Thoughts?

[Banquo]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/67206691

[Gloskarlos]

Doesn't go far enough for tier 2 nations for me, too little exposure still. Glad the 6N remains untouched. How the calendars line up i've not delved into yet, need to read more detail.

[Mikey Brown]

Feels like the same old discussion as far as the top teams go - might be fun for a bit, might just stop anyone caring as much about the world cup though. If the RWC is just the same competition with a stupid table and a lot of 100-0 thrashings then it seems pointless.

Wasn't that clear to me either how it's doing that much for tier 2 teams.

[Puja]

I like the idea of T2 nations getting more games and getting T1 games during Lions years - but I would like to see a lot more detail on the former and to have the latter is cast in stone.

I'd be more in favour of expanding to a 7N and having promotion-relegation - sure, Portugal/Georgia would yoyo for a long while, but it's better than there being no route in at all (or worse, having relegation without expansion and just having Italy drop out of the limelight to batter the REC sides every two years). However, that's likely a non-starter, even if the 6N sides might be happier with the prospect of expanding to sunny, populous Portugal than they ever were about going to Tblisi (or, before them, Bucharest).

Puja

[Oakboy]

Is there enough popular demand for rugby in T2 countries and the world in general for 24 teams-worth of TV money? It strikes me that idealism is leading realism.

[Mellsblue]

Is there enough popular demand for rugby in T2 countries and the world in general for 24 teams-worth of TV money? It strikes me that idealism is leading realism.

I believe the idea is that the tier 1/top 12 competition will drive more revenue by turning a series of ‘friendlies’ into a comp with narrative, as they call it. I’m not convinced but the status quo ain’t working particularly well.

[fivepointer]

So no more 3 match series and the summer tour will be to 3 different countries?

From a T2 perspective the idea of Chile, Uruguay, Tonga, Portugal and Georgia playing each other regularly might be a very good thing.

[Banquo]

So no more 3 match series and the summer tour will be to 3 different countries?

From a T2 perspective the idea of Chile, Uruguay, Tonga, Portugal and Georgia playing each other regularly might be a very good thing.

To me the T1 proposal doesn't seem to play well v player welfare, frankly.

[Oakboy]

Haven't kept up with all this but the RWC in 2027 having six groups of four, leading to a round of sixteen knockout sounds OK. The seeding will be crucial but groups of death with three T1 countries in them will no longer apply if I've got it right.

[Banquo]

Haven't kept up with all this but the RWC in 2027 having six groups of four, leading to a round of sixteen knockout sounds OK. The seeding will be crucial but groups of death with three T1 countries in them will no longer apply if I've got it right.

How long would that last for (too lazy to work it out), as imo this World Cup had a very dull patch in the middle (?) two weeks.

[Oakboy]

Haven't kept up with all this but the RWC in 2027 having six groups of four, leading to a round of sixteen knockout sounds OK. The seeding will be crucial but groups of death with three T1 countries in them will no longer apply if I've got it right.

How long would that last for (too lazy to work it out), as imo this World Cup had a very dull patch in the middle (?) two weeks.

There was talk of the ko stages being scheduled on more days to counteract that (rather than multiple games on fri/sat). That could then mean about the same overall length of time as the current one with one extra ko round, presumably.

[Banquo]

Haven't kept up with all this but the RWC in 2027 having six groups of four, leading to a round of sixteen knockout sounds OK. The seeding will be crucial but groups of death with three T1 countries in them will no longer apply if I've got it right.

How long would that last for (too lazy to work it out), as imo this World Cup had a very dull patch in the middle (?) two weeks.

There was talk of the ko stages being scheduled on more days to counteract that (rather than multiple games on fri/sat). That could then mean about the same overall length of time as the current one with one extra ko round, presumably.

too long imo.

[Oakboy]

How long would that last for (too lazy to work it out), as imo this World Cup had a very dull patch in the middle (?) two weeks.

There was talk of the ko stages being scheduled on more days to counteract that (rather than multiple games on fri/sat). That could then mean about the same overall length of time as the current one with one extra ko round, presumably.

too long imo.

I agree but have not suggestions of two matches a week or similar been ruled out as unfair on T2 nations?

[Puja]

How long would that last for (too lazy to work it out), as imo this World Cup had a very dull patch in the middle (?) two weeks.

There was talk of the ko stages being scheduled on more days to counteract that (rather than multiple games on fri/sat). That could then mean about the same overall length of time as the current one with one extra ko round, presumably.

too long imo.

It'll be one week shorter, as there's no bye weeks. In addition, the group stages would be two weeks shorter and that was the part that really dragged this time. It'll be 3 weeks' pools, then 4 weeks knock-outs, which I feel would keep interest more than the 5 weeks of pool matches of 2023.

Puja

[Banquo]

There was talk of the ko stages being scheduled on more days to counteract that (rather than multiple games on fri/sat). That could then mean about the same overall length of time as the current one with one extra ko round, presumably.

too long imo.

It'll be one week shorter, as there's no bye weeks. In addition, the group stages would be two weeks shorter and that was the part that really dragged this time. It'll be 3 weeks' pools, then 4 weeks knock-outs, which I feel would keep interest more than the 5 weeks of pool matches of 2023.

Puja

still 7 weeks is a long time, but a better format.

[Donny osmond]

too long imo.

It'll be one week shorter, as there's no bye weeks. In addition, the group stages would be two weeks shorter and that was the part that really dragged this time. It'll be 3 weeks' pools, then 4 weeks knock-outs, which I feel would keep interest more than the 5 weeks of pool matches of 2023.

Puja

still 7 weeks is a long time, but a better format.

Plus having games on more days of the week means at some point a team who's had a long lay off/recovery will play a team with a much shorter lay off period.

[Oakboy]

It'll be one week shorter, as there's no bye weeks. In addition, the group stages would be two weeks shorter and that was the part that really dragged this time. It'll be 3 weeks' pools, then 4 weeks knock-outs, which I feel would keep interest more than the 5 weeks of pool matches of 2023.

Puja

still 7 weeks is a long time, but a better format.

Plus having games on more days of the week means at some point a team who's had a long lay off/recovery will play a team with a much shorter lay off period.

Hence the perceived unfairness to T2 nations who might field their best XV against a T1 side that uses other players. However, if groups each had different starting days it could be eased within an allocated fortnight if all teams had, say, three games in 10 days - Sat/Thur/Mon; Sun/Fri/Tue etc.