Proposed Nations Championship

[Rugbynutter39]

Here's another reason why USARugby aren't capable of hosting in 2027. Apparently the org. is so broke that they could only afford to run one session heading into the AB test. And that was the Captain's Run. If true there's little wonder they got flogged. Though they did score tries against the ABs which they've never do before or so I've read.

But what is important in the US Rig y landscape is MLR and what it is doing. It has a unified development plan designed to get Rugby in more schools. And each club is provided with clear incentives to invest youth Rugby within their regions as well as establish pathways via Academies to provide a deeper talent pool. All of this does take time. And 10 years seems fairly reasonable.

Yeh USA rugby financial perils well known so I see no chance of 2027 hosting vs Australia. But yes MLR going from strength to strength and if they get in schools and only a fraction say - still offers huge room for growth. The MLR entry criteria for clubs joining seems solid as well so solid basis for expansion.

 

[Dan54]

Here's another reason why USARugby aren't capable of hosting in 2027. Apparently the org. is so broke that they could only afford to run one session heading into the AB test. And that was the Captain's Run. If true there's little wonder they got flogged. Though they did score tries against the ABs which they've never do before or so I've read.

I have read similar in another post in another forum also by an Australian poster, that USA only had 1 training run. I saw a news item of them training early last week, and haven't seen this anywhere else, so is it something that Oz press has come up with or just a internet thing? (sounds like a Morgan Turunui thing to me)
I would never read too much into how broke US are, I saw Hamish McLennan on a tv interview say that RA were considering going amateur just after he took over because they were so broke, perhaps just a Hamish thing to show how much he has rescued them etc, but RA did get a $5 mill hand out from WR (World Rugby) to keep them afloat too, so things like that can get fixed fairly quickly I think.
Yep you were right about first tries scored againt ABs, and also biggest margin US vere beaten by ABs etc etc.

 

[RebelYell]

I have read similar in another post in another forum also by an Australian poster, that USA only had 1 training run. I saw a news item of them training early last week, and haven't seen this anywhere else, so is it something that Oz press has come up with or just a internet thing? (sounds like a Morgan Turunui thing to me)

What does that even mean? Morgan is one of the best tactical judges of the game in the southern hemisphere and universally fair in his appraisal of other teams.

 

[Dan54]

What does that even mean? Morgan is one of the best tactical judges of the game in the southern hemisphere and universally fair in his appraisal of other teams.

Of course I like Morgan myself, and always take notice of his judgement of players etc ,he just amused me on Rugby heaven when he would say my contacts have told me etc, usually when they were a bit wrong. Never about teams but what he hears about behind scenes etc.

 

[RugbyReg]

according to my contacts.....this whole event was subsidised by event management company (as per the Ireland test) which included covering the costs of both teams including appearance fees.

 

[kiap]

RA did get a $5 mill hand out from WR (World Rugby) to keep them afloat too

Again, I think you'll find this is not comparable.

What WR (World Rugby) transferred after the onset of COVID to T1 members, including RA, was a combination of RWC distributions already owed (brought forward) and then loans *repayable*.

USAR went through Chapter 11 bankruptcy, with not all creditors repaid.

 

[Dan54]

Don't worry mate, I just trying to stop myself being convinced that Oz will get it wiyhout probs. As I said I want it going there, as I thinking it my best chance to get to WC while I young? enough to enjoy it, so I tend to look what I think others will do do stuff it up.
By the way WR (World Rugby) didn't transfer $5mill to T1 nations, only those in bad financial position, and understand it was done as loan, or an early payment of what was coming. NZR certainly never got anything, or any others that were financially sound.

 

[Joe King]

perhaps just a Hamish thing to show how much he has rescued them etc,

Or perhaps just a Dan thing to bring Hamish's reputation down to the level of his Kiwi counterpart.

 

[Dan54]

Or perhaps just a Dan thing to bring Hamish's reputation down to the level of his Kiwi counterpart.

