I would rather ask that the 12 smaller nations play this tournament so that they can get the benefit of the cash to grow the game in those smaller nations.
I would too, but how to fund this competition, as in those countries federations have small mean, few players are professional (and those who are do play outside their country), and sponsors, tv rights would be less important?
I am rugby fan in Korea. I hope World Rugby doesn't just focus on short-term events, but pays attention to Asia. The Middle East is growing, but that's oil money anyway. A strong rivalry must be formed in Asia to attract attention, but only Japan operates a proper professional level. Hong Kong is the next level, and Korea only maintains a semi-pro thanks to rugby-loving companies. The Asian Grand League should be quickly attracted to boost professional development in Asia and increase national competition.
'growing the game' should be about improving tier 2 nations to a point where we can increase number of teams in RWC. Focus efforts on that goal rather than chasing Qatari coin for short term cash injection. If all our unions are so financially unstable, this feels like a huge gamble when a structural overhaul of the game is probably the better option.
Well said. And Bill Beaumont is still complaining about the Bomb Squad and too many substitutes. In his day they probably played only a dozen internationals in a year - does he really want players to play right through the year now? What's happened to player welfare you prime old fart?
The 2027 world cup will feature 24 teams. So imagine the 20 that played last year and add USA, Canada, Uruguay and Spain (all teams that have played world cup before). Now you have teams like Brazil, Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, who all hover around the 25th spot. How do you grow the game in those countries? It's unattractive enough for top 5 team to play against teams that already feature at the world cup - NZ can't get ranking points from playing Portugal for example. The match won't draw a massive live crowd and it won't draw great TV viewership. How much less eager would NZ, SA or England be to play a team ten entire ranking spots lower than Portugal or Namibia? Who is going to cover the cost of these fixtures? You can't expect NZ to hoof the bill for a game against Namibia, a fixture that will generate no revenue and with no rankings points up for grabs. The one way that we can get the powerful rugby unions to foot the bill though, is by giving them a massive financial windfall and then decree that this extra income should be used to host at least 5-6 Tier 2 opponents in a four year cycle. We all want to grow the game, but currently there is very little financial incentive to do so. The Nation's Cup might just change that.
@@randomlyfactual1943 How to grow Rugby in the countries you mentioned? I agree that it is not having the All Blacks play Belgium or France play Brazil. But how about the NFL's international games? How about, for instance, having the Six Nations play one game each on neutral territory, so that in a given year France might play Wales in Frankfurt, Ireland play Scotland in Barcelona and England play Italy in Amsterdam. Sure, of that 55,000 crowd in Frankfurt there would be at least 22,000 French and 22,000 Welsh. But those 11,000 Germans in the crowd would tell their families and friends and colleagues and neighbours: "You know what, this Rugby stuff is really cool!" Just as it has been going on with American Football for years. That's how you might grow a game in potentially promising markets. I don't see anything growing the game in Qatar, though.
@@randomlyfactual1943that exact reasoning is why nothing gets done. You're saying "well why should I wait for the €100 in a weeks time if I can get €30 tomorrow?" We need to understand that playing these teams will not be big bucks but then by playing the likes of Portugal, their teams gets better, Portuguese fanbase grows by being able to watch T1 and T1 fans will become more interested by more inter-country rivalries and histories will start to develop. How would a closed-shop comp like the Nations champ improve things if we dont allow Spain to play T1 except maybe once every 4 years?
@@MiMo64-k7m I agree with you insofar playing Tier 2 nations. Maybe not play a full strength All Blacks team and be demolished 80 points to 0, but maybe a provincial team. Like Emerging Ireland did just two weeks ago, when they played the Pumas, the Cheetahs and the Western Force over here. Problem with this is that someone needs to play for traveling, hotels and other expenses. So let's say we want to go play a rugby test in Lisbon, for example. How many people are going to watch the All Blacks play? Who pays for the whole tour? We all want to grow the game, but making NZ or SA foot the bill for a match that they get literally nothing out of is a bit much. The Nation's Cup can change this. With extra money to spend, most of the big rugby unions should be able to fit in one or two matches per year (either their test side or an 'A' side) against weaker nations.
Hey there Tim, first off all I have to say that as a blind person who uses the radio and some online sites to enjoy the sport I've loved for years, videos like these and all the other ones you do are invaluable to me, as it really helps to fill in the gaps in my awareness. In regards to this whole deal, honestly yeah let's be honest it is all about money, and there's no hidden agenda to change Qatar at all.
I'm assuming you have a family member helping you with comments. If so, that's pretty cool. Podcasts and videos are great for analysis and match reviews, but there is certainly a big gap in the market about talking about the financial side of the game, especially for the non-sighted audience like yourself. Good on Tim!
@@randomlyfactual1943 My uncle is blind and he has a computer and phone that reads out articles. That tech was around about 10 years ago so I'm guessing it's gotten even better by now.
Actually I use a screan reading software called Jaws, which is great for allowing me to access my computer and such. It's a little janky at times, but it gets the job done.
@@jakehart1870 That's awesome man. How does it cope with spelling errors? For instance, if I misspelt a word, would it still be able to interpret it correctly?
@@randomlyfactual1943 it depends on the word, if it's written phonetically it can usually say it fine, but otherwise it can come out with some pretty wacky stuff lol.
After the amateurish, complete cock-up these gin swiggers made of the Rugby World Cup draw, I'll be expecting some form of evolution at least, although I see the same familiar faces, so don't hold your breath!!
I thought dinosaurs was a term of abuse for those who refuse to change and just want to stick with tradition,This is the complete opposite.It is,whatever you call it,a horrible,horrible idea,as it sells out traditions,adds more stupid games to an overcrowded calendar and,it is in an unsuitable country.
So is the calendar going to have 730 days now? This is killing all sports. Well said Tim, rugby needs to be protected against these goons and finally grown around the World.
Tim, really appreciate the fact that you point out the human rights issues in the Middle East. I don’t see Qatar changing their values and they definitely are using sport to get people to look the other way. But as a proud saffa from a country who fought for human rights, I would be disappointed if my team played in a country built off exploitation. The Springboks represent more than just rugby, but to see their name blasted in the Middle East would hurt.
Sadly from a government level, it will get a thumbs up. SA is cuddling up to Qatar - Sasol has an R8.9 mil energy deal happening. Theres a whole lot of afri-business deals on the table. Cyril spent time there last year, meeting the king and at a business forum. SA Government is keen to do business with Qatar - despite the human rights issues. But Qatar and Sa do agree on the Palestine issue - go figure.
Damn straight mate, playing Qatar is basically like playing in South Africa during apartheid. Sickening to even think this is being considered....and with a caveat there at least South Africa were/are a rugby nation during apartheid. Qatar is not a friend to rugby,
Ireland and France will need support from a southern hemisphere country, preferably South Africa as there is already relationships from the URC and Champions Cup. Those three then boycot this Nations League and said they would instead play one another in July and November as well as the likes of Georgia, Spain, Portugal, Uruguay, USA, Tonga, Samoa etc.
