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World Rugby statement: Five Shape of the Game 2024 recommendations
The latest World Rugby Shape of the Game forum in London has put forward five recommendations for 2024 – speed and flow, language and perception, the women’s game, player welfare and well-being, and disciplinary process review.
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The annual forum is an opportunity for the game’s major stakeholders to consider the future of rugby by increasing its relevance and accessibility through law and marketing recommendations to advance spectacle and fan engagement.
Its latest recommendations will now be considered by World Rugby’s executive board and council.
A statement read: “World Rugby’s Shape of the Game forum in London has agreed on recommendations to reimagine the spectacle and grow rugby’s share of attention within an increasingly competitive global sports and entertainment market.
“With the game embarking on a new era of certainty with the introduction of new men’s and women’s global calendars from 2026, including new competitions such as the Nations Championship, and expanded Rugby World Cups, leading figures across the sport are united in driving forwards the entertainment value of the game through fan experience, laws and regulations reform.
"Fiji became everyone's second favourite team"
– Coming soon to RugbyPass… Exclusive interview with Simon Raiwalui reflecting on Rugby World Cup 2023 with Fiji, the reimagined 2024 Pacific Nations Cup, and his new job with World Rugby. #RWC2023 #PacificNationsCup #rugby pic.twitter.com/OMYxizZ2hC
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 28, 2024
“While previous editions of the Shape of the Game forum delivered issue-specific short-term advancements, the 2024 edition is an important milestone in a new law review cycle and had a specific focus on a central mission of driving fan acquisition and retention by increasing relevance and accessibility.
“Playing, coaching, officiating, competitions and fan experts representing five specialist committees (men’s and women’s high performance, professional game, professional leagues and community rugby) were challenged to think big, think long-term and think collectively. Importantly, the groups were urged to view the game through a fan-focused lens.
“Framing the discussions was a detailed review of the latest men’s, women’s and community playing, officiating and welfare trends as well as feedback from technology and audience experts and fans.
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“In particular, delegates focused on addressing barriers to fan engagement – dead-ball time, the elements that interrupt the flow of the game, technology, the terminology and marketing of the sport as a whole.
“The group agreed on the following key action areas for World Rugby to explore in collaboration with key stakeholders before a detailed plan is presented to the federation’s executive board for consideration.”
Shape of the Game 2024 recommendations
- Speed and flow: Focus on aspects that keep the game flowing including speeding up the ‘use it’ call by referees at the breakdown, removing repeated scrums options, expanding the remit of the shot clock, a review of the offside law from kicks, and explore moves to provide the scrum-half with greater space and protection at the base of scrum, rucks and mauls.
- Language and presentation of the game: A renewed passion and urgency to focus on building rugby’s attention share via a fan-focused view of how the game is marketed, a consistent approach to the presentation of the sport across all media environments, and a focus on the moments in the game that really engage fans.
- Women’s game: A dedicated focus on the women’s game and adapting laws, recognising the unique characteristics, strengths and opportunities that exist to attract a new audience.
- Player welfare and well-being: A player-driven approach to advances in welfare, including removal of the ‘croc roll’ and examining the breakdown.
- Disciplinary process review: Streamlining the sport’s disciplinary and sanctioning processes to aid efficiency, consistency and fan understanding.
World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont said: “Shape of the Game 2024 represents an important milestone in defining the future of our sport.
“It is born from a need and opportunity to grow rugby’s audience by considering how the on-field product and off-field experience can cement long-term growth within a new calendar that delivers long-term certainty of exciting content from expanded Rugby World Cups to new global competitions.
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“It is fantastic to see such a strong desire from all stakeholders – players, coaches, match officials, competition owners, unions and regions – to evolve the game to set us up for success, not just at the elite level, but at the community game. I would like to thank everyone for their forward-thinking and collaborative contributions.”
This is big 😲 #rugby #PacificNationsCup pic.twitter.com/OdjzjLNMmK
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 28, 2024
World Rugby chief executive Alan Gilpin added: “Rugby is in an attention economy. The attractiveness of the product in all its forms, combined with the excitement of the event experience, the content we create and stories we tell, is central to the sport’s growth as a whole.
“We will not look at actions or law tweaks in isolation, rather consider the changes we should make to definitively move the needle to make the game more relevant, attract new fans and deepen engagement with existing fans, and simplify the sport to make it more accessible.”
Comments on RugbyPass
ADP was having a very average game until winning that penalty for Toulouse, sticking his big head in the way. “The head of God”?
6 Go to commentsHarlequins doing their best to do as little damage as possible with all the possession. Looks like they skipped catch and pass drills this week.
6 Go to commentsSeeing pictures of Jacques high-fiving it with Irish players breaks my heart. Too soon. I need more time.
1 Go to commentsquins is all over the place. The minute they get the ball they panic. Quins can still win tho just need to win all rucks otherwise just don't bother.
6 Go to commentsGreat wins for the male & female kiwi sides. Ireland not far away..
1 Go to commentsWhy is this dude getting so much coverage? Usually knobs like this get cancelled.
2 Go to commentsWow. What was that? A 3 million word meandering article about what exactly?
1 Go to commentsNice piece of writing. And yes the Sharks pulled a rabbit from the hat and were a little lucky with that penalty try that wasn’t given… however the Sharks (with their resources) should be way more consistent and should be putting teams like Claremont away for breakfast. I expect more from them and hope they kick on now.
