New World Rugby Calendar and World Cup format

ArmaniJeanss

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121278785#Comment_121278785

A minor point which you may already know.

I believe its actually spread over 3 years not 2.

So 2026 would be the first 6 fixtures you mentioned.

2028 would be the final 5 fixtures (plus final).

Nothing in 2027 (RWC) or 2029 (Lions).

Start anew in 2030 finishing in 2032.

*****

Though of course in say Lions years there will still be traditional Summer and Autumn tours taking place with the same fixtures.

lalababa

I'm just waiting for them to play a snippet of rock music at a slow ruck...or maybe a firework? Boom!

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121279231#Comment_121279231

"This lineout was brought to you by GATORADE"

"It's what plants crave"

Lost Ormond

Delighted the world cup is expanding but combined with the nations League it's a real poor day for those outside the 6nations and rugby championship who based on this just show they ultimately don't care about expanding the game and are only interested in protecting themselves.

The sport is shooting itself in the head with this.

Absolutely idiotic decision

The Parish King

Also been announced that the 2027 RWC draw will take place in January 2026.

The main reason being that they need to wait until the end of the calendar year to ensure all nations have played the same amount of games, and they believe that Jan 2027 would be too late.

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121279170#Comment_121279170

Yeah that's what I meant by spread over2 years

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121279412#Comment_121279412

I've seen a few suggestions that the T2 nations could join together and create 6N/RC style tournaments. Similar to how the 6N and RC started. Good idea to let them stand on their own two feet maybe

Shehal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121279440#Comment_121279440

They'll still find some way of ensuring Ireland play one of FRA/SA/NZ in a QF though wont they...

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121279937#Comment_121279937

You are aware that is just bad luck on our part yeah?

Lost Ormond

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121279902#Comment_121279902

Like in europe where there is the european nations cup which has multiple divisions with promotion/relegation and then there is the pacific nations cup for fiji, tonga etc. These sides play more than enough games against each other already. what they need is far more games against the top sides

bilston

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121278785#Comment_121278785

I understood the games are played over one year.

The Six Nations in 2026 would double up as World League games as well. Ireland wouldn't play 6Ns teams twice.

5 games in the Spring followed by 3 matches in June and 3 in November, so 11 games in 2026.

Then no tournament in 2027 because of the WC, hopefully there would be cross over between Tier 1 and Tier 2 during the world cup warm ups.

Another World League in 2028, and no tournament in 2029 where there would hopefully be cross over matches between Tier 1 and Tier 2.

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121280383#Comment_121280383

The problems with that setup is the home/away fixtures in the 6N in 2026 will be the same in 2028, also the RC teams play each other twice in the competition. Not saying it's impossible but there's changes needed there

bilston

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121280414#Comment_121280414

Good point on the home and away aspect for the 6Ns

thebaz

absolutly stupid increasing WC to 24, should be reduced to 16 , to get rid of the Namibia/Romania hammerings and increase overall quality.

Think the new tournament is needed , probably see Ireland win it, and if we can't win a WC knockout game at next WC , maybe its time to stick to GAA,

Lost Ormond

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121280590#Comment_121280590

What backward thinking. This world League is terrible for growing the game. Reducing the world cup Is even worse. An expanded world cup is great for everyone as most sides will stay at 4 games but we can see a better distribution of pool games and the pool stages can be played over shorter period.

Augme

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121278988#Comment_121278988

But the worry is that the tier 1 teams who do have that depth are the ones who will be able to do. I can see the gap between tier 1 teams getting bigger tbh.

SA and NZ have the depth to heavily rotate a last 16 game. England less so. You'd have the opposite effect on what happened on Saturday, you have a full strength well rested SA team playing a English team who haven't been able to rest. It's hard to see how this format doesn't massively benefit SA and NZ tbh.

bilston

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121280590#Comment_121280590

I think the World League will help improve the weaker countries like Namibia and Romania, they'll get more exposure to the likes of Tonga and Samoa which won't hurt them.

bilston

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121280659#Comment_121280659

But provided there are guaranteed cross tier matches in the non World League years, and Alan Gilpin stated this would be the case, then surely this is better than the status quo, maybe not perfect, but what is perfect?

thebaz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121280659#Comment_121280659

Your backward thinking - wanting more Namibia and Romania hammerings , is that really positive for the game in those countrys ??

even Italy were barely competive in this World cup,

Rugby does not have the global appeal for a 24 teams tournamnet , wish it did , but thats the reality - so less of the backward thinking ****

Tommybojangles

I'm impressed Boards has a bit of debate on this topic, social media (as expected) a complete pile on of negativity.

I have no issue with the world league idea. I see a lot of talk about Tier 2 countries being 'Shut out' but the reality is more regulated games against each other which are set in stone will be more beneficial to them than more opportunities to be hammered by an Ireland development squad. Uruguay and Portugal playing Tonga and Samoa or whatever every 2 years in competitive games is a step in the right direction.

