World Rugby

OldRio

I'm always fascinated with information and story's like this. Madagascar Rugby

https://twitter.com/Benjamin_Watch/status/1635915735724597248?s=20

sydthebeat

i remember reading and being astonished about rugby in sri lanka previously.

According to International Rugby Board figures, there are more than 103,000 rugby players in Sri Lanka, making it the second largest rugby-playing nation in Asia, behind Japan. A client of mine previously coached the national team over there, winning 2 Asian nations cup with them

https://gayanjith.medium.com/the-rise-of-the-third-sector-of-rugby-dadf7b6edaf3

realhorrorshow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120361865#Comment_120361865

I've watched a good few highlights of Sri Lankan schools rugby, the standard seems excellent.

pickarooney

I think both countries are just hampered by naturally small physiques and no money. The player and fan base alone should make them competitive otherwise.

OldRio

So much for 'emerging nations'

https://twitter.com/JonnyLewisFilms/status/1637949662756847616?s=20

pickarooney

They'll get meaningful games against Australia, Fiji and Wales this autumn

Lost Ormond

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120382763#Comment_120382763

in world cup. outside of world cup they wont.

Lost Ormond

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120382853#Comment_120382853

to expand on this point about Georgia. they have played full international tests against the 6 nations on 22 occasions and 6 of those tests have been in world cup group games. They have won the top tier of ENC for 13 of last 16 tournaments and came 2nd in the other 3. In most other sports theyd be playing the top sides all the time

bilston

If Spain or Germany had had the success of Georgia over the last 20 years they'd have been welcomed to Tier 1 by now. Its a pity there isn't space for a Georgian team in the URC as that would be the next step for them I would think.

One worrying thing is the political situation in Georgia which won't help them.

On Madagascar, I remember reading years ago about how Rugby was the biggest sport there. Not sure what can be done for their development, they are currently 43rd in the world rankings so aren't even close to qualifying for a world cup.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120384141#Comment_120384141

The physical location of Georgia is never going to help it be attractive for a 6N spot either - it's a 6.5 hour flight from Dublin and is in a GMT +4 timezone.

Blut2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120384167#Comment_120384167

And they also have a tiny population (3.7mn) in a very poor country ($5k USD a year GDP per capita). So they're bringing very little to the table financially, especially in terms of TV rights.

The financials are the biggest reason we'll see South Africa in the 6N before Georgia (or anyone else).

sydthebeat

whats stopping there being "emerging ireland" games against georgia, or similar competitions such as the Autumn Nations Cup or the Tblisi Cup?

more focus on actual competitions like that would be far more beneficial to georgia, while this "tier 1" tournament is happening, than playing one offs against tier 1 european sides.

Lost Ormond

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120384274#Comment_120384274

These countries dont want those games and Georgias record to be fair deserves more than games against 6 nations emerging sides.

Dubinusa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120384336#Comment_120384336

That's true! But why can't the IRFU host a tournament with the likes of USA, Canada, ourselves and Emerging S.A? It gives young players and fringe players a chance.

sprucemoose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120384582#Comment_120384582

because when would they find they time to take players from their provinces in the middle of the season to play second-rate south african teams then?

but yeah i agree tbh

AbusesToilets

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120384274#Comment_120384274

I wish we had a Euro's comp, say 2 years before the WC. Could be a great summer tournament, give the REC nations a regular chance to play against the 6Ns teams in a competition format. You could still have the Lions. 6Ns teams could use it as a good chance to develop players and prep for the WC.

sprucemoose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120384867#Comment_120384867

sacrilege but....

i think the 6N should be every second year (lions and RWC years) and something like this should be in its place in the other years. it would never happen but i think it would be a good idea all round

AbusesToilets

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120385490#Comment_120385490

I don't hate that idea at all. Can't believe WR are seriously pushing for a plan that would effectively lock out Tier 2 nations for good

stephen_n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120385490#Comment_120385490

Not unless what ever happens on the years it’s off cab generate €55 million in revenue for the IRFU..

sprucemoose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120385672#Comment_120385672

well if there were some sort of pan-european tournament it would involve home and away games so it would probably get somewhere near that

it would never happen anyway, i just think it would be a good way of bringing some of the other teams into regular competition while keeping the 6N. id have the rugby championship do something similar too

stephen_n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120385717#Comment_120385717

Unfortunately turkeys don’t vote for Christmas. I can’t see any of the unions giving up on the cash that the 6N brings.

Though maybe a tournament with the 6N’s A teams and the developing European nations could be a runner. Like an expanded version of the Tiblisi cup that happened a few years ago.

Bobb Sapp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120385717#Comment_120385717

You could rotate say Georgia, Belgium, Romania in and out of the 6/7/8 Nations and keep the 6 current nations permanently in there.

I think the best way to do it is to create a second division in the URC with teams from around Europe, Argentina, Georgia and introduce them to the professional game in that way.

