World Rugby labelled ‘cartel’
WORLD RUGBY has been described as a ‘cartel’ in a growing row over the game’s new Nations Championship and its treatment of developing countries.
From 2026, a 12-team competition will take place in the existing July and November Test windows.
The Six Nations teams, the four Rugby Championship countries – New Zealand, South Africa, Australia and Argentina – and two more (most likely Fiji and Japan) will contest the tournament when it begins.
Relegation and promotion will be introduced from 2030 but until then, Georgia, Samoa, Portugal and Tonga will be excluded, despite the World Cup demonstrating the promise they have.
Portugal won hearts and minds for their performances in France and claimed a famous win over Fiji. Samoa lost narrowly to England.
Such exclusions have drawn accusations of there being a closed shop among the established rugby powers. ‘This is great for anyone who’s inside the tent, but for anyone who’s out, it’s not,’ Dan Leo, the former Samoa forward, told Mail Sport.
‘Promotion and relegation in the Nations Championship for 2030 is a long way from now. Anything could happen between now and then. With the way things are going financially, can Pacific island nations like Tonga and Samoa ride out those seven years? There is no guarantee those countries can survive till then.
‘Even if they do, there’s no guarantee of being the one team to be promoted. We don’t have many options other than to go with what World Rugby puts on the table at the moment.
‘The only way I can see to change things is for the Tier 2 countries to break away and set something else up with the hope it can become financially viable and a bit of a competitor to World Rugby.
‘It’s a disgrace. World Rugby has been referred to as a cartel at the top that protects itself.
‘That’s always been the case. They’re the kings of gaslighting as well. It’s frustrating.’
Bill Beaumont, the chairman of the world governing body, said: ‘We must, and will, do everything we can to provide greater certainty and opportunity of regular high-level competition for these teams. They are central to our discussions on a reimagined international calendar that will benefit the many, not the few.’