Players demand to have their say

International rugby’s leading players have demanded a seat at the negotiating table as the game’s global body attempts to hammer out a way forward for the test programme.

In their second significant media statement around World Rugby’s bid to realign the test calendar into a new global league – being called the Nations Championship – the International Rugby Players’ Council has continued to reassert its place in the scheme of things.

Previously, IRPC issued a strongly worded statement that outed World Rugby’s vision for the new global league and forced the governing body to rethink some of the fundamental concepts of its proposal. The players accused the organisation of falling well short around game integrity and player welfare issues.

Now, on the eve of a meeting in Dublin where the major national unions and player representatives will gather to discuss the latest version of the proposal, leading test stars have again came out with a statement that makes it clear they see themselves as central to any solution being hammered out.

IRPC said it was committed to the meeting today to discuss the latest version of the World Rugby proposal.

However, it they said it would be reinforcing some views it sees as fundamental to any new global championship being agreed upon.

Among those are calls for the players to have a permanent seat around the negotiating table and for their voices to be listened to as as rugby maps out its future for the test game.

Australian member, and Wallabies captain, Michael Hooper said following a conference call of the players’ council: ‘‘We want to be part of key decisions in the game. However, at the moment we don’t have a proper seat at the table to exert any influence.

‘‘Players understand, better than anyone, what happens at the coalface and how certain decisions impact both the players and the broader game, so it would be counterproductive to cast the player view aside.

‘‘We want to ensure that the players have independently appointed representation on the World Rugby executive committee and other key decision-making bodies.’’

Wales skipper Alun Wyn Jones voiced a similar viewpoint.

‘‘We want to ensure there will be no repeat of the current situation and that the frustrations over the lack of player consultation are addressed,’’ he said.

‘‘It’s in the interest of our game that World Rugby and the unions convene with the playing population so that proper solutions can be agreed. Players having a genuine, and greater say, can’t be undervalued.’’

Ireland and British and Irish Lions legend Brian O’Driscoll added that it was ‘‘a pivotal moment for everyone in our sport’’ and vital that it was approached in the right way.

Former Springboks captain Jean de Villiers urged the game’s governing international body to use this as an opportunity to solidify links with the players.

‘‘The players feel that the existing understanding between World Rugby and the players should evolve from a loose commitment to consult, to a requirement to reach agreement on certain key issues.

‘‘The feeling on the [conference] call was that it is no longer appropriate for World Rugby and the unions to determine tournament structures, logistics and terms of participation without getting to an agreed outcome with players.’’

The players have sent a clear message.

As the sport’s international powerbrokers gather to discuss a way forward through a hugely problematic landscape, it is clear that the players must be part of whatever solution that can be hammered out.

‘‘Players understand, better than anyone, what happens at the coalface.’’

Michael Hooper, Wallabies captain