Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

South African sides at risk as plans for Club World Cup 'progressing very nicely'

(Photo by Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

Plans for a new Club World Cup tournament are “progressing very nicely”, but there remains doubts over how South Africa’s top sides fit into the global scheme of things.

ADVERTISEMENT

According to European Professional Club Rugby [EPCR] chief executive Vincent Gaillard, plans to pit the world’s best clubs against each other in a quadrennial tournament are ongoing.

“The project is progressing really very nicely, even if the political environment is never simple,” Gaillard said, as per AFP.

Video Spacer

The Lions and Springboks media windup and why the Aussies when 0-5 in Super Rugby Trans-Tasman | Aotearoa Rugby Pod | RugbyPass

Video Spacer

The Lions and Springboks media windup and why the Aussies when 0-5 in Super Rugby Trans-Tasman | Aotearoa Rugby Pod | RugbyPass

“It is moving forward in consultation with all interested stakeholders, including the southern hemisphere countries and