NZ opposed US in world league – report

New Zealand Rugby reportedly rejected the involvement of the United States in the controversial World League proposal.

World Rugby sparked outrage last week when leaked plans for the World League revealed the exclusion of the likes of Fiji, Samoa and Tonga, as well as an increased workload on players.

The proposed format included top 10 ranked teams along with Japan and the US because of their commercial value.

However, The Times has reported America’s involvement was ‘‘unanimously rejected’’ on a conference call between World Rugby and executives from NZR and Rugby Australia last week.

The Times added that all parties opposed the US on nonsporting grounds. The US are ranked 15th after losing to Uruguay 32-25 last week.

Ahead of a meeting in Dublin next week, World Rugby has released a statement detailing a competition model which includes promotion and relegation,

with ‘‘opportunities for all teams to compete at the top level on merit’’.

‘‘Under this model, the Pacific Islands and all teams outside the current 6 Nations and The Rugby

Championship would have a potential pathway,’’ the statement said. ❚ Global competition to debut in 2022

❚ 6 Nations, Rugby Championship and British and Irish Lions completely retained and protected as jewels in the calendar

❚ Two-division, merit-based format with promotion and relegation and a potential pathway for all unions

❚ Two conferences comprising the 6 Nations and The Rugby Championship (where two tier-two teams would be immediately added to make six in total)

❚ Each team plays the other 11 teams once either home or away with points accumulated throughout counting towards a league table

❚ Top two teams from each conference would play crossconference semifinals, followed by a grand final

❚ Running in two of the four years in the Rugby World Cup cycle (not running in a World Cup year and truncated version in a Lions year)

❚ World Cup to be enhanced as the pinnacle global event, potentially moving to 24 teams in 2027