I just hate what this is going to do to tier 2. As a Scotland fan you know what game I’m most excited for this November? It’s actually the Portugal game. I’ve seen Scotland play South Africa, Australia and Fiji loads of time but I’ve never seen them play Portugal and I can’t wait for it. This completely undermines the work that tier 2 nations have done to grow the game in their countries and the quality of their national teams. The amount of effort that has gone into creating pro rugby with the rugby Europe super cup, super rugby americas and the mlr all with the goal to try and get these nations to compete with the top dogs and instead of the tier 1 teams embracing them they’ve shut the door. It’s embarrassing. I’ll actually be more shocked if the second division of this competition has pro rel, like they said it would, than if it doesn’t. I don’t trust these unions at all to work in the best interests of rugby
When your channel first started, I had you in the same bucket as Squidge, but you have zero of the content of Squidge. You do however have ALL OF THE SUBSTANCE. Love your views and getting under the skin of things. Also...had no idea of the football nations cup, tx for the pub trivia 😂 Thank you for the top to bottom commentary on games, culture and administration...LOVE IT. 🇿🇦
Does anyone remember the fable about killing the golden goose? World Rugby is about to kill the game. There are too many games and the players are exhausted. For Boks fans, just look at the injury list. There are so many injured players who are worn out from beating each other up for so many games. So instead of grubbing for every last dollar, we should stop and think about the long term health of the players and the good of the game
South Africa chose to join the northern hemisphere and have rugby year-round. There are not too many internationals for me, 14. Tell their clubs to rest them. Oh, that's right you can't. They have all the money.
100% Tim! Rugby is the most inclusive and respectful sport I have had the pleasure to have played and spectated in... we need more emerging teams like Georgia, Portugal, Chile etc.. not more money for the top teams and selling our souls....
If the stated aim is to grow rugby where does this leave Georgia, Romania, Tonga, Samoa, etc? , it will certainly devalue the World Cup, and the Calander is already too full. Something has to go; will it end Lions tours?
O agree totally with you. I grew up with traditional tours which was all fantastic tours. The guys that were never going to be( for example, a Springbok) playing at the highest level, will be able to play for his province/club, against an international team. That will be the highlight of his career. And us fans get to know the international teams individual players, which adds to the excitement of a tour. Thanks Tim
Firstly Tim thanks for a well informed take on this situation. Personally I believe that we must support the 2 tier teams for the better of the game. I think the World Cup is the pinnacle of the sport and by improving the 2 tier system in the long run betters the sport.
Couldn't agree more with Tim!! Rugby arguably has the best behaved set of fans and values out of any sport in the world. Fans from opposing countries sitting next to each other in stadiums proves how well-mannered rugby fans are. The game is based on a shared value of respect. Trying to kill each other on the pitch, but off the pitch showing respect for the opposition, and this is why rugby is one of the greatest sports in the world.
Well said on all counts Tim, the game cannot afford to lose its roots, or for nefarious forces to be allowed to manipulate the playing field to suit their ulterior motives 🤘
This competition should be between the emerging nations and the top teams get an automatic entry into the WC and they also get to play 2 of the top tier countries
At the end of the last World Cup it seemed to me that everyone agreed that a tier 2 competition was needed. I feel this should be the main focus to grow these smaller teams. Clearly, World Rugby feels there's more money in a Nations Championship and prioritises this over the tier 2 teams.
Hello kidda im glad u enjoyed South Africa 🇿🇦 and thank you for coming over. Thank you for your kind words and presents. Your a good understanding man and South Africa 🇿🇦 will always welcome you
You've just done a top rate job in picking out the issues around this ill judged and patently unfair proposal. To create a competition which excludes the lower tier teams is contrary to every principle we admire and support in the game. Furthermore, to tie ourselves to a morally corrupt regime at a time when the western world needs to be clear about where we stand on so many issues is unacceptable. Rugby Union is losing support in some home nations, and to display as being morally ambiguous can only do more harm. Tim, you are a beacon of light in the rugby community. thank you.
100% agree with you Mr Eggchaser. I love that rugby is not football with the opposing fans being next to each other and having a pint with them before and even after the game. I understand money talks but as you said if you want to grow the game you need to think long term. Look at the most successful club teams (Toulouse/Leinster/Tigers (as a fan ;) ) they all think long term and the success is seen on the field and with their revenue/support.
I agree, even for the argument of making money. Rather widen the net to countries where rugby is emerging than trying to milk the cow dry in countries where rugby is already well established.
I always feel sorry for fans in some other sports who don't experience the joy of mixing with opposing fans, especialy after the game. In regard to the Nations Cup I feel that the money on offer will be far too tempting in the short run to affect the decisions which would benefit the game in the long term. Love the channel Tim always informed and unbiased
Tim… I follow you like a religion….and I’m not religious!! Haha. Jokes aside, you called out at the middle/end nicely that rugby is inclusive and accepting to all. I couldn’t agree more! The issue (and particularly in the UK) is the woke movement, which thankfully is dying….and what you politely did, was not apologising for rugby BEING rugby!! Rugby is brutal, and I love it….it explains my multiple surgeries, and I dont want it any other way!!
You are absolutely right Tim, nobody will care about the tournament and your comparison to the Nations league is spot on. As a rugby example - how many teams or rugby fans are really bothered about the 3rd / 4th place play off in the RWC. The same is likely for the Nations Championship except the final…. which will be played in Qatar in front of Corporate but unlikely true fans of the game.
Great vid Tim, do think you contradict yourself slightly though when talking about growing the game and then about the test matches. As box office as a 3rd SA vs IRE test would have been, that would have denied Portugal the chance to play a historic first test vs SA. Player welfare dictates we can't increase the calendar and have both of them, so which one would you rather?
That's not a contradiction. He pointed out something every single South African and Irish fan wanted. The best in the world in a winner takes all contest. That is box office. No offence to Portugal I promise. They'd have been sitting like us watching the best in the world. Bring back the tours!
Thanks for talking about these topics Tim. I would say my experience of rugby in a few different EU countries has not always been as inclusive as your experience. It’s never everyone, but being outspoken about inclusivity, and removing hate speech, is something we in our (rugby) communities could always look to improve.
Saying rugby is Rasist, homophobic, etc is absurd. South Africa is a perfect example of how racism can be overcome with Rugby. Going from Apartheid, to a rainbow nation in 4 years, thanks to Madiba, and Francois Pienaar. If you look at the different races playing in different teams throughout the world, surely rugby can't be called racist. Then homophobic is a bit more difficult to address, however I have never been at a rugby club where people with different values and life styles were treated badly. At varsity we had gay and lesbian friends coming to the game to watch us play, and they were accepted with open hands. People who makes these statements clearly 1) knows nothing about rugby and the culture within each locker room, or 2) is looking to start a fire, where there is none.