I dont see it devaluing the world cup either as some have suggested. As the soccer nations league showed, a tournament that broad over such a long time isn't going to capture the mind the way the world cup does. It just firms up the schedules.

The expanded world cup sounded like a terrible idea to me and I'm not a fan of any "best 3 third place" or whatever kind of set ups, but to be fair the system does seems to allow more teams in while actually cutting down on the amount of hammering and pointless games.

Also looks like the 6 Nations will be ring fenced and I'm happy about that (although this makes me "Everytbing that is wrong with the game" according to some guy on twitter 😆)

Of course the promise of more cross tier games in RWC and Lions years is key and hopefully this does happen.

Downlinz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121278330#Comment_121278330

This is the most disappointing aspect of the proposal since it's effectively different rules for different teams who don't meet the status and wealth of the old guard.

Makes it very difficult for the game to grow long term for Fiji, Japan or any future promoted team when they know no matter how well they do in the competition they could be relegated if they finish behind the other "guest" team.

Lost Ormond

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121280692#Comment_121280692

No I want more sides to play more games. The 6 nations and rugby championship sides need to play sides outside these competitions far more often

This proposal doesn't do that. Reducing a world cup doesn't do that. Many of the top nations are struggling financially. They won't improve if they just keep playing the same sides and don't look to expand to newer markets/more countries. Romania and Namibia getting hammered by Ireland or New Zealand is better than them never playing these sides at all

Rugby does have he global appeal to expand its Premier tournament and reducing its main tournaments profile certainly isn't good for the game

Lost Ormond

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121280729#Comment_121280729

The problem is many of the non 6 nations/rugby championship sides already play often enough against each other. Its far more games against the Irelands, England's, new zealands of this world that they need and his proposal doesn't help with that.

The sport needs to expand to grow. Some of the top unions are struggling financially so keeping games within those sides alone isn't a good thing. We need to get more teams up to a competitive level at the top tier. Closing off opportunities for tier 2/3 sides to play rugby championship sides and 6 nations sides won't develop the sport more or make world cup more competitive

thebaz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121280894#Comment_121280894

Well your wish has been answered, the WC is expanding - I just dont see what constant hammeringd does for the game in Namibia or Romania.

Portugal made a huge effort, and were rightly rewarded.

Meanwhile Namibia and Romania (and Italy) just showed up, made up the numbers and were fodder -

anyway , doesnt matter decision made. and if that relegation rumour is correct that the Big 10 cant be relegated , thats is shocking and elitist.

pixelburp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121280929#Comment_121280929

But there'll be fewer hammerings by dint of how there'll be fewer Pool games in the first place; and said pools will take less time so it won't feel so drawn out. Ye gods but 5 teams per Pool drew out that stage too much. Then add to that the fact 3rd place has even more value now cos of the increased knockout phase. And as a prior user showed, there won't be that many mismatches in the Last 16 either; in fact you look at those proposed games and there's lots of potential for cracking knockout games.

Honestly I think we're looking at fewer hammerings, not more. More teams yes, but smaller pools will mean more concentrated, shorter group stages. The 4th seeds may linger but suddenly the 3rd seeds will have a clear goal to play for.

I wouldn't despair for Italy cos there was something going on in that camp; even fans were shocked at how switched off they were. Something was up, though that's just my own view obviously. And Namibia are a convenient whipping boy but if they're the price paid for letting the actual upwardly developing teams get a better crack at the tournament, so be it. Not too excited about Africa getting another birth mind you, but we'll see where the 4 extra teams come from.

Podge_irl

6N/SANZAAR "own" the tier 1 competition, so there is absolutely no way they will allow any of their teams be relegated.

It's just formalised ring-fencing of nov/summer games. Its complete horeshit.

thebaz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121281535#Comment_121281535

agree, no consequence for poor perfomance , just elitist back slapping. As much as good performance should be rewarded , so should poor performance have consequence, regardless of what country that is - old habits die hard it seams.

pixelburp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121281535#Comment_121281535

And based on the last couple of years, unless certain Unions see a restoration of fortune, that ringfencing might yet prove to be farcical when ostensible relegation candidates are saved by the rules. Imagine a repeat of, say, the 2012 6 Nations and Scotland's sitting rock bottom. Georgia or whoever would be rightly incensed they still get dropped 'cos Scotland's too "important".

Anyway, a few years of half-empty stadia 'cos nobody wants to watch a re-do of a 6 Nations match, and you might see the format rethought quickly enough. Once the pivot is made to a global calendar, it would at least mean future wholesale changes aren't so painful.

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121281624#Comment_121281624

As above, I don't think there is any re-do of 6N matches. The general yearly format won't change, it will still be 6N in spring and SH matches in summer/autumn. We are just formalising that the summer and autumn matches have to come out of these other 6 teams - which is still boring.

Lost Ormond

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121280929#Comment_121280929

The constant hammerings will be reduced if the top unions played these sides more in between world cups.

Portugal did make a good effort and will only improve with more games against top sides