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Surely if it's something like an 8-9 month sabbatical they'd be sticking by him, plus these are global brands and he'd be returning in mid 2026 with huge publicity. But let's go with Leicester or a French club then. There's no way he'd do it unless he's going to be earning more money than he...

RA could partner with Sale Sharks on a deal. He plays for them for the next season, lives in or near Manchester with Mary Fowler and learns the game under a bit less pressure than he'd have here. Leicester could be another option as it's only a couple of hours away and a bigger club. Comes back...

I agree it's a decent and fair sporting outcome, but I don't think it's ideal from an entertainment perspective. Surely peak sport is a super close high jeopardy match or series that ends in extreme elation and devastation in equal measure! A draw takes away that emotional climax. There's a...

I think it's better to have a winner than a drawn series, and something like golden point is better than most alternatives. But I don't like the rugby penalty shoot out as the decider if no one scores in the golden point period. I'd probably prefer something like a golden try, where every 3...

Given there won't be an actual Champions Cup in those years it's probably more accurate to call it a qualifying pool stage for the world cup. They essentially have to qualify twice - first by finishing high enough in the domestic leagues and then through their qualifier pool. Whereas the 7...

I think it's great. I'm guessing given the 8 European/South African teams will come from an earlier pool stage that the world cup part will just be a straight knockout from the round of 16? Or has there been mention of a 4x4 pool stage?

Something like 2-3 American players per team on development contracts (funded by WR (World Rugby) and/or other sponsors) wouldn't make any difference to the comp or fan interest (and a few foreign imports in Aus and NZ teams has never hurt). They'd probably barely play any Super Rugby minutes anyway, it'd...

There's been a few articles recently about a potential West Coast US based team joining super rugby. Hopefully RA and NZR realise this is an insane idea that has very little chance of working. That said, I do think it's in our collective interests to help try and boost the sport in the US...

Hong Kong also played the Brumby Runners on the weekend losing 55-14. On the positive side, it's an improvement on last year when they lost 65-0. But World Rugby will have to put a lot of work into them over the next 2 years if they qualify for the world cup (which is expected).

I'm imagining more that there could be an under 85kg world cup one day that we all get into (perhaps with a different name, like Middleweight Rugby or something along those lines). Focusing on this division, for some nations, may be a lot more realistic than trying to develop a forward pack to...

I see that the Sri Lankan test team is playing two matches against the NZ under 85kg team this weekend and next. I hadn't thought of weight graded rugby as a potential growth avenue for the sport before, but maybe it could be. Especially in Asia. In combat sports the middle weight categories...

They'd only get under the skin of existing fans. To rile up the whole country it'd be better for the poshest English members of the squad to start bagging Australia for all the obvious things we'd get defensive about.

This stuff is good. The other thing that would really move the needle is if a couple of the Lions players or coaches take on the role of villain in the media. They'd just have to complain about everything and everyone, sledge fans and players, the country etc.

Nothing new on the 'Rugby Future Fund' announced late last year, just restating the $100m goal. When they did all the publicity for it they'd raised an initial $12 million. I'd assume it hasn't been as successful as hoped otherwise they'd mention it.

Proof of concept could even just be 1 week, 2~ hours each night. Single round robin and finals. Decent cash bonus for the winners and/or some other perk.

I think that longer format was imagining a more traditional sporting league with all teams traveling around playing home and away. Whereas for the RPL the games will be 23-30 minutes in total duration, but it'll still be all teams playing at the same venue. They wouldn't want to go too high with...

https://www.thestatesman.com/sports/rugby-premier-league-to-start-on-june-1-with-six-teams-30-foreign-players-1503416276.html

Apparently 16 minute matches divided into four quarters, with the clock being stopped 'for each transgression, decision, and injury.' Will be interesting to see if it finds a tv audience in India. Seems like the right sort of idea for a sevens league, short and sharp over a couple of weeks with...

At one end of the spectrum they don't have much trouble recruiting many thousands of construction and service workers from poor countries, and at the other they also don't have much trouble recruiting highly paid professionals from western countries either. A couple hundred rugby players...

I think the player market is probably big enough, especially if they're only recruiting for 1 or 2 teams each rather than for a league of teams in each country. I'd think South Africa would be the primary source of talent. If you think about the size of their player pool they have relatively...