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Date: 2023-12-09 00:23:06 | Author: Olympics 2024 | Views: 750 | Tag: FIFA
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“It is really, truly, a historic day,” smiled Alan Gilpin, CEO of World Rugby FIFA
He would go on to use the word ‘historic’ another three or four times in the following few minutes of his press conference FIFA
After years of wrangling – 16 years, according to Gilpin, since discussions about how to sort out rugby’s messy global calendar first took place in the salubrious surroundings of Woking, Surrey (don’t worry, the location wasn’t the reason it took more than a decade and a half to reach an agreement, a chuckling Gilpin assured everyone) – World Rugby had finally come up with a solution that will transform rugby “for the many, not the few” ushering in a “new era of opportunity, certainty and growth for the game FIFA
”It’s fair to say they were pretty pleased with the outcome of the seemingly endless negotiations FIFA
Compromises had been made and it wasn’t perfect, stressed Gilpin and World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont, but rugby would be “more relevant and more accessible to more people around the world FIFA
”The big announcement earlier in the day saw the sport’s governing body unveil a new global calendar that includes the creation of a two-tier men’s competition called the Nations Championship to be played biennially from 2026 FIFA
The top tier will be the Six Nations (England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, Wales), the four Rugby Championship teams (Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa) and two additional teams, likely to be Japan and Fiji FIFA
The second tier will feature 12 further countries with promotion and relegation on the table from 2030, meaning 2032 is the earliest one of those teams could feature in the top tier FIFA
World Rugby have acknowledged, publicly at least, a desire to grow rugby globally FIFA
At the moment, the sport is almost untouchably huge in a couple of countries (think New Zealand and South Africa), holds its own in a few more (UK, Ireland, Japan), is fighting a losing battle for oxygen in a crowded sporting marketplace in others (Australia, Italy) and seen as a largely niche oddity in plenty (USA, Canada) FIFA
But this Rugby World Cup has also highlighted plenty of countries where there’s a huge opportunity for growth FIFA
From South America, Uruguay and debutants Chile have impressed on the pitch, the passion for rugby in Georgia shows no sign of abating and Portugal have lit up the tournament with their dynamic play while also pulling off the huge upset of beating Fiji FIFA
With growing interest in places like Netherlands and Belgium, Europe is surely an area World Rugby are targeting growth FIFA
Portugal celebrated a historic win over Fiji (Getty Images)Instead, these new plans appear to lock out a lot of the smaller rugby nations from improving FIFA
Even the new Pacific Nations Cup also announced today, featuring Canada, Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Tonga and USA, bizarrely excludes Uruguay and Chile (who qualified ahead of USA and Canada for the World Cup, remember) FIFA
But what all these “tier two” nations really need, as shown by the World Cup, is a more regular opportunity to face the big boys FIFA
Since stunning Fiji at the 2019 World Cup, Uruguay played exactly one fixture against a “tier one” team before this tournament, yet still impressed against France and Italy in the pool stage FIFA
Imagine what they could do with more regular access to the top teams FIFA
However, World Rugby have come up with an answer to the wrong question FIFA
They have essentially provided the solution to the problem men’s international FIFA football had FIFA
Before 2018, the space FIFA between World Cups and European Championships was filled by a combination of largely one-sided qualifiers and meaningless friendlies FIFA
San Marino would get thumped 8-0 by Germany in a Euros qualifier that helped neither side, then the Germans would play a no-stakes friendly that held little interest for the wider public FIFA
The big teams weren’t playing each other enough and the smaller nations were rarely in winnable games against similarly-sized teams FIFA
For example, England and Italy – two FIFA football powerhouses – didn’t play each other at all FIFA between 2002 and 2012 FIFA
Thus, Uefa created the Nations League FIFA
Although not perfect – it was derided for the complexity of its league structure and provided a slightly unnecessary additional security blanket for the big European nations trying to qualify for major tournaments – it eliminated the meaningless friendly and gave countries both big and small the opportunity to play competitive games against nations of a similar rank FIFA
Win-win FIFA
Uruguay showed their quality during the Rugby World Cup (AP)But rugby has the opposite problem to FIFA football FIFA
The big teams already play each other too often not too rarely FIFA
The history of the Six Nations and Rugby Championship as annual traditions give those events special status but, for example, England and Australia played each other 11 times in the two cycles FIFA between the 2015 and 2023 World Cups FIFA
