Exciting World Cup will still leave game needing a shake-up
Lower-tier countries need access to top competitions and more help from major powers The sad truth is that without women’s rugby, numbers playing in many nations would be in decline
World Rugby needs the Japan World Cup 2019 to succeed and not just because it generates a huge proportion of its operating revenue. Every rugby fan wants an exciting, open tournament to be a great advertisement for rugby as a minority sport. What would be forgotten for a while is the sport’s serious underlying problems.
The 2015 World Cup showed impressive figures in global TV audiences and the big cash dividend allowed world rugby to make strategic investments in the game, but this is not the whole story. The global audience is still dominated by viewers from Australasia, the four home unions, France and South Africa. Since 2015 there have been worrying declines in crowds and TV audiences for Super Rugby and all domestic competitions in New Zealand and Australia. The Pro 14 has static crowds and poor broadcast figures. The sad truth is that without the growth of women’s rugby, participation numbers in many traditional nations would be in decline.
The problem of growing rugby globally will not be solved without compromise from the game’s vested interests. Presently there are two economic powerhouses – England and France – and two premier annual events, the Six Nations and the Rugby Championship. Though there are subsidiary competitions for aspiring unions, there is no way into either major tournament. This means long-term planning and fundraising are restricted. Becoming self-sufficient is practically impossible.
Now that the proposed World League has been thrown out by major unions, there must be an automatic right for winners of
developmental competitions to play in the Six Nations and the Rugby Championship. Without some form of promotion and relegation Tier Two countries will forever be reliant on World Rugby subsidies. This is money that would be better invested in more fledgling but potentially potent target markets and, importantly, supporting the women’s game.
The current feeling, prevalent in lower tier countries, is that World Rugby is Eurocentric. This view is not helped by the fact that hosting World Cups in emerging rugby countries means much lower returns. This virtually mandates that every other tournament must be played in England or France. Without the big sums generated by Anglo-french World Cups, World Rugby just does not have enough cash to do what is required.
This must change, and Asia should be the medium-term priority. China, Indonesia and India already play rugby, have a total population of three billion and two of the top 10 countries as listed by GDP. Traditionalists will scoff but without vision and the willingness of European rugby to share its revenue, we risk having nearly all the world’s talent playing in the domestic leagues of England and France. If that happens, what is the likely outcome of the club v country battle in those unions?
So, with insufficient cash being available, what steps can be taken to stimulate change?
World Rugby should alter current international qualification rules. Players from Tier Two nations who play in Tier One countries and qualify to play for them, should be allowed to play for their original country in World Cups, even if they have been capped. This would be a cost-free initiative of benefit to lower-ranked unions.
And the World Cup should mirror the traditional Sevens format and include a plate competition. This would be for the teams coming third and fourth in their pool and should only be available to Tier Two countries. They will never win the main title but taking the plate would boost investment and sponsorship opportunities. A plate would also sustain media and fan interest in the week between the knockout stages of the main competition.
Sponsorship experts have confirmed the cost of this would be minimal, if not neutral, so why not?
And, if Tier One countries don’t get out of their pool but finish third or fourth – tough.