Very well said, on all points, Tim. I suspect that the same people accusing rugby of not being inclusive enough, are the same people that claim that "fans" want the game speeded up, but are at the same time, happy with a 5 minute break in play to review potential dangerous play. Make that make sense.
Rugby does not have a "huge financial problem". Some countries have a management problem and use their influence at World Rugby to destroy the sport for everyone.
In the last few years, look how the 2nd tier teams have got better, i'm from south Africa, we need to grow the game all over the world, The solution to me is either South Africa does not send a team and other sides as well, if they are forced to send their teams, then South Africa should send either a 4th or 5th team or under 21 team or something that no one would want to watch
Thanks Tim - your logic and common sense and love of the game of rugby and your zest for life is very commendable. Your videos are very well put together and clearly your number of followers illustrate how appreciated your input is. Good Onya!👍💪🏉
Well articulated by @EggchasersRugby .well said Tim. We have to at the least be inclusive and grow the game. The ideal would be to rather have these major games at the developing rugby countries (Spain, Portugal, USA, Uruguay, Georgia, Romania, Kenya Samoa) so that the game is expanded there rather than at a country that will never play the game or even has interest to play the game.
Tim, noticed your work some time ago now, only recently subscribed, on this issue you are spot on, basically everything you said reflects my opinion as a western, moderate but conservative rugby head.
How about this: English Saxons, Irish wolfhounds etc, enter the Rugby Europe Championship that Georgia, Romania and Spain usually win. That would be a good, entertaining and useful competition for all involved.
I couldn't agree more about the fans sitting together. I'm a geordie and one of my friends is from Leicester and neither of us live in our home towns. As Leicester is the nearest for both of us we would go and watch the Tigers play the Falcons and we always sat surrounded by Tiger fans. As I was always the only geordie the home crowd delighted in taunting me but it was done without malice or edge and with bags of humour. The repartee was fabulous and they were great fans and great afternoons. As for the quote about the future being in the past, I think that was spot on, the history is a massive part of the binding together of rugby playing countries, the players and the fans.
As a rugby fan that's been obsessed with the sport for the good part of 11 years now, I can''t see myself staying on if this world league goes ahead. I want to see more exposure to non-conventional rugby nations. Japan, Uruguay, Chile and Portugal have all shown there's potential to tap into new markets and grow the sport organically
Also, as a Scot; the nations league is a huge deal here lol. It has improved the quality of our national team massively and has made additional international matches meaningful, instead of a run of friendlies. Perhaps this rugby tournament would work better if it was isolated to each continent and given a league pyramid
Love this kind of report on the business of Rugby. Also on the podcast, following the money and seeing how the countries adapt is part of the competition to be the best.
I have to agree with you Tim. Grow the sport first and the money will follow. This is an absolute nonsense of an idea. Personally I think we already play too many international games throughout the calendar year. Six nations and autumn internationals more than enough to ask of players on top of their domestic and European cup season. If there has to be a summer series for the NH teams then surely better to limit that to “emerging” squads, or better still promote, encourage and televise a Tier2 competition during the summer months? This constant pursuit of the dollar over all else is genuinely pushing me away from the international game.
Countries will be forced to split squads for some matches and as a consequence build depth. Ireland for example can go full strength vs SA/NZ but can send a development biased squad to Fiji/Japan etc. Taking the same squad to all 3 trans-hemisphere matches will be brutal, travel-wise
Personally, I love the annual schedule the way it is. But do want to see more opportunities for the lower tier countries. Maybe a sort of Lions concept could be an interesting idea for some of those countries. Fiji, Tonga and Samoa combined team Argentina, Uruguay, Chile combined team Not what Portugal, Georgia, etc would do though
It's a tough one. Financially for countries particularly New Zealand and Australia this could be a good thing. I agree with s lot of the concerns you mention in this video though about Qatar, devaluing the world cup, locking out tier 2 countries. World Rugby desperately needs that global season!
I agree completely that Rugby is all inclusive and great craic. Ugo is just another man with a microphone. He is fully entitled to his opinions. He was a great player and we love him . That does not mean he is right.
If QATAR wanted to sponsor a rugby comp the fans would actually be interested in watching. Every 4 years, 2 years after the BIL tour, A North vs South BIL style tour with players from the the Six Nations vs players from the RC. 5 matches.
They should use the emerging or A teams for this tournament to help give experience to up coming players and also allow out of form or injured players the opportunity to play first class rugby and regain form.
How can you say we're not growing the game when in July we played USA, Canada, Chile and Uruguay!! We're the ONLY home nation that did that so I would say that's supporting "smaller nations"!
personally I think the smaller nations playing eachother in a consistent well organised tournament will benefit them more than playing a tier 1 nation once or twice a year and getting smashed. Plus they can still play the tier 1 nations in the other two years of the world cup cycle
The Nations League in football has helped remove a problem rugby doesn’t have, friendly games. As an Irish football supporter, I’m glad not to play Oman countless times. It also acts as an alternative for qualifying to European Championships. You also get rewarded for doing well with promotion and then playing bigger nations. None of these things seem to be done with the Rugby version here. I think it would be a big mistake to take the autumn tours away from the fans and doesn’t help the players whatsoever. Just like in football, rugby is going to further isolate supporters who don’t have the money go to games anyway. It’s already €120 for a 6Nations ticket in Lansdowne Road(which is a joke imo), plus money it costs if you want to go the RWC(travel and tickets). Now they want to put games in a place with no connection to the game and a horrible current human rights record? What a joke.
An interesting point! Yeah, if it was part of a bigger picture, more joined up, that might make sense. *apparently promotion/relegation will become a thing in the future. IF that happens I can tolerate this moreso, as long as the money gets filtered fairly to all nations. Forgive me if I want to see this before I believe it though
@@EggchasersRugbyoh I 100% agree, my point with the football comparison was that it needed to happen in football to get rid of pointless games. Rugby has a problem of cash flow and bringing small teams up. I think integrating the like of the Rugby Europe Championship(which I love) to the bigger tournaments could possibly do a better job. World Rugby’s plan also does nothing for the club/international fixture congestion.
I honestly think we need the big stars of rugby playing more club rugby. It will benefit my team the Sharks for sure but how good would the urc be if the South African teams had their Springboks for more than just 5 or 6 games a season.
Great video Tim. I really enjoy learning more about the "game behind the game" because it really has a big impact on what happens on the field. I personally am getting sick and tired of being told that "rugby has no money" and therefore we need to change the laws every five minutes to chase some elusive statistic on a consultant's powerpoint, or we need to hold some bogus tournament in the desert to line the coffers, or we need to sell our brand to pivate equity for a few pieces of silver. Enough already! Rugby needs to cut its coat according to its cloth rather than heading down to the red light district for more coin. Rugby is now a professional sport but that does NOT mean it is just a profit-maximising business. I feel the leadership of rugby has become obsessed with money and lost touch with the fact that rugby is about so much more than that. If it carries on like this sport will suffer.
