An alternative view

THE format in which the four yearly RWC tournament is set up is demeaning to the so called tier 2 teams. Being labelled a tier 2 team implies that such a team is a second string team unworthy to play Test rugby with the tier 1 teams in the intervening years between the four yearly RWC event.

However, when this four yearly tournament turns up — suddenly World Rugby deems that these second tier teams are good enough to play many full Tests against the tier one teams.

And on their part — the tier ones let the majority of their reserves on to the field against the minnows .

At the end part of the tournament, only the tier one boys are still playing among themselves — the rest have gone home taking with them their share of the gate takings to wait out four long lean years without any rugby Tests against the tier ones in the horizon until then!

In a nutshell — the RWC format is nothing more than an ego boosting exercise for the top few at the expense of the bottom majority.

So, scrap the current format. Let the tier one have their own mini world cup of 10 teams only.

Let the second tier teams have their own world cup too. This will have many more teams and will truly be a world cup in every sense of the word.

Let not this opinion dampen your world cup spirits folks!

Let’s cheer ourselves hoarse for Fiji! But at the end of this Japan tournament — if we don’t have the RWC trophy home in Fiji — may this letter cushion our sorrows. To our team in Japan — Whack your tier one opponents hard!

And for the rest of us, taki and let the kava spin as we wait in glee for the dishing out of the first bone-crunching tackle from the boys!

WILLIAM ROSA

Tavua