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World Rugby have acted to try to calm the massive public criticism of the proposed World League. Contrary to initial reports the new annual competition is being put forward as the ‘Nations Championship’ and will be based on World Rankings.
To view the proposal in video format click here.
World Rankings
With World Rankings used as the determiner this will not see Fiji missing out as had been feared by many. Yet the proposal does not satisfy criticisms sufficiently. With World Rugby determining two pools of ‘Europe’ and ‘Rest of the World’ there is a problem of what to do with Georgia.
The video released together with the proposal notes that Europe’s Division 1 is the Six Nations. This stumbling block defeats the purpose of the competition as it ensures Italy a spot over Georgia. The potential answer is in the video with Georgia and Italy switching places as following a promotion vs relegation play-off.
World Rugby note in their release that the proposed model incorporates competitions that are not owned or run by World Rugby meaning there is nothing that it can do for Georgia if the Six Nations decides to continue to run their competition without relegation.
Americas
The video will not leave Canadian rugby players, supporters or union staff very pleased. It divides the Americas into North America and Latin America with four teams from each comprising two pools in Division 3.
Canada is listed in Division 3 alongside Mexico, Trinidad & Tobago, and the Cayman Islands. These four are listed as the North American Division in the ‘Rest of the World Conference’. They are listed based on rankings. Missing from the Americas are Argentina to Division 1 and Uruguay and the USA to Division 2.
An additional twelve countries are in division 3. They are from three regional governing bodies with Kenya, Zimbabwe, Tunisia, and Uganda from Africa; South Korea, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and the Philippines from Asia; and Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Paraguay from Latin America.
Under this scenario World Rugby would see Canada playing Tier 3 opposition and having matches against Tier 1 opponents. Canada would miss out on playing against Fiji, Japan, Georgia, Romania, Samoa, Tonga and the USA. This would be extremely detrimental to Canada, a country to have competed at every RWC.
The suggestion itself goes against prior behavior from World Rugby which is to combine Rugby Americas North and Sudamérica Rugby for the purposes of international development, and competition. This saw the creation of the Americas Rugby Championship, and Americas Rugby Challenge competitions.
The proposal would also not leave the USA feeling comfortable. They would gain nothing with no repeat of the Houston test against Scotland, and even a loss of fixtures against Japan. Instead they would have matches against Hong Kong, and Namibia.
Uruguay is a country keen on playing more against Tier 2 sides and would gain the opportunity of facing Georgia, Samoa, and Tonga. It is overall little gain, however, from the present schedule for Los Teros.
On the flip side Colombia, and Paraguay would be clear winners. They would be afforded matches outside of South America with the same being true for the Cayman Islands, Mexico, and Trinidad & Tobago.
Finally Chile would be a benefactor. Los Cóndores would be able to have a regular calendar with the prospect of tours to Asia, Africa and Europe. They would be a team capable of rising in the rankings and, crucially, establishing a path to Division 2.