I understand that some unions need that money. However this is devaluing 1) The world cup 2) international rugby 3) Club rugby. How you compared it to cricket is a great point, Club rugby is the future of rugby growth. I would support the lions team playing 1 or 2 games, a world club tournament of the top 4 team or an U23 world cup. The brings in the money that is desperately needed however the current proposal could kill rugby, making most games meaningless
I don't think people, by nature, think too far ahead. You're 100% right, the long term future is to grow the game organically and slowly. The temptation for the individuals in charge is to grab cash for them. It's altruistic to plan for what happens beyond yourself and do the best thing for the future
Changes I would like to see 1. Continued club season from start to finish - no breaking away for internationals - then have the international period. 2. Promotion into six nations with the tier 2 on TV before six nations games 3. Could you add 4 American teams to URC.
Some match up during autumn last year were going in the good way (also Uruguay vs France this summer for example). With this competition you just do not help tier 2 nations to grow. Football generate this much money because a lot of people have interest in it. So growing the interest on tier 2 countries and lower will help grow the sport I think. If you do that at least put a system to go up or down like football nation league or the 7. Maybe the face off should go in 2 countries to solve the travel issues too. No for this new tournament but if they go with this they will need to find some solutions to accommodate everyone
Hi Tim, you 100% right, and man that chop saying we must tackle "heavy drinking and Laddish Behavior" my word ..look at football(soccer) you cant sit together or even go into the same Pub, you will be assaulted....wow World rugby is on a money grab...the problem is it wont grow the game, the big unions will get richer, it will be like cricket, also less is more.. as the saying goes...love you channel..from South Africa
Tim you nail it with the word Hypocrisy from World Rugby. Bringing the game to lower tier countries is more important. The game the Boks played againt Portugal in Bloemfontein is a great example of lower tier sides playing the best in the world. The stadium was almost full and the Portugal flags was abundant.
This would devalue every other competition because of the attrition of players. If it's forced on Nations they should send development teams, they fulfil a 'commitment' and get to bring on younger players, World Rugby get their pay days.
@stiofain88 South Africa situation is due to the inept government. Because eventually communism destroys everything. Otherwise, it would be flourishing.
@@coatknight I'm not trying to dismiss any of the other nations and their specific problems and challenges. I just said the OP is incorrect. The SA teams addition to the URC has worked successfully and injected more cash into SA but we can't stop your politicians from misusing those funds as it's not our place and it would be taken as hostile rather than helpful. The main thing which will help SA is when we can get flight routes established with only one layover for fuel, probably in the south of Spain, for as little money as possible. Ideally SA teams should only be playing on a Saturday to allow fans the time to actually get there and ideally in the late afternoon. If you're playing other SA teams then have the games on a Friday or Sunday so we have something interesting to watch. No matter what league SA play in these problems would occur as the geography is just awkward but at the very least we're in the same time zone so it's not as difficult as ye flying to the other side of the world. Once the English teams and the Prem go bankrupt and have no other choice than to join the URC as individual members, probably within the next three years, my guess is two SA teams will remain in the top tier and two will drop down to a second URC tier (which will still be profitable and competitive) making the travel less of a problem as it will be spread more evenly.
Absolutely Agree, it's a money grab with little thought for Qatar's human rights issues and even less thought of opening the game to more countries. Also agree with many comments here that any new competition should be a 2 tier structure. Thks for fabulous channel.👏
To me, to grow rugby, you have to grow the next level down and so on. The deeper it goes the more the top will grow if that makes sense. So, instead of the 12 Nations, maybe have a under 23 competition which would be all the "bubbling under" players who are not in the 1st teams of the nations which would include the teams like Georgia and Portugal etc. So the first team players would not be involved and their schedule impacted. I would be just as passionate about a Springbok under 23 side as the main side for example.
Thank you Tim, agree with you, wholeheartedly. Rugby clubs are by far the most respectful, inclusive and friendly places that I have ever experienced, no matter where in the world they are situated. This is reflected in the game itself and the thought that World Rugby are happy to prostitute our great sport to one of the most despotic nations is, frankly, sickening. The RFU has been a basket case for many years and I have long given up any hope of their providing a moral lead. We are therefore relying on France, Ireland and South Africa to kill this awful tournament before it can start. Please, please gentlemen, do the right thing.
I would rather ask that the 12 smaller nations play this tournament so that they can get the benefit of the cash to grow the game in those smaller nations.
@@djexplosives9807 There's meant to be a second division of this with eventual promoting and relegation from 2030
I would too, but how to fund this competition, as in those countries federations have small mean, few players are professional (and those who are do play outside their country), and sponsors, tv rights would be less important?
Yes
So much poverty were i coach rugby in the Western Cape. Let’s not get into this contemporary fad where looking after everyone else is the priority.
I agree. This should be good for Wales. They need some competitive games to grow.
I am rugby fan in Korea. I hope World Rugby doesn't just focus on short-term events, but pays attention to Asia. The Middle East is growing, but that's oil money anyway. A strong rivalry must be formed in Asia to attract attention, but only Japan operates a proper professional level. Hong Kong is the next level, and Korea only maintains a semi-pro thanks to rugby-loving companies. The Asian Grand League should be quickly attracted to boost professional development in Asia and increase national competition.
North or south?
@@denok411 Would love to see some real improvement in teams from Asia.
😂😂😂@@CptRumcan
@@CptRumcan😂😂😂😂
'growing the game' should be about improving tier 2 nations to a point where we can increase number of teams in RWC. Focus efforts on that goal rather than chasing Qatari coin for short term cash injection. If all our unions are so financially unstable, this feels like a huge gamble when a structural overhaul of the game is probably the better option.
Well said. And Bill Beaumont is still complaining about the Bomb Squad and too many substitutes. In his day they probably played only a dozen internationals in a year - does he really want players to play right through the year now? What's happened to player welfare you prime old fart?
The 2027 world cup will feature 24 teams. So imagine the 20 that played last year and add USA, Canada, Uruguay and Spain (all teams that have played world cup before).
Now you have teams like Brazil, Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, who all hover around the 25th spot. How do you grow the game in those countries?
It's unattractive enough for top 5 team to play against teams that already feature at the world cup - NZ can't get ranking points from playing Portugal for example. The match won't draw a massive live crowd and it won't draw great TV viewership. How much less eager would NZ, SA or England be to play a team ten entire ranking spots lower than Portugal or Namibia? Who is going to cover the cost of these fixtures? You can't expect NZ to hoof the bill for a game against Namibia, a fixture that will generate no revenue and with no rankings points up for grabs.
The one way that we can get the powerful rugby unions to foot the bill though, is by giving them a massive financial windfall and then decree that this extra income should be used to host at least 5-6 Tier 2 opponents in a four year cycle.
We all want to grow the game, but currently there is very little financial incentive to do so. The Nation's Cup might just change that.
