Biennial World Cup

by **Rugby Fan** Mon Sep 13, 2021 5:22 pm

Rugby is drawing up plans to stage the World Cup every two years, following football in exploring the idea of a biennial showpiece tournament.

The radical move is “being considered”, admits the chief executive of World Rugby, as the sport’s custodians mark the midway point between the 2019 and 2023 tournaments by mapping out their vision for the future of the game in an extensive interview with Telegraph Sport.

Alan Gilpin, his counterpart at RWC23 Claude Atcher and Bill Beaumont, chairman of World Rugby, have gathered in Paris to discuss the issues that currently sit at the heart of the game.

And a biennial World Cup is the most eye-catching revelation from the three wise men in charge of navigating rugby's path from Japan to France. It has “been considered before and [is] something that we will continue to consider,” says Gilpin.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/2021/09/13/future-rugby-revealed-biennial-world-cup-law-changes-ai-role/

There are a number of reasons to dislike the idea of a World cup every two years. However, if it did happen, I hope it would change the way rugby has ended up bedded to a four-year World Cup cycle. After every tournament, it seems we have to take stock instantly of whether someone is going to be an effective player in four years time. Or whether a player who emerges mid-cycle can get enough game time to prove his worth. Similarly, coaches get appointed with a win-or-bust four year cycle in mind. A shorter cycle wouldn't return us to the pre-World Cup, amateur era but it might make international squads less of a closed shop.

by Brendan Mon Sep 13, 2021 7:37 pm

Not in favour of a WC every two years. Fans can't afford to travel that often. Would also kill the Lions. Not really great for the leagues either apart from part-time leagues like SR.

Like the 12 team tournament it just seems like a redistribution of wealth.

by Duty281 Mon Sep 13, 2021 7:46 pm

There needs to be less rugby, not more of it. A World Cup every two years? Lunacy. And it would dilute the prestige and ceremonial importance of the World Cup.

by Old Man Mon Sep 13, 2021 7:54 pm

Agree, once every four years means it is a prestigious tournament. Keep it that way.

by Guest Mon Sep 13, 2021 8:42 pm

If we keep getting more fixtures I think we’re going to need to split the international and club game completely, with no overlap from the players. So a top player plays for their country only and plays say 20 fixtures (6N, summer tours, world cups, AIs, perhaps Lions, other friendlies). And then the next tier down is pro club and those players play solely club matches - pre-season friendlies, league and cups. Clubs fund the club game. Unions fund the international players. And then ‘promotion’ (and I guess demotion) can happen between clubs and international if needed due to injury, form, retirement, etc.

Probably a million flaws in my plan, but I can’t see another way that either the players do not get flogged playing more and more games or the clubs do not get shafted and lose their players for the majority of the season!

by LordDowlais Tue Sep 14, 2021 10:31 am

The Oracle wrote:If we keep getting more fixtures I think we’re going to need to split the international and club game completely, with no overlap from the players. So a top player plays for their country only and plays say 20 fixtures (6N, summer tours, world cups, AIs, perhaps Lions, other friendlies). And then the next tier down is pro club and those players play solely club matches - pre-season friendlies, league and cups. Clubs fund the club game. Unions fund the international players. And then ‘promotion’ (and I guess demotion) can happen between clubs and international if needed due to injury, form, retirement, etc.

Probably a million flaws in my plan, but I can’t see another way that either the players do not get flogged playing more and more games or the clubs do not get shafted and lose their players for the majority of the season!

Yep, it will be like cricket, where the internationals are away with the national team all year around. What would this do for the Lions ? Summer Tours ? Autumn Internationals ? There would be too much.

Why are we always trying to change our sport ? Why can't we just leave it alone ?

I am seriously getting to the point where I am just fed up with the pro game.

by No 7&1/2 Tue Sep 14, 2021 10:44 am

Absence makes the heart grow fonder and too much of a good thing comes to mind. Take something people like and shove it down their throats until no one cares. At a stretch as the point above from Rugby Fan it may temper the need/obsession for the 4 yearly cycles.

by Guest Tue Sep 14, 2021 11:18 am

Ridiculous idea. Two years is not long enough to really feel the pain of a crap RWC, or allow the winners gloating time for that matter. Two years go by in a blink.

What they could do is do something like ICC did with test cricket and assign points to selected T1 tests over a two year period and have a game between 1 and 2 every 2nd year (between RWCs). It’d only require one more game for the top 1 and 2 teams.

It could be called the Claytons Cup or whatever but the winner wouldn’t be the world champions. That’d still be reserved for the RWC holders.

by Old Man Tue Sep 14, 2021 11:28 am

I would love to see more three test tours and less Six Nations and RC's

Four year cycke for RWC is perfect as it is the epitome of achievement.

I would like to see at most two Six Nations and RC's in a world cup cycle.

The rest I would love to see three test tours.

by doctor_grey Tue Sep 14, 2021 8:09 pm

This is another idea, along with the Rugby 12s, which I think has no chance of seeing the light of day. For a RWC to be special there needs to be time in between the events. Once it becomes too common - or less special or unique - people will stop traveling for them which kills the concept.

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