RUGBY MOVES CLOSER TO GLOBAL SEASON
AN INTEGRATED global rugby season is edging closer to reality after the International Rugby Players Association (IRPA) agreed in principle to propose several recommendations to various rugby boards.
At a meeting in Australia last week, IPRA raised the possibility of moving the June test window until the last three weeks of July, beginning in 2016.
IRPA ’ s proposed move would see northern hemisphere club competitions starting a month later, enabling more of their domestic competitions to be played after the Christmas break. That would potentially provide more breathing space for their respective finals series and improve player availability for test matches.
In the southern hemisphere, the change could do away with Super Rugby’s month-long break and allow players an extended pre-season, something that has been sought for years.
The South African Rugby Players Association (Sarpa) fully endorses the move.
“We believe that a global season is the only way to properly address the issues of player welfare,” Sarpa chief executive Piet Heymans said.
“If we don’t, we will see more and more South African players moving to Japan and the northern hemisphere, where there is at least a proper off-season.
“In South Africa, players are under immense pressure with a season that ends in late November and has them back in Super Rugby pre-season training in early January.
“Our members have also indicated that they dislike the June test window because it breaks momentum and the intensity of the competition. Even though the non-test players have a small break, they would rather play in June and have a longer offseason.”
Current television contracts in the northern and southern hemispheres expire at the end of 2015, providing a perfect window for changes.
Leaders of the International Rugby Board (IRB) and South African, New Zealand and Australian Rugby (Sanzar) often state that player welfare is a priority on their agendas, but competition structures tend to undermine those comments. There is now a real chance to put the players first.
IRPA is now asking Sanzar, Premiership Rugby, the French clubs, the Celtic League, IRB and the Six Nations to come together and open their minds to the potential benefits of change, and what that may look like.
“If the game’s leaders give this idea, or a variation of it, serious consideration it could be a game changer for professional rugby,” World Cupwinning All Black captain Richie McCaw said.
From a South African perspective a global season would make a move out of Super Rugby and into a northern hemisphere competition structure a reality and not just an idle threat to New Zealand and Australia.