@@randomlyfactual1943 How to grow Rugby in the countries you mentioned? I agree that it is not having the All Blacks play Belgium or France play Brazil. But how about the NFL's international games? How about, for instance, having the Six Nations play one game each on neutral territory, so that in a given year France might play Wales in Frankfurt, Ireland play Scotland in Barcelona and England play Italy in Amsterdam. Sure, of that 55,000 crowd in Frankfurt there would be at least 22,000 French and 22,000 Welsh. But those 11,000 Germans in the crowd would tell their families and friends and colleagues and neighbours: "You know what, this Rugby stuff is really cool!" Just as it has been going on with American Football for years. That's how you might grow a game in potentially promising markets. I don't see anything growing the game in Qatar, though.
@@randomlyfactual1943that exact reasoning is why nothing gets done. You're saying "well why should I wait for the €100 in a weeks time if I can get €30 tomorrow?" We need to understand that playing these teams will not be big bucks but then by playing the likes of Portugal, their teams gets better, Portuguese fanbase grows by being able to watch T1 and T1 fans will become more interested by more inter-country rivalries and histories will start to develop.
How would a closed-shop comp like the Nations champ improve things if we dont allow Spain to play T1 except maybe once every 4 years?
@@MiMo64-k7m I agree with you insofar playing Tier 2 nations. Maybe not play a full strength All Blacks team and be demolished 80 points to 0, but maybe a provincial team. Like Emerging Ireland did just two weeks ago, when they played the Pumas, the Cheetahs and the Western Force over here.
Problem with this is that someone needs to play for traveling, hotels and other expenses. So let's say we want to go play a rugby test in Lisbon, for example. How many people are going to watch the All Blacks play? Who pays for the whole tour? We all want to grow the game, but making NZ or SA foot the bill for a match that they get literally nothing out of is a bit much.
The Nation's Cup can change this. With extra money to spend, most of the big rugby unions should be able to fit in one or two matches per year (either their test side or an 'A' side) against weaker nations.
Thank you for always keeping up with the ugly side of rugby so that you can explain to us. Fry the money grabbers!!! From South Africa 🇿🇦
Thanks for watching
Dankie Tim
BOKKE!!!!
This should be a tier 2 competition.
There is meant to be a second tier of this however it all seems to be very quiet
Hey there Tim, first off all I have to say that as a blind person who uses the radio and some online sites to enjoy the sport I've loved for years, videos like these and all the other ones you do are invaluable to me, as it really helps to fill in the gaps in my awareness.
In regards to this whole deal, honestly yeah let's be honest it is all about money, and there's no hidden agenda to change Qatar at all.
I'm assuming you have a family member helping you with comments. If so, that's pretty cool.
Podcasts and videos are great for analysis and match reviews, but there is certainly a big gap in the market about talking about the financial side of the game, especially for the non-sighted audience like yourself.
Good on Tim!
@@randomlyfactual1943 My uncle is blind and he has a computer and phone that reads out articles. That tech was around about 10 years ago so I'm guessing it's gotten even better by now.
Actually I use a screan reading software called Jaws, which is great for allowing me to access my computer and such. It's a little janky at times, but it gets the job done.
@@jakehart1870 That's awesome man. How does it cope with spelling errors? For instance, if I misspelt a word, would it still be able to interpret it correctly?
@@randomlyfactual1943 it depends on the word, if it's written phonetically it can usually say it fine, but otherwise it can come out with some pretty wacky stuff lol.
In 10 years, I hope we dont find ourselves looking back at this deal and saying this was the moment World Rugby started becoming a mafia like FIFA.
Isn’t it one already?
After the amateurish, complete cock-up these gin swiggers made of the Rugby World Cup draw, I'll be expecting some form of evolution at least, although I see the same familiar faces, so don't hold your breath!!
This is the reason why rugby is suffering, these deals being made by bunch of dinosaurs at world rugby. What a shocker
I thought dinosaurs was a term of abuse for those who refuse to change and just want to stick with tradition,This is the complete opposite.It is,whatever you call it,a horrible,horrible idea,as it sells out traditions,adds more stupid games to an overcrowded calendar and,it is in an unsuitable country.
So is the calendar going to have 730 days now? This is killing all sports. Well said Tim, rugby needs to be protected against these goons and finally grown around the World.
Greed destroyed SuperRugby.
Less is more.
It's a short comp
Super Rugby is now a dreadful competition with barely any fans, sad to see
@@l8on17it's getting better again, but yeah, there was a 3 yeah ish period that it was going downhill
Tim, really appreciate the fact that you point out the human rights issues in the Middle East. I don’t see Qatar changing their values and they definitely are using sport to get people to look the other way. But as a proud saffa from a country who fought for human rights, I would be disappointed if my team played in a country built off exploitation. The Springboks represent more than just rugby, but to see their name blasted in the Middle East would hurt.
If you don't like playing in countries built off exploitation, why do you play in England and France?
Sadly from a government level, it will get a thumbs up. SA is cuddling up to Qatar - Sasol has an R8.9 mil energy deal happening. Theres a whole lot of afri-business deals on the table. Cyril spent time there last year, meeting the king and at a business forum. SA Government is keen to do business with Qatar - despite the human rights issues. But Qatar and Sa do agree on the Palestine issue - go figure.
Damn straight mate, playing Qatar is basically like playing in South Africa during apartheid. Sickening to even think this is being considered....and with a caveat there at least South Africa were/are a rugby nation during apartheid. Qatar is not a friend to rugby,
Ireland and France will need support from a southern hemisphere country, preferably South Africa as there is already relationships from the URC and Champions Cup.
Those three then boycot this Nations League and said they would instead play one another in July and November as well as the likes of Georgia, Spain, Portugal, Uruguay, USA, Tonga, Samoa etc.
@Comerford1986 might happen ireland have put a statement they are against the 20-minute red card.
Completely agree. Personally I don't like anything about this tournament
I believe you’ve hit the nail on the head. Growing the game should be the priority, too many short minded people making these decisions big decisions
Absolutely agree too much rugby. The World Cup must be kept as the pinnacle of the sport.
World cup and six nations, the six nations is the reason I'm a rugby fan otherwise I would've never cared for it 😂
You said it Tim - human rights - follow the money
I just hate what this is going to do to tier 2. As a Scotland fan you know what game I’m most excited for this November? It’s actually the Portugal game. I’ve seen Scotland play South Africa, Australia and Fiji loads of time but I’ve never seen them play Portugal and I can’t wait for it. This completely undermines the work that tier 2 nations have done to grow the game in their countries and the quality of their national teams. The amount of effort that has gone into creating pro rugby with the rugby Europe super cup, super rugby americas and the mlr all with the goal to try and get these nations to compete with the top dogs and instead of the tier 1 teams embracing them they’ve shut the door. It’s embarrassing. I’ll actually be more shocked if the second division of this competition has pro rel, like they said it would, than if it doesn’t. I don’t trust these unions at all to work in the best interests of rugby
They played us (Boks) in June and surprisingly they were good and I bet they will also be good against Scotland
Totally agree! Portugal play an exciting brand of rugby with talent I never see play.