8 Go to commentsJust what the Sharks needed to get things going in the right direction Defence on the outside really creates havoc for the whole team and needs to be addressed.
8 Go to commentsWell done guys both teams will be ready to play knockout rugby.
1 Go to commentsSurprised that Ramos isn't starting at 15. But what a squad of galacticos!
2 Go to commentsWhy is it a snub? What journalistic garbage is that? Sure the guy is a great player, but there are plenty of loose forwards and not all of them can be Springboks. Also, I know of no-one who doubts Rassie’s judgment. South Africa has a conveyor belt of loose forwards that just keeps producing, so the competition is intense. I certainly wish him well, but there is no entitlement and there is no snub.
17 Go to commentsSkelton may be brought back for the Wallabies so that would be the only reason that may hinder Wilson. Easily the form, most skilful and game IQ of any Oz 8. Valentini’s best and favourite position is 6, but lineouts may be an issue with Skelton, Valentini and Wilson. Will be interesting what Schmidt goes for but for me Wilson should be picked on form. Schmidt rewards work rate, skill and consistency. All that glitters every so often won’t be in contention. Greely is one of those players that has a knack of making the right decision. A coach is going to love him because he knows week in week out he’s going to get the job done. The second try Greely wasn’t the guy who made the initial break it was Flook, Greely was at the bottom of the ruck when Flook was off along the sideline. Greely got up and made the effort to catch up with play but also read the play nicely and hit the pass from Campbell at pace and then held the pass beautifully to Ryan.
6 Go to commentsSpot on Ben. Dead right. Havili looked great at 10. Easily the highest rugby IQ of any NZ player these days. Getting a kick charged down is a result of getting used to adjusting your depth to the line at 10, which he will sort out with time. But other than that it was an outstanding first effort in that position this year. I think the NZ media has misunderstood this directive from Razor. Havili might rank behind B Barrett this year, but Beuden is 33 this month and won't last much longer. DMaC is great but flaky and not really a test match animal (his efforts in Dunedin versus Aus last year for example). If Razor can't have Mounga, DMaC is too unstructured for Razor (and is just too small for test rugby). Havili will end up our first choice first five, and in partnership with Jodie will be excellent. Two triple threat operators in tandem, and big bodies and tough tacklers to boot. Jordoe will be the ABs goal kicker. I am an Aucklander and Blues (and Warriors) fan, but Havili at 10 is going to be sensational in time… he can be the best first five in the world by the end of this year. No question.
6 Go to commentsSharks deserved to be far further back by the last quarter. Their tackling was awful, their set pieces were disappointing, their defensive organization was poor (especially on the Kok side of the D line), they kept making unnecessary errors, and they never looked like cracking the Clermont defense during those first 60m. Masuku kept them in touch, with some help from the Clermont generosity on penalty opportunities. Agree with the writer of this article. It was belligerence, and ability to raise their pressure game just enough, that turned the last quarter into a Bok-style shutout. Clermont have a reputation of not playing the full 80m, and there was a bit of that for sure. But, quite often when the intensity of a team drops off in the last quarter credit is due to the opponent for tiring them out. At 60m, with the Kok try, you thought that just maybe the game was on. At 70m, with the Mapimpi contribution, one felt that Clermont were fading, while facing a team that would maintain the pressure game through the final whistle. Good win in the end, but the Sharks are still playing way below their potential. And with their resources, and a coach that has had enough time to figure things out, they are running out of excuses.
8 Go to commentsGood riddance
1 Go to commentswel the crusaders were beaten by a queensland reds side that hadnt beaten them at home since 1999 and queensland reds partied like it was 1999
6 Go to commentsHard to disagree with the 5 points - with the exception that Wilson should be a squad member but, depending on the other loose forward selections, is not yet a shoo-in. McReight is. Aussie is looking a lot better this year and JS has some selection options. Also, Havili’s tendency to get caught, charged down is also a liability at times but he seemed focused (mostly) and is definitely a consideration for utility back-up. Still feel Reihana is a better prospect at 1st five for Saders.
6 Go to commentsYeah nah, still not sure on Havili tbh. Even though I’m a Crusaders fan through and through I’d be stunned if Razor considers him after seeing some of the stunning talent coming through up North.
6 Go to commentsThink it was a great defensive performance by Northampton. They didn't have stage fright in the first half, the Nienaber defense smothered them. They limited Leinster to 15-3 in the first half. It could have been over by then. A great try from Leinster in the start of the second half looked to have sealed it. But Byrne missed another conversion. Northampton started trying little kicks behind the Leinster wingers. Leinster messed one and Smith brilliantly made the conversion. Leinster decided to tighten the game after Byrne missed a straight forward penalty. A few errors got NH into the 22 and they scored and converted with a few minutes left. Another brilliant steal from Lawes saw NH have a final attack which was turned over by Conan. A classic semi final. World record attendance of 82,300. Leinsters 3 week preparation warranted for this one.
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