New chief’s in-tray
Dementia crisis
Hundreds of former players are developing dementia while young. Funding formula
The PFA needs to break free from its dependence on cash from its most powerful clubs.
Governance reform
A major overhaul is long overdue.
Diversity gap
The PFA must drive change in dugouts and boardrooms.
World Rugby has unveiled a new global competition for women’s rugby in a landmark move it hopes will “supercharge” the female game.
The annual three-tiered competition, called WXV, will launch in 2023 to try to unify the international women’s calendar and increase the number of Test opportunities.
Rugby’s governing body is investing £6.4million into the tournament, supported by a Women in Rugby commercial programme tasked with unlocking broadcast and sponsorship opportunities.
Sir Bill Beaumont, World Rugby’s chairman, said the event represented a “landmark moment” for women’s rugby and backed it to “accelerate the development of the women’s game”.
The news comes a week after rugby’s governing body postponed the World Cup in New Zealand until 2022 because of the challenges caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The three WXV competitions will take place annually within a new September-october competition window, except in a World Cup year.
Teams will qualify based on their finishing positions within the existing
annual regional competitions, such as the Women’s Six Nations.
In a reflection of World Rugby’s long-term vision, the tournament also aims to help teams prepare for a 2025 World Cup, which is being expanded from 12 to 16 teams.
A more unified, structured international calendar could also provide a greater incentive for unions to professionalise their set-ups and take a lead on World Rugby’s investment at a time when budgets have been squeezed across the sport.
“Cash is tight everywhere,” said Katie Sadleir, World Rugby’s general manager of women’s rugby. “We’re investing more money in women’s rugby than we ever have before.
“It is the area we have not cut and it’s certain we’ve put a lot of pressure on our unions to not do the same. From a global perspective, there hasn’t been a cent cut in women’s rugby – there’s been a significant increase.”
Domestic leagues, such as the Premier 15s, will have to start later to accommodate the new format.
Team New Zealand were due to go into today’s races one win away from successfully defending the America’s Cup after claiming victory over Luna Rossa in race nine of the series.
There was a slightly anticlimactic feel at the end of yesterday’s action as a late wind shift forced racing to be abandoned with the Kiwis 6-3 up in the first-to-seven series. But