@@ConnorDoesRugby The game desperately needs more sides like Chile and Portugal
And some of these Portuguese players are amateurs.
@@jean-pascalesparceil9008 Is it just the Lusitanos players that are pro (or semi pro)?
When your channel first started, I had you in the same bucket as Squidge, but you have zero of the content of Squidge. You do however have ALL OF THE SUBSTANCE. Love your views and getting under the skin of things. Also...had no idea of the football nations cup, tx for the pub trivia 😂 Thank you for the top to bottom commentary on games, culture and administration...LOVE IT. 🇿🇦
Does anyone remember the fable about killing the golden goose? World Rugby is about to kill the game. There are too many games and the players are exhausted. For Boks fans, just look at the injury list. There are so many injured players who are worn out from beating each other up for so many games. So instead of grubbing for every last dollar, we should stop and think about the long term health of the players and the good of the game
South Africa chose to join the northern hemisphere and have rugby year-round. There are not too many internationals for me, 14. Tell their clubs to rest them. Oh, that's right you can't. They have all the money.
100% Tim! Rugby is the most inclusive and respectful sport I have had the pleasure to have played and spectated in... we need more emerging teams like Georgia, Portugal, Chile etc.. not more money for the top teams and selling our souls....
This will be the beginning of the end. A slap in the face of fans.
Think you've hit the nail on the head there Tim, and said it far better than I would have. Hope France and Ireland hang on in there
If the stated aim is to grow rugby where does this leave Georgia, Romania, Tonga, Samoa, etc? , it will certainly devalue the World Cup, and the Calander is already too full. Something has to go; will it end Lions tours?
Too many games will lead to many more injuries and a dilution of quality. This on top of all the Club games is absolutely ridiculous!
Huge well done Tim for pointing out the moral component, including Quatars poor human rights record.
As a side note to my previous comment, I think Tim should apply for the role as head of World Rugby. He will definitely have my vote 🗳 ❤
You have a vote?
O agree totally with you. I grew up with traditional tours which was all fantastic tours. The guys that were never going to be( for example, a Springbok) playing at the highest level, will be able to play for his province/club, against an international team. That will be the highlight of his career. And us fans get to know the international teams individual players, which adds to the excitement of a tour. Thanks Tim
Firstly Tim thanks for a well informed take on this situation. Personally I believe that we must support the 2 tier teams for the better of the game. I think the World Cup is the pinnacle of the sport and by improving the 2 tier system in the long run betters the sport.
Couldn't agree more with Tim!! Rugby arguably has the best behaved set of fans and values out of any sport in the world. Fans from opposing countries sitting next to each other in stadiums proves how well-mannered rugby fans are. The game is based on a shared value of respect. Trying to kill each other on the pitch, but off the pitch showing respect for the opposition, and this is why rugby is one of the greatest sports in the world.
Well said on all counts Tim, the game cannot afford to lose its roots, or for nefarious forces to be allowed to manipulate the playing field to suit their ulterior motives 🤘
This competition should be between the emerging nations and the top teams get an automatic entry into the WC and they also get to play 2 of the top tier countries
We all love watching big games but my goodness!!! It is a full program! Somehow it will inevitably take it's toll on the players
At the end of the last World Cup it seemed to me that everyone agreed that a tier 2 competition was needed. I feel this should be the main focus to grow these smaller teams. Clearly, World Rugby feels there's more money in a Nations Championship and prioritises this over the tier 2 teams.
Hello kidda im glad u enjoyed South Africa 🇿🇦 and thank you for coming over. Thank you for your kind words and presents. Your a good understanding man and South Africa 🇿🇦 will always welcome you
You've just done a top rate job in picking out the issues around this ill judged and patently unfair proposal. To create a competition which excludes the lower tier teams is contrary to every principle we admire and support in the game. Furthermore, to tie ourselves to a morally corrupt regime at a time when the western world needs to be clear about where we stand on so many issues is unacceptable. Rugby Union is losing support in some home nations, and to display as being morally ambiguous can only do more harm. Tim, you are a beacon of light in the rugby community. thank you.
100% agree with you Mr Eggchaser. I love that rugby is not football with the opposing fans being next to each other and having a pint with them before and even after the game. I understand money talks but as you said if you want to grow the game you need to think long term. Look at the most successful club teams (Toulouse/Leinster/Tigers (as a fan ;) ) they all think long term and the success is seen on the field and with their revenue/support.
I never even thought about going to a stadium and not sitting with opposing fans, it's actually pretty awesome when you really think about it:)
A briiliant analysis Tim -wholeheartedly agree with all you say!
I agree, even for the argument of making money.
Rather widen the net to countries where rugby is emerging than trying to milk the cow dry in countries where rugby is already well established.
I always feel sorry for fans in some other sports who don't experience the joy of mixing with opposing fans, especialy after the game. In regard to the Nations Cup I feel that the money on offer will be far
too tempting in the short run to affect the decisions which would benefit the game in the long term. Love the channel Tim always informed and unbiased
Tim… I follow you like a religion….and I’m not religious!! Haha. Jokes aside, you called out at the middle/end nicely that rugby is inclusive and accepting to all. I couldn’t agree more! The issue (and particularly in the UK) is the woke movement, which thankfully is dying….and what you politely did, was not apologising for rugby BEING rugby!! Rugby is brutal, and I love it….it explains my multiple surgeries, and I dont want it any other way!!
You are absolutely right Tim, nobody will care about the tournament and your comparison to the Nations league is spot on. As a rugby example - how many teams or rugby fans are really bothered about the 3rd / 4th place play off in the RWC. The same is likely for the Nations Championship except the final…. which will be played in Qatar in front of Corporate but unlikely true fans of the game.
Great vid Tim, do think you contradict yourself slightly though when talking about growing the game and then about the test matches. As box office as a 3rd SA vs IRE test would have been, that would have denied Portugal the chance to play a historic first test vs SA. Player welfare dictates we can't increase the calendar and have both of them, so which one would you rather?
That's not a contradiction. He pointed out something every single South African and Irish fan wanted. The best in the world in a winner takes all contest.
That is box office. No offence to Portugal I promise. They'd have been sitting like us watching the best in the world. Bring back the tours!
Thanks for talking about these topics Tim. I would say my experience of rugby in a few different EU countries has not always been as inclusive as your experience. It’s never everyone, but being outspoken about inclusivity, and removing hate speech, is something we in our (rugby) communities could always look to improve.
Saying rugby is Rasist, homophobic, etc is absurd. South Africa is a perfect example of how racism can be overcome with Rugby. Going from Apartheid, to a rainbow nation in 4 years, thanks to Madiba, and Francois Pienaar. If you look at the different races playing in different teams throughout the world, surely rugby can't be called racist.
Then homophobic is a bit more difficult to address, however I have never been at a rugby club where people with different values and life styles were treated badly. At varsity we had gay and lesbian friends coming to the game to watch us play, and they were accepted with open hands.
