Expanded World Cup and new Nations Championship

[UKHamlet]

An increase in the number of teams competing at the Rugby World Cup and a new Nations Championship have been announced by World Rugby.

The men's World Cup, which comes to its conclusion in France this weekend will be increased from 20 teams competing to 24 from the next edition in Australia in 2027.

A new biannual international Nations Championship involving the leading 12 northern and southern hemisphere sides will commence from 2026, along with a second division of 12 teams.

There will be promotion and relegation between the two divisions from 2030.

https://www.skysports.com/rugby-union/n ... orld-rugby

[Son of Mathonwy]

An increase in the number of teams competing at the Rugby World Cup and a new Nations Championship have been announced by World Rugby.

The men's World Cup, which comes to its conclusion in France this weekend will be increased from 20 teams competing to 24 from the next edition in Australia in 2027.

A new biannual international Nations Championship involving the leading 12 northern and southern hemisphere sides will commence from 2026, along with a second division of 12 teams.

There will be promotion and relegation between the two divisions from 2030.

https://www.skysports.com/rugby-union/n ... orld-rugby

They way I'm reading that is that the biannual nations champs will have the 6N teams playing the top 6 SH teams in the top division, at least initially. Which is tough on Georgia - having to wait till relegation and promotion begin to have a chance.

But otherwise, on the face of it this seems like a good plan.

[UKHamlet]

Top seven NH plus the top 5 SH teams.

[Sandydragon]

Top seven NH plus the top 5 SH teams.

So I would make that the six nations teams, the SH big 4 plus Georgia and Fiji. That’s great news for both, but it will compress the domestic calendar still further.

[Lizard]

24 team RWC with 6 pools of 4 teams and a knockout round of 16 seems like a dumb format. Two thirds of the teams make the playoffs. You might as well make it a 32 team straight knockout.

[Son of Mathonwy]

Top seven NH plus the top 5 SH teams.

So I would make that the six nations teams, the SH big 4 plus Georgia and Fiji. That’s great news for both, but it will compress the domestic calendar still further.

The article says this, which I take to mean there'll be the 6N teams and 6 SH teams:

The remaining two places in the first division - previously reported as Fiji and Japan - will be decided by a process to be run by SANZAAR, while the planned second division will be run by World Rugby.

WOL seems to confirm it, unfortunately:
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rug ... 2-27971001

[Sandydragon]

Top seven NH plus the top 5 SH teams.

So I would make that the six nations teams, the SH big 4 plus Georgia and Fiji. That’s great news for both, but it will compress the domestic calendar still further.

The article says this, which I take to mean there'll be the 6N teams and 6 SH teams:

The remaining two places in the first division - previously reported as Fiji and Japan - will be decided by a process to be run by SANZAAR, while the planned second division will be run by World Rugby.

WOL seems to confirm it, unfortunately:
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rug ... 2-27971001

That really would be tough on Georgia although Japan have been in a similar position and no one is
Going to object to Fiji getting a place at the top at last.

[Son of Mathonwy]

So I would make that the six nations teams, the SH big 4 plus Georgia and Fiji. That’s great news for both, but it will compress the domestic calendar still further.

The article says this, which I take to mean there'll be the 6N teams and 6 SH teams:

The remaining two places in the first division - previously reported as Fiji and Japan - will be decided by a process to be run by SANZAAR, while the planned second division will be run by World Rugby.

WOL seems to confirm it, unfortunately:
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rug ... 2-27971001

That really would be tough on Georgia although Japan have been in a similar position and no one is
Going to object to Fiji getting a place at the top at last.

NB I don't have any preference for Georgia over Japan. In fact according to the current rankings Fiji and Japan would be in. I just don't agree with allocating 6 NH, 6 SH as of right.

[UKHamlet]

Top seven NH plus the top 5 SH teams.

So I would make that the six nations teams, the SH big 4 plus Georgia and Fiji. That’s great news for both, but it will compress the domestic calendar still further.

The article says this, which I take to mean there'll be the 6N teams and 6 SH teams:

The remaining two places in the first division - previously reported as Fiji and Japan - will be decided by a process to be run by SANZAAR, while the planned second division will be run by World Rugby.

WOL seems to confirm it, unfortunately:
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rug ... 2-27971001

Japan is in the Northern Hemisphere.

[Son of Mathonwy]

So I would make that the six nations teams, the SH big 4 plus Georgia and Fiji. That’s great news for both, but it will compress the domestic calendar still further.

The article says this, which I take to mean there'll be the 6N teams and 6 SH teams:

The remaining two places in the first division - previously reported as Fiji and Japan - will be decided by a process to be run by SANZAAR, while the planned second division will be run by World Rugby.

WOL seems to confirm it, unfortunately:
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rug ... 2-27971001

Japan is in the Northern Hemisphere.

Yeah, fair enough but you know what I mean.

[Puja]

As a note, there's now going to be a six-team annual tournament featuring Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Tonga, USA, Canada in the Aug-Sep release window, where the Fiji vs Japan game will almost certainly be used as their Nations Cup match: viewtopic.php?p=309386#p309386

Puja

[Sourdust]

Top seven NH plus the top 5 SH teams.

So I would make that the six nations teams, the SH big 4 plus Georgia and Fiji. That’s great news for both, but it will compress the domestic calendar still further.

I've wondered before if this particular circle is squareable; how do we get greater and wider international development while maintaining healthy domestic competition? International teams can't really expect to be competitive if they don't play at 7-10 meaningful tests per year, so how do we balance that, worthwhile leagues, and player safety, all in an environment of chronic underfunding?

It wouldn't surprise me in the medium term, to see international teams - starting with places like Fiji, Georgia and (whisper it) Wales - becoming full-time appointments for elite players, paying their full wages and demanding their constant commitment, with possibly semi-pro leagues beneath them. The link between club and country would be no more than the former acting as a "shop window" for the latter.

I'm not advocating this BTW, just imagining a possible future!

[Sandydragon]

Top seven NH plus the top 5 SH teams.

So I would make that the six nations teams, the SH big 4 plus Georgia and Fiji. That’s great news for both, but it will compress the domestic calendar still further.

I've wondered before if this particular circle is squareable; how do we get greater and wider international development while maintaining healthy domestic competition? International teams can't really expect to be competitive if they don't play at 7-10 meaningful tests per year, so how do we balance that, worthwhile leagues, and player safety, all in an environment of chronic underfunding?

It wouldn't surprise me in the medium term, to see international teams - starting with places like Fiji, Georgia and (whisper it) Wales - becoming full-time appointments for elite players, paying their full wages and demanding their constant commitment, with possibly semi-pro leagues beneath them. The link between club and country would be no more than the former acting as a "shop window" for the latter.

I'm not advocating this BTW, just imagining a possible future!

The money is in the international game, so attempts to promote that make sense. There needs to be something professional under the international level, and the sooner we can set something up which provides a pro game that's sustainable and stops the infighting the better.

Sadly whatever that looks like its not going to keep everyone happy.