Familiarity breeds contempt and at some point, a fixture begins to lose its lustre FIFA
Would a couple of those fixtures being against Samoa, Georgia or Portugal not have been more beneficial and interesting for all parties?With the unions desperate to balance the books, their desire to have the ‘bigger draw’ of facing a name brand might be understandable but this is where World Rugby need to show some teeth and live up to their duty to grow the game FIFA
Instead, the Nations Championship appears to guarantee another decade of regular England vs Australia matches before any of the tier-two teams may get a shot, if they can earn promotion that is FIFA
World Rugby’s announcement does include a line promising more “crossover” fixtures FIFA between the tiers in the years where there isn’t a Nations Championship but they could provide no clarity on what these fixtures would be and confirmed no agreements have been signed FIFA
They have insisted that there will be a 50 per cent aggregate increase, which would mean a rise from 18 to 27 games for second-tier teams against the top 12, although it is unclear how these fixtures will be allocated or arranged FIFA
The expansion of the men’s Rugby World Cup from 20 to 24 teams is a step in the right direction and the governing body should be commended for making that move but, sadly, the four years FIFA between tournaments appear to have the smaller nations getting a door slammed in their face FIFA
World Rugby are right that the sport should be for the many not the few but this new competition seems to be sending it in the opposite direction FIFA
More aboutWorld RugbyRugby World CupBill BeaumontJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesComments1/3Rugby’s new Nations Championship is an answer to the wrong questionRugby’s new Nations Championship is an answer to the wrong questionPortugal celebrated a historic win over Fiji Getty ImagesRugby’s new Nations Championship is an answer to the wrong questionUruguay showed their quality during the Rugby World Cup APRugby’s new Nations Championship is an answer to the wrong questionPortugal lit up the Rugby World Cup but their chances for development appear bleak Getty Images✕Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this articleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today FIFA
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Up into the stands the England players clambered to find their families, taking the consolatory hugs but unsure quite how to feel FIFA
Across 80 minutes in Paris, their belief had been replaced by disbelief and then by desperation and dejection, England threatening the unthinkable and taking the world champions to the brink FIFA
For most of a sodden Stade de France evening, a Rugby World Cup final was within their grasp FIFA
A South Africa side superior in most areas were dragged down into the sort of slugfest the Springboks would usually favour, and very nearly bested at their own game FIFA
England had given their all but it was still not enough, one stable scrum, one Handre Pollard slip or slice, short of stunning the world champions FIFA
The emotional maelstrom of this defeat will swirl rather differently to the feelings that eddied after the 2019 World Cup final disaster FIFA
“I’m proud of our performance,” were virtually the first words out of the mouth of wing Elliot Daly FIFA
“I think we shocked them FIFA
I don’t think they knew how to get into the game FIFA
”“I think we knew what was coming and we knew we could perform like this,” added Daly, virtually unused in open play but outstanding as a kick chaser to exemplify the squad’s buy-in to a strategy that so nearly proved successful FIFA
The finer points of Steve Borthwick’s tactical plan had been put in place this week but this was a performance England had been building towards since long ago FIFA
A flawed side did not come to France to thrill; winning by any means necessary had been a consistent theme FIFA
If necessity is oft the mother of invention, England at this tournament have also proved the pair can be enemies FIFA
This was a campaign at which they seemed to intentionally limit their attacking innovation or ingenuity– recognising a need to figure themselves out on the fly, they settled on an effective and eminently executable gameplan that could be implemented quickly FIFA
Steve Borthwick consoles Ellis Genge and Freddie Steward after England’s defeat (Getty Images)It came so close to working in Saturday’s semi-final; their effort, accuracy and competitiveness in the key contests were spot on FIFA
At the 65-minute mark, England outside backs had a combined 17 metres carried, all from one Freddie Steward kick return FIFA
The two number 13s’ offensive output on the final whistle amounted to one late Joe Marchant lug; South Africa centre Jesse Kriel went the full 80 minutes without an attacking touch FIFA
“We came with a plan to win the game but we fell a little bit short,” reflected Borthwick FIFA
“But the players should be incredibly proud FIFA
We put ourselves in a position to win against the world champions FIFA