People who makes these statements clearly 1) knows nothing about rugby and the culture within each locker room, or 2) is looking to start a fire, where there is none.
I see UA-cam is removing comments again.
Another white person lecturing on inclusiveness and racism😂
@@coatknight😂 they hired bots to piss us off.
Very well said, on all points, Tim. I suspect that the same people accusing rugby of not being inclusive enough, are the same people that claim that "fans" want the game speeded up, but are at the same time, happy with a 5 minute break in play to review potential dangerous play. Make that make sense.
Rugby has a huge financial problem. I do not believe this is the answer.
Rugby does not have a "huge financial problem". Some countries have a management problem and use their influence at World Rugby to destroy the sport for everyone.
In the last few years, look how the 2nd tier teams have got better, i'm from south Africa, we need to grow the game all over the world, The solution to me is either South Africa does not send a team and other sides as well, if they are forced to send their teams, then South Africa should send either a 4th or 5th team or under 21 team or something that no one would want to watch
Thanks Tim - your logic and common sense and love of the game of rugby and your zest for life is very commendable.
Your videos are very well put together and clearly your number of followers illustrate how appreciated your input is.
Good Onya!👍💪🏉
New Zealand's tour of South Africa is set for 2026. When is this thing set to take place? This is just a cash grab that's not going to end well.
I'll be far more interested in the NZ-SA tour in 2026, 100%
😂
Well said Tim.
Rugby, a hooligans game played by gentlemen.
Well articulated by @EggchasersRugby .well said Tim. We have to at the least be inclusive and grow the game. The ideal would be to rather have these major games at the developing rugby countries (Spain, Portugal, USA, Uruguay, Georgia, Romania, Kenya Samoa) so that the game is expanded there rather than at a country that will never play the game or even has interest to play the game.
Tim, noticed your work some time ago now, only recently subscribed, on this issue you are spot on, basically everything you said reflects my opinion as a western, moderate but conservative rugby head.
How about this: English Saxons, Irish wolfhounds etc, enter the Rugby Europe Championship that Georgia, Romania and Spain usually win. That would be a good, entertaining and useful competition for all involved.
I couldn't agree more about the fans sitting together. I'm a geordie and one of my friends is from Leicester and neither of us live in our home towns. As Leicester is the nearest for both of us we would go and watch the Tigers play the Falcons and we always sat surrounded by Tiger fans. As I was always the only geordie the home crowd delighted in taunting me but it was done without malice or edge and with bags of humour. The repartee was fabulous and they were great fans and great afternoons.
As for the quote about the future being in the past, I think that was spot on, the history is a massive part of the binding together of rugby playing countries, the players and the fans.
As a rugby fan that's been obsessed with the sport for the good part of 11 years now, I can''t see myself staying on if this world league goes ahead.
I want to see more exposure to non-conventional rugby nations. Japan, Uruguay, Chile and Portugal have all shown there's potential to tap into new markets and grow the sport organically
Also, as a Scot; the nations league is a huge deal here lol. It has improved the quality of our national team massively and has made additional international matches meaningful, instead of a run of friendlies. Perhaps this rugby tournament would work better if it was isolated to each continent and given a league pyramid
Fair point on the football :)
And that's quite a neat idea actually.
Correct good for lower ranked nations.
However Qatar have ruled the lower teams out.
Love this kind of report on the business of Rugby. Also on the podcast, following the money and seeing how the countries adapt is part of the competition to be the best.
Thanks for a great podcast Tim. Who TF gives it a thumbs down?? Maybe you have followers in Qatar!
qatar is very safe idk yall crazy wasnt it the safets fwc and it was great euro countries arent that safe too lots of crime
Absolutely brilliant video once again. Your views are spot on.
Great finish! Excellent video
Great channel. Thanks for all the research and hard work.
They should let one southern hemisphere country host a 3 week tour, rotating every time
I have to agree with you Tim. Grow the sport first and the money will follow. This is an absolute nonsense of an idea. Personally I think we already play too many international games throughout the calendar year. Six nations and autumn internationals more than enough to ask of players on top of their domestic and European cup season. If there has to be a summer series for the NH teams then surely better to limit that to “emerging” squads, or better still promote, encourage and televise a Tier2 competition during the summer months? This constant pursuit of the dollar over all else is genuinely pushing me away from the international game.
Countries will be forced to split squads for some matches and as a consequence build depth. Ireland for example can go full strength vs SA/NZ but can send a development biased squad to Fiji/Japan etc. Taking the same squad to all 3 trans-hemisphere matches will be brutal, travel-wise
The players themselves can still get together and reject this. I absolutely cannot believe that the fans do not have a say.
Personally, I love the annual schedule the way it is.
But do want to see more opportunities for the lower tier countries.
Maybe a sort of Lions concept could be an interesting idea for some of those countries.
Fiji, Tonga and Samoa combined team
Argentina, Uruguay, Chile combined team
Not what Portugal, Georgia, etc would do though
Lovely the idea combined teams.
Why not Georgia and Portugal and maybe Romania.
Would allow Qatar to host tournament of same.
It's a tough one. Financially for countries particularly New Zealand and Australia this could be a good thing. I agree with s lot of the concerns you mention in this video though about Qatar, devaluing the world cup, locking out tier 2 countries. World Rugby desperately needs that global season!
Spot on as always, Tim. Lekker!
I agree completely that Rugby is all inclusive and great craic. Ugo is just another man with a microphone. He is fully entitled to his opinions. He was a great player and we love him . That does not mean he is right.
If QATAR wanted to sponsor a rugby comp the fans would actually be interested in watching. Every 4 years, 2 years after the BIL tour, A North vs South BIL style tour with players from the the Six Nations vs players from the RC. 5 matches.
BIL is basically 1 country. you can't put NZ Australia SA and Argentina together, that would be meaningless.
@@nanderton9354 lol what
They should use the emerging or A teams for this tournament to help give experience to up coming players and also allow out of form or injured players the opportunity to play first class rugby and regain form.
I think that is exactly what will happen, evidenced by Rassie building depth and France sending a second team to NZ
How can you say we're not growing the game when in July we played USA, Canada, Chile and Uruguay!! We're the ONLY home nation that did that so I would say that's supporting "smaller nations"!
personally I think the smaller nations playing eachother in a consistent well organised tournament will benefit them more than playing a tier 1 nation once or twice a year and getting smashed. Plus they can still play the tier 1 nations in the other two years of the world cup cycle
The Nations League in football has helped remove a problem rugby doesn’t have, friendly games. As an Irish football supporter, I’m glad not to play Oman countless times. It also acts as an alternative for qualifying to European Championships. You also get rewarded for doing well with promotion and then playing bigger nations. None of these things seem to be done with the Rugby version here.
I think it would be a big mistake to take the autumn tours away from the fans and doesn’t help the players whatsoever. Just like in football, rugby is going to further isolate supporters who don’t have the money go to games anyway. It’s already €120 for a 6Nations ticket in Lansdowne Road(which is a joke imo), plus money it costs if you want to go the RWC(travel and tickets). Now they want to put games in a place with no connection to the game and a horrible current human rights record? What a joke.
