovery time of the injured player as well as the paltry 3 match ban.
5 Go to commentsArdie is a legend. Finished and klaar. Two things: “Yeah, yeah, I have had a few conversations with Razor just around feedback on my game and what I am doing well, what I need to improve on or work-ons. It’s kind of been minimal, mate, but it’s all that I need over here in terms of how to be better, how to get better and what I am doing well.” I hope he’s downplaying it - and that it’s not that “minimal”. The amount of communication and behind the scenes preparation the Bok coaches put into players - Rassie and co would be all over Ardie and being clear on what is expected of him. This stands out for me as something teams should really be looking at in terms of the boks success from a coaching point of view. And was surprised by the comment - “minimal”. In terms of the “debate” around Ireland and South Africa. Nice one Ardie. Indeed. There’s no debate.
2 Go to commentsThere’s a bit of depth there but realistically Australian players have a long way to go to now catch up. The game is moving on fast and Australia are falling behind. Australian sides still don’t priories the breakdown like they should, it’s a non-negotiable if you want to compete on the international stage. That goes for forwards and backs. The Australian team could have a back row that could make a difference but the problem is they don’t have a tight five that can do the business. Tupou is limited in defence, overweight and unfit and the locks are a long way from international standard. Frost is soft and Salakai-Loto is too small so that means they need a Valentini at 8 who has to do the hard graft so limits the effectiveness of the backrow. Schmidt really needs to get a hard working, tough tight 5 if he wants to get this team firing.
4 Go to commentsSorry Morgan you must have been the “go to for a quote” ex player this week. Its rnd 6 and there is plenty of time to cement a starting 15 and finishing 8 so I have no such concerns.
2 Go to commentsGreat read. I wish you had done this article on the ROAR.
2 Go to comments