UKC

The money men are going to spoil rugby union like they did rugby league. 

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/feb/28/johnny-sexton-owen-farrell-cr...

The main issue is of course player welfare but the feeling that rugby is an honest game rooted in a proud tradition will be lost. The gladiatorial style presentation is already ruining the game. The spectacle is debased and players health jeapordised.

I wonder if they will still be complaining when someone points out they could be earning £250,000 a week?

The article didn't spell out exactly what was being proposed, but I think a world league every 4 years could work. The six nations could still go ahead, because all those games would be part of the world league. If it's planned as an annual tournament, then that seems over the top.

I have more of a problem with the lack of involvement for the smaller nations. There is already a problem in rugby that the big nations don't play the small nations often enough. (and when they do the games are frequently one sided) A world league for just the 12 would exacerbate this. A world league with promotion / relegation to regional leagues would be an improvement. Allowing small European nations into the Heineken cup / parker pen shield / whatever would also be good.

Rugby and cricket are really bad at spreading the word.

I sort of agree with you but you can't have it both ways.  

I think the emergence of USA, Canada and Japan as well as Georgia show that Rugby is spreading the word. 7s Rugby is truly international with teams Kenya, Zimbabwe and Spain joining the more established nations. I agree that Cricket isn't showing the same levels of success. 

Yes I agree, that Sevens is probably the best way to internationalise the sport. It's in the Olympics, it suits short multi team tournaments, and the All Blacks / Fiji only have about 14 minutes to totally humiliate you.

edit: re emergence of USA etc. All these countries were there at the first world cup 30 years ago, and yet no team has broken through in the 15 a side game. Argentina, Italy and Japan have probably all improved but not massively.

I'm not sure why cricket doesn't try to do similar with 20-20. England, Ireland, Netherlands etc.  all play a mini tournament vs the tourists. I expect, like most things, it comes down to money.

Or boredom and interest factor - cricket isn't that well liked across the globe.

Never been a big fan, to me its just a load of thugs scrapping over a ball and injuring themselves more frequently than everybody is prepared to admit.Known to many people who have injured themselves horrendously playing as amateurs.

I've got no idea how this would help us meet the Paris climate agreement.  Even more teams of 15 players plus paraphernalia and supporters flying round the world to make money. 

I don't understand what "Struggling financialy" actually means? 

The game is making a loss? World Rugby is making a loss?

What has already been done to mitigate this situation? 

It does smack of a top led change being inflicted on the game.

According to the latest published financial statements from World Rugby, the organisation sustained a loss of £47.7 million in 2017, following a loss of £36.2 million in 2016. By contrast, World Cup year 2015 saw a profit of £189.6 million, suggesting that the game is overly reliant on a single event in order to maintain its finances. 

The game (in Europe at least) is already struggling with players being over-played and with overly crowded schedules for the leading clubs and players. Having another global competition, in addition to the World Cup, and which appears to exclude most Tier 2 countries, does not seem to me to be an appropriate development for the good of the game. 

Thanks for the figures.  Looking at their website they do seem to do a lot but the losses do seem large.

I totally agree with your second paragraph.

Interesting article on how much top rugby union players currently get paid.....

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/how-much-rugby-stars-p...

Compared to premiership footballers,

https://www.statista.com/statistics/675303/average-epl-salary-by-team/

The average is some 13.5 times higher for footballers.........

Thanks for your constructive input.

I agree. This change would be sad. Rugby is special in part because of it's traditions. 

Seen far more friends injured over long periods by rugby ,far more than any other sport. Makes me very cynical about it.

I think I'll lose interest  like I did with Rugby League. They just kept chuffing about with the game until they ruined it. Still sometimes watch for old time's sake but rarely get to the end of a game. 

I've had my share of Rugby injuries, so much so, I can no longer walk in the mountains. I've been to places I wouldn't have been to were it not for Rugby. I've played in grand stadiums and against some very good teams, been in changing rooms where some of the greats of Rugby have sat. I've even given an ex-England captain a cheap shot. I hurt most of the time. But I wouldn't have changed any of it.

Most of us find change very difficult. We just stick at it.......whatever we are doing.