Pavilionaire
Well-known member
- Jul 7, 2003
- 31,106
New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Argentina, Japan, Pacific Islanders (Tonga, Samoa, Fiji). Some pluses:
1. A broader global appeal that the blandly-named Championship of four nations they currently have.
2. A symmetry of global rugby structure.
3. Big money for the Pacific Islanders, giving them a chance to improve their domestic infrastructure.
4. The novelty value of a new Pacific Islanders 'West Indies-style' team competing regularly on the world stage.
5. Possible prevention of better Pacific Island players defecting to Australia / New Zealand (i.e. Sivivatu).
I see that this idea has been mooted before but the Pacific Islanders need it to happen at least once every two years for it to work financially. I also see that the Tri-Nations expanded their own competition with more rounds and the Super 10 has been expanded to the Super 14 now.
It seems to me that if rugby is to truly progress as a global sport that the balance between national and club/regional competition has to be realigned and some of the money redistributed.
1. A broader global appeal that the blandly-named Championship of four nations they currently have.
2. A symmetry of global rugby structure.
3. Big money for the Pacific Islanders, giving them a chance to improve their domestic infrastructure.
4. The novelty value of a new Pacific Islanders 'West Indies-style' team competing regularly on the world stage.
5. Possible prevention of better Pacific Island players defecting to Australia / New Zealand (i.e. Sivivatu).
I see that this idea has been mooted before but the Pacific Islanders need it to happen at least once every two years for it to work financially. I also see that the Tri-Nations expanded their own competition with more rounds and the Super 10 has been expanded to the Super 14 now.
It seems to me that if rugby is to truly progress as a global sport that the balance between national and club/regional competition has to be realigned and some of the money redistributed.