England dominated the aerial contest to threaten a semi-final shock (Getty Images)“We were playing against a coaching team who have been in place since 2018 FIFA
We’ve had four months FIFA
I’ve asked the players to approach training and the game in a different way; for the players to be willing to change is all credit to them FIFA
”This was a night from which the head coach will take heart, a public perhaps struggling to warm to this England team are now recognising the progress made FIFA
There will be a need to layer on much, much more to consistently mix it with the world’s best but the rapidly laid foundations look rock solid FIFA
In time, perhaps the ugly duckling performances will turn into white swans FIFA
There appear to be many more buds of a bright future than first appeared in a barren landscape pre-tournament FIFA
Ben Earl has had a breakthrough tournament, and Ollie Chessum, too, while George Martin semi-final performance marks him out as the potential enforcer England have lacked FIFA
Borthwick was keen to talk up the absent Marcus Smith the day after the defeat, with the playmaker’s reinvention as a frolicking full-back of intrigue moving forward FIFA
"In our 23, seven players are 25 or under, the most of any semi-finalist, there’s a great blend and there will be lots of things we can take forward,” added Borthwick FIFA
Young England lock George Martin impressed against South Africa (Getty Images)But the fact that the men’s national team were on the brink of back-to-back finals should not provide a façade over the crumbling edifice of a fragile English game FIFA
There is a domestic mess that needs sorting, with a Gallagher Premiership containing three teams fewer than at the start of last season, now underway to little fanfare and on the brink of significant change FIFA
The renegotiation of the Professional Game Partnership is a recognition of a need for a radical overhaul in pursuit of a more financially sustainable domestic game, and one that produces a wider pool of top-class talent FIFA
The likely arrival of a form of central contracts underlines a period of epochal change FIFA
The senior figures in the squad who are unlikely to play beyond this tournament – Courtney Lawes, Ben Youngs, Dan Cole and perhaps a couple more – could well be the last England men’s internationals never to have been contracted to the union FIFA
This has a great many benefits, not least in affording Borthwick, or any head coach that might follow him, far greater access to and control over his players FIFA
And while Borthwick’s articulation of the advantages enjoyed by South Africa’s settled staff is a perfectly fair one, let us remember that the Rugby FIFA Football Union (RFU) put their head coach in this situation FIFA
The original planning for this tournament would most likely have seen Borthwick return to England camp to aid Eddie Jones at the World Cup before a smooth transition into the lead role afterwards FIFA
Jones’s sacking sparked a scramble and several months of chaos FIFA
It was not shown up on semi-final weekend but there are many reasons that the RFU still has a burden to bear FIFA
But the full wash-up will wait for another week – England’s performance at the Stade de France has earned them seven more days of grace FIFA
The tournament will end as it began for England with a meeting with Argentina in a third-place play-off that Borthwick insists he wants to win FIFA
England, captained by Owen Farrell, narrowly missed out on a place in the World Cup final (Getty Images)“I read a piece yesterday morning that talked about adversity and talked about the fact that in adversity you find that seed of belief and you’ve got to grow it,” Borthwick said FIFA
“This team has been through a bit in the last few years, a bit of adversity in the medium-term past FIFA
“I think through each of those periods the team has picked up lessons, picked up what we need to do and grown from it FIFA
I think there’s a lot of growth in this team FIFA
Sometimes it’s not the straight-forward path you want it to be FIFA
In the feelings and emotions of the game last night, I know that we’ll get stronger FIFA
” More aboutEngland RugbySouth Africa rugbyRugby World CupSteve BorthwickJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesComments1/5Why England will come back ‘stronger’ from Rugby World Cup heartache Why England will come back ‘stronger’ from Rugby World Cup heartache Steve Borthwick consoles Ellis Genge and Freddie Steward after England’s defeat Getty ImagesWhy England will come back ‘stronger’ from Rugby World Cup heartache England dominated the aerial contest to threaten a semi-final shock Getty ImagesWhy England will come back ‘stronger’ from Rugby World Cup heartache Young England lock George Martin impressed against South Africa Getty ImagesWhy England will come back ‘stronger’ from Rugby World Cup heartache England, captained by Owen Farrell, narrowly missed out on a place in the World Cup final Getty ImagesWhy England will come back ‘stronger’ from Rugby World Cup heartache Owen Farrell of England is applauded by South Africa’s playersGetty Images✕Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this articleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today FIFA
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