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'If anyone else wants to come out, great': Rugby Australia's new idea to host a mini-Rugby World Cup

(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Cash-strapped Rugby Australia has thrown up the prospect of hosting a mini World Cup during the Southern Hemisphere winter in what would be a huge boost to rugby-starved fans.

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With France due to tour Australia in July and the Rugby Championship featuring South Africa, Argentina, and NZ set to go ahead in 2021, the prospect of a mini World Cup doesn’t seem far fetched.

RA chairman Hamish McLennan plans to ask other nations to also join, with the proposed tournament to run in parallel with the Rugby Championship.

“We are still expecting the Rugby Championship to go ahead this year but perhaps we can add to it and create a mini World Cup,” McLennan told the Financial Times.

“We have the French (coming) in July but if anyone else wants to come out, great. We have a significant British and Irish population here and South Africans. We are open to creating a new tournament and keeping the international calendar going.”

South Africa didn’t make it to Australia in 2020 for the Rugby Championship due to player welfare concerns and logistical difficulties.

It remains unclear whether the world champions are definite starters for this year’s edition.

European and South African rugby calendars remain up in the air due to the growing spread of COVID-19.

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Australia has been one of the best countries in the world at handling the pandemic, and the prospect of sizeable crowds at international rugby matches has the potential to generate much-needed income for the sport.

The next official rugby World Cup will be held in France in 2023.

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M
MA 2 hours ago
How the four-team format will help the Wallabies defeat the Lions

In regards to Mack Hansen, Tuipoloto and others who talent wasnt 'seen'..

If we look at acting, soccer and cricket as examples, Hugh Jackman, the Heminsworths in acting; Keith Urban in Nashville, Mike Hussey and various cricketers who played in UK and made the Australian team; and many soccer players playing overseas.


My opinion is that perhaps the ' 'potential' or latent talent is there, but it's just below the surface.


ANd that decision, as made by Tane Edmed, Noah, Will Skelton to go overseas is the catalyst to activate the latent and bring it to the surface.


Based on my personal experience of leaving Oz and spending 14 months o/s, I was fully away from home and all usual support systems and past memories that reminded me of the past.


Ooverseas, they weren't there. I had t o survive, I could invent myself as who I wanted, and there was no one to blame but me.


It bought me alive, focused my efforts towards what I wanted and people largely accepted me for who I was and how I turned up.


So my suggestion is to make overseas scholarships for younger players and older too so they can benefit from the value offered by overseas coaching acumen, established systems, higher intensity competition which like the pressure that turns coal into diamonds, can produce more Skeltons, Arnold's, Kellaways and the like.


After the Lion's tour say, create 20 x $10,000 scholarships for players to travel and play overseas.


Set up a HECS style arrangement if necessary to recycle these funds ongoingly.


Ooverseas travel, like parenthood or difficult life situations brings out people's physical and emotional strengths in my own experiences, let's use it in rugby.

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