An interesting point! Yeah, if it was part of a bigger picture, more joined up, that might make sense. *apparently promotion/relegation will become a thing in the future. IF that happens I can tolerate this moreso, as long as the money gets filtered fairly to all nations. Forgive me if I want to see this before I believe it though
@@EggchasersRugbyoh I 100% agree, my point with the football comparison was that it needed to happen in football to get rid of pointless games. Rugby has a problem of cash flow and bringing small teams up.
I think integrating the like of the Rugby Europe Championship(which I love) to the bigger tournaments could possibly do a better job.
World Rugby’s plan also does nothing for the club/international fixture congestion.
100% agree.
WTF are they thinking! From a Kiwi.
Fully agree and will take that deal by. I am tired of being lectured to
Nice Tim. Enjoyed this.
I honestly think we need the big stars of rugby playing more club rugby. It will benefit my team the Sharks for sure but how good would the urc be if the South African teams had their Springboks for more than just 5 or 6 games a season.
Great video Tim. I really enjoy learning more about the "game behind the game" because it really has a big impact on what happens on the field.
I personally am getting sick and tired of being told that "rugby has no money" and therefore we need to change the laws every five minutes to chase some elusive statistic on a consultant's powerpoint, or we need to hold some bogus tournament in the desert to line the coffers, or we need to sell our brand to pivate equity for a few pieces of silver. Enough already! Rugby needs to cut its coat according to its cloth rather than heading down to the red light district for more coin.
Rugby is now a professional sport but that does NOT mean it is just a profit-maximising business. I feel the leadership of rugby has become obsessed with money and lost touch with the fact that rugby is about so much more than that. If it carries on like this sport will suffer.
As a profit maximising it is rubbish.
England has gutted their game and killed three clubs and they are a rich nation.
I understand that some unions need that money. However this is devaluing 1) The world cup 2) international rugby 3) Club rugby. How you compared it to cricket is a great point, Club rugby is the future of rugby growth.
I would support the lions team playing 1 or 2 games, a world club tournament of the top 4 team or an U23 world cup.
The brings in the money that is desperately needed however the current proposal could kill rugby, making most games meaningless
I don't think people, by nature, think too far ahead. You're 100% right, the long term future is to grow the game organically and slowly.
The temptation for the individuals in charge is to grab cash for them. It's altruistic to plan for what happens beyond yourself and do the best thing for the future
It's the same as the SA deal on the table now. Short term gain and the sport loses long term
Changes I would like to see
1. Continued club season from start to finish - no breaking away for internationals - then have the international period.
2. Promotion into six nations with the tier 2 on TV before six nations games
3. Could you add 4 American teams to URC.
Some match up during autumn last year were going in the good way (also Uruguay vs France this summer for example). With this competition you just do not help tier 2 nations to grow.
Football generate this much money because a lot of people have interest in it. So growing the interest on tier 2 countries and lower will help grow the sport I think.
If you do that at least put a system to go up or down like football nation league or the 7.
Maybe the face off should go in 2 countries to solve the travel issues too.
No for this new tournament but if they go with this they will need to find some solutions to accommodate everyone
Hi Tim, you 100% right, and man that chop saying we must tackle "heavy drinking and Laddish Behavior" my word ..look at football(soccer) you cant sit together or even go into the same Pub, you will be assaulted....wow World rugby is on a money grab...the problem is it wont grow the game, the big unions will get richer, it will be like cricket, also less is more.. as the saying goes...love you channel..from South Africa
Always good show Tim. Thank you
Tim you nail it with the word Hypocrisy from World Rugby. Bringing the game to lower tier countries is more important. The game the Boks played againt Portugal in Bloemfontein is a great example of lower tier sides playing the best in the world. The stadium was almost full and the Portugal flags was abundant.
This would devalue every other competition because of the attrition of players. If it's forced on Nations they should send development teams, they fulfil a 'commitment' and get to bring on younger players, World Rugby get their pay days.
Fact is all these Rugby playing Nations are Bankrupt, let alone their Rugby Clubs. A very interesting summary of this development though. Thanks.
Ireland isn't. Neither is France. And it shouldn't take either of us to point out what you're doing wrong.
@stiofain88 South Africa situation is due to the inept government. Because eventually communism destroys everything.
Otherwise, it would be flourishing.
@@coatknight I'm not trying to dismiss any of the other nations and their specific problems and challenges. I just said the OP is incorrect. The SA teams addition to the URC has worked successfully and injected more cash into SA but we can't stop your politicians from misusing those funds as it's not our place and it would be taken as hostile rather than helpful. The main thing which will help SA is when we can get flight routes established with only one layover for fuel, probably in the south of Spain, for as little money as possible. Ideally SA teams should only be playing on a Saturday to allow fans the time to actually get there and ideally in the late afternoon. If you're playing other SA teams then have the games on a Friday or Sunday so we have something interesting to watch. No matter what league SA play in these problems would occur as the geography is just awkward but at the very least we're in the same time zone so it's not as difficult as ye flying to the other side of the world. Once the English teams and the Prem go bankrupt and have no other choice than to join the URC as individual members, probably within the next three years, my guess is two SA teams will remain in the top tier and two will drop down to a second URC tier (which will still be profitable and competitive) making the travel less of a problem as it will be spread more evenly.
A very long way of not getting to a final of South Africa v New Zealand with plenty of money being cleaned along the way
Since people are locked up in England for social media posts, we need to talk about human rights.
For real -The left are nutts
Spot on , great points !
Absolutely Agree, it's a money grab with little thought for Qatar's human rights issues and even less thought of opening the game to more countries. Also agree with many comments here that any new competition should be a 2 tier structure. Thks for fabulous channel.👏
Tim you are one of the biggest Rugby Nerds alive, Keo there as well😂
Best video you've done mate
Good stuff Tim
100% in agreement Tim!
To me, to grow rugby, you have to grow the next level down and so on. The deeper it goes the more the top will grow if that makes sense. So, instead of the 12 Nations, maybe have a under 23 competition which would be all the "bubbling under" players who are not in the 1st teams of the nations which would include the teams like Georgia and Portugal etc. So the first team players would not be involved and their schedule impacted. I would be just as passionate about a Springbok under 23 side as the main side for example.
Thank you Tim, agree with you, wholeheartedly. Rugby clubs are by far the most respectful, inclusive and friendly places that I have ever experienced, no matter where in the world they are situated. This is reflected in the game itself and the thought that World Rugby are happy to prostitute our great sport to one of the most despotic nations is, frankly, sickening.
The RFU has been a basket case for many years and I have long given up any hope of their providing a moral lead. We are therefore relying on France, Ireland and South Africa to kill this awful tournament before it can start. Please, please gentlemen, do the right thing.
If we don't watch it, it won't work. So lets keep rugby as it is and sort out our gardens while they play this thing.
Spot on Tim 🏉