Naa Joe outside of Aus I don't think he is very highly considered, just as maybe his kiwi counterpart isn't in Aus, though not sure how many would even know his kiwi counterpasts name without looking it up. Most outside of forums don't know the names of anyone running Rugby Unions etc anywhere in the world.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

So apparently there's a fifth model & it's the one WR (World Rugby) & CVC (who now own 1/7th of the 6N) prefer:

* biennial (presumably in even-numbered years when there's no RWC or Lions)
* 6N top-four in one Group, RC top-four in another (implying RC would be expanded)
* second tier Europe & Pacific Groups with (automatic?) promotion/ relegation
* SH/ Pacific Groups host 2 x 6N/ Europe teams in July, visit the other 2 in November
* playoffs also in November (so always in NH one imagines) over three weeks (implying QF, SF & GF/ playoffs for 3rd & possibly 5th, shit why not 7th & 8th as well)
* November window extended by a week, 6N window loses a week, July window stays the same

So on current standings etc it's;

6N Group: Wales, France, Ireland, Scotland
RC Group: NZ, SA, Australia, Argentina
Europe Group: England, Italy, Georgia, Spain
Pacific Group: Japan, Fiji, USA, Samoa

World Rugby consider 'north v south grand final' as part of Nations Championship

A revived Nations Championship in 2024 could see the All Blacks meet the top side from the Northern Hemisphere in the final.

www.stuff.co.nz

I'd hope there'll be at least a third & ideally a fourth tier so the likes of Germany & Namibia have something to sim for. You probably wouldn't go straight to automatic promotion/ relegation between tiers two & three but that should be the long-term goal imo.

 

[KOB1987]

England in 'the Europe Group'. Yeah, can see that happening.....

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ start-date isn't until 2024 so England would surely back themselves to be in the 6N Group, as will France. The opposition/ sabotage will come from Italy & the Celts.

 

[Derpus]

WR (World Rugby) can't even enforce the international windows that already exist. Chances of them successfully aligning all these competing stakeholders is exactly 0.

 

[KOB1987]

^ start-date isn't until 2024 so England would surely back themselves to be in the 6N Group, as will France. The opposition/ sabotage will come from Italy & the Celts.

Sure, but if the RFU are to sign off on this thing there will almost certainly be a 'never to be in the Europe Group' clause attached.

 

[KOB1987]

The simplest way to do it would be to base it on World rankings at the time (or a given time before the tournament to allow for the draw) and have a grand slam type comp. First round 1 v 9, 2 v 10, etc down to 8 v 16. Winners go through and the losers go to the Cup/Challenge comp. Not much chance of an upset that way, the alternative would be 1 v 16, 2 v 15 down to 8 v 9 which could result in a few upsets but also bigger blowouts.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ seems pretty clear they want all the pointy-end games to be NH v SH so I'm guessing certain 6N & RC games will also count towards the League standings/ seedings & Rankings will only count towards RWC seed banding.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Sure, but if the RFU are to sign off on this thing there will almost certainly be a 'never to be in the Europe Group' clause attached.

The solution is fairly simple then. Go to a 16 team 1st division. Four pools of 4. Two north and two ROTW. Home and away. And then progress into the finals/ranking round that will also go toward determining which pool for the RWC you end up in. Use the Cup, Plate, Bowl, Shield format for the respective divisions. With the Shield being the relegation zone. This way every team gets 8 games under this structure. If they really wanted to they could even eliminate the Shield and run a 8 team finals series to involve the blockbuster match ups and use the Bowl divisions as the relegation one for the 1st division in order to better drive revenues.

Below that run a 16 team second division with the same format with the added benefit of the Cup winner gets promoted and the 1st Division bottom placed team relegated. Below that look to use the respective regional competitions as the 3rd division. Again in 4 nation groups (this would require Asia and Oceania/Pacific to be combined into the Asia-Pacific but at this level I think it would work) with the respective winners of each playing in a mini-tournament held in one location to determine the overall winner and promotion.

From their, WR (World Rugby) can expand the RWC to a 24 team event. This way we get a unified competition involving 48 nations. One that makes the T1 Unions happy while providing the mobility of promotion/relegation and the flexibility to expand the divisions as needed in time. Best of all it wouldn't require any overlap with the likes of the 6Ns or RC. So those organisations can make their own commercial decisions separately while still participating in this structure that would be run in the June/July and November windows.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

NZH, citing SMH as the source, says 6N & SANZAAR will meet soon to discuss at comp similar to cricket WTC:

Rugby's new competition to crown world champion every two years

Rugby could be a step closer to crowing a world champion every two years.

www.nzherald.co.nz

 

[Derpus]

No 3 match tours doesn't sound great. They are more fun than the tired old Championship.

 

[sunnyboys]

No 3 match tours doesn't sound great. They are more fun than the tired old Championship.

however we have had ALOT of B teams sent down here over the decades. at least with this model every test earns points and unions would be more likely to send top teams.
when i lived in London i loved Nov rugby test season... so many different match ups all played in a 3 week window. great afternoons at the pub.