There will always be protectionists, but if it can be demonstrated to them that their revenue/place will not be threatened and that the introduction of new teams will just be an inclusive step without introducing relegation, then those people might buy into it.

sprucemoose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120385733#Comment_120385733

ive stated already that i dont actually think this will happen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120385769#Comment_120385769

i dont think rotating teams will do them much good tbh. italy have been playing better teams for 20+ years and it not showing much in terms of payoff yet, the teams mentioned only playing every 3/4 years wouldnt help them that much

anyway the LNR would most likely throw an absolute hissy if there was another international weekend

FrattonFred

Why not just hold a european cup every four years and ditch the 6Ns that year?

If WR are serious about developing the game, then a regular tournament is needed.

Blut2

The only change to the 6N likely to be made in the near/medium term future is an expansion to 7N to include South Africa. Because thats a huge financial winner for the existing 6 unions. They're not going to agree to any change that reduces income (like moving to a tournament every two years) when they're all struggling so much financially as it is.

The best the lower tier nations can probably hope for is a second tier competition running alongside the 6N at the same time (since players will be away from clubs then anyway) in the manner of the Challenge Cup with the Champions Cup. Georgia / Romania / Portugal / Spain / Russia or some similar combination, with a Friday night and Sunday evening game each week, could get a decent bit of traction.

Lost Ormond

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120387276#Comment_120387276

We already have the rest of Europe playing in international competition same time as 6 nations with promotion/relegation between all bar 6 nations and enc 1a. This has ran for years.

SA aren't joining 6nations Aby time soon. And for sake of everyone I hope they never do.

Bobb Sapp

With the nature of tests being only single digits a season it’s best to keep SA in the Rugby Championship timezone difficulties aside. That shouldn’t matter for 8 games a season. Isolating Australia and NZ isn’t good for the game. Japan should be included and it has the makings of a fantastic tournament. It makes sense on a club level to be in their/SA timezone however.

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120382091#Comment_120382091

There's nothing stopping Georgia from inviting a Tier 1 nation to the Boris Paichadze in November but instead they want World Rugby to do the legwork. The 6 Nations, Rugby Championship and Autumn Series didn't become the success that it is today by getting World Rugby to do their work for them while they sat back

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120388179#Comment_120388179

It's up to 11 games a season so not exactly single digits, good points though.

As it currently stands we have the 3 powerhouses of the Southern Hemisphere, SA, NZ, Australia in one competition and the 3 powerhouses of the northern hemisphere, Ireland, France and Scotland in the other and both competitions backed up by a few fringe teams. If we upset that balance we would have 4 teams in the north Vs 2 in the south and would also screw up the Autumn Internationals as you'd have the 4 6N teams competing for the 2 remaining SH teams

Not good for any country

OldRio

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120391180#Comment_120391180

You do understand that the tier1 nations will be playing in this hemisphere competition don't you?

Dubinusa

Maybe a cross hemisphere tournament every 4 years. I.E, 3 6nation teams play Oz, Japan, and Argentina. And S.A, N.Z and a pacific islanders team comes to the 6nations?

Regarding Europe, the Tblisi cup or something similar would be a runner. Say the Saxons. Wolf hounds, Georgia, Romania etc play a K.O competion?

OldRio

This hemisphere competition is supposedly every other year.

CIARAN_BOYLE

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120391469#Comment_120391469

The problem of course that no one talks about is that Georgia is willing to demand their status as a tier 1 nation without accepting compromise.

They sent out second teams for the Tblisi Cup until they decides they didn't want to be on the level of second teams and cancelled the tournament.

They turned down a visit from Fiji to Georgia last November.

Georgia need to engage constructively with world rugby.

pixelburp

Funny how this thread started as a means to promote small little success stories of the sport worldwide ... and it invariably turns into another discussion over What of Georgia? 😂

Problem for this long-time lurker, and mentioned already, would come down to simple economics: were Italy Georgia when they took those scalps back in the late 90s, those where the clamour to join the 5 Nations became too loud to ignore, I'd say we might still be watching 4 rounds of games every year. Easy too to forget Romania's purple patch during ... what, the 80s? And nothing came of that either.

Georgia are a tiny country; have a tiny, relatively impoverished economy; their political situation now teetering on despotism; and if they were any more further from Central Europe they'd officially be in the Middle East. There's not a single economic or marketing advantage to them joining whatsoever - and ultimately that's gonna drive the conversation. It's sad, cos arguably they're now where that 90s Italian team was WRT to ability - but Georgia aren't a G7 nation, they have nothing to give except an occasional shock result.

As another poster said, were Spain or Germany at the level of Georgia, it'd have turned into the 7, 8 Nations donkeys ago. May yet: Spain (and Portugal) appear to be making strides while still having far to go yet; were it not for ballsing up player eligibility twice (right?), Spain might have already had a chance to play in 2 World Cups. By all accounts I've enjoyed watching those teams play, they can play entertaining rugby at times. Something needs to change in European T2, T3 rugby - but seems like too many suits have too much to lose by changing things.