Search results

I understand, but I think it's ridiculous they now essentially have 2 sets of rules and that maybe it could be challenged. If I was a Samoan tight forward that had played a couple of matches for the All Blacks or Junior All Blacks a few years ago I'd be at least getting some legal opinion...

That's not the case. Anyone that meets the stand down period requirements and has a passport for another country can switch their eligibility for both 7's and 15's provided they play 4 world series legs or other Olympic qualifier events. It would be completely ridiculous for a player to play 7's...

I would like to see it sped up a bit to stop the trend of players getting bigger and bigger. Rugby has a nice balance between being a power game and a skill game, but I think maybe it's slightly too much on the power side at the moment.

What I'm suggesting is that it's perhaps unfair to be able to switch eligibility only through 7's rugby. WR (World Rugby) shouldn't have two sets of eligibility rules. It should have one set of rules across all its competitions.

Quick Hands, the resistance I can see would be from the Northern Hemisphere clubs, as you'd be playing more internationals during their season rather than after it as is the case now with the June tours. I think the most sensible idea would be for the Europeans to align their season with...

But it effectively allows players to switch their allegiance for 15's too. It's unfair that Nanai-Williams can change his eligibility so he can appear at the world cup while a prop or a lock can't. Especially given it comes down to a panel's decision. If I was a tight forward in this situation...

It's unlikely to happen but I think it would be so much easier if the 6 Nations and Rugby Championships (and any other similar competitions) were played at the same time and that top level club/franchise/provincial rugby around the world wasn't played at all in that window. But it won't...

I wonder if world rugby's restriction could be challenged legally by some Samoan prop. If a back has the ability to switch their allegiance then it seems unfair that a tight forward can't.

The problem with the Pacific Nations Cup is that it's played in the June window over just 3 weeks. It means either you do a proper round robin, with teams playing games every 4 days (as happened in 2013), or you split it in two and have no proper result (2014). Either way it's not fully...

They also had a very short preparation, and the team only plays a few matches every year with their best players. The All Blacks played well and crushed them. But the All Blacks have beaten tier 1 teams with similar score lines before. And I don't think the scoreline would be the same if the US...

I agree Braveheart. I just think that it's possible to come up with a format that would ensure short term financial stability while opening the door further for the likes of Japan, USA and Canada to become part of the Rugby Championship. I mean the All Blacks have already shown these markets are...

Then IMO they would be lacking in vision and far too concerned about current playing standards and their own world rankings. These are much bigger potential markets than the SANZAR markets. New markets that SANZAR can expand into and gain significantly from financially. It takes time to develop...

If expansion into Asia and South America is successful, and if North American rugby becomes aligned with SANZAR at least at test level, then I think we'll be able to continue paying top players to stay in Australia. And if expansion into Asia and America is really, really successful, then it's...

Would mean games could go a lot longer. Plus I guess it would make it even easier for teams to slow down play and get a breather. Rugby has become more and more of a power game as it is.

I said decade and a lot can happen in 10 years. I'll bet that all these countries are competitive by that point. By 2025 Japan will have been involved in Super Rugby for 9 years. North America may have had its own professional competition for 7 or 8. 10 years ago there were hardly any...

There are a couple of different groups planning to start professional competitions in America in the next couple of years. Maybe in 10 years these competitions could become conferences of Super Rugby. Though they may just stay separate. Either way I fully expect to see the USA, Canada and...

The only way, IMO, is through successful global expansion of the SANZAR competitions. Best case scenario is the Japanese super rugby team is a huge success and all the giant corporations of Japan and elsewhere in Asia start throwing money at Super Rugby. Then including Japan and America into...

It's not that much more. These stats are from Super Rugby in 2012, but the average amount of time spent on penalty goals was 10.55 minutes. Average time spent setting scrums was 13.49.

Well I was just going by what Brett McKay wrote on the Roar. How do you have this figure? And what is the average in Super Rugby and Club rugby? IMO the justification is not just in added ball in play, but more action inside the 22's. At least that is my impression. Would be good to see a...

Amen. Think about Asia alone for a second. If the first Japanese team is a success then that paves the way for an Asian conference. Additional Japanese teams and teams elsewhere. We've already seen how close the Singapore based Dragons got to getting the license this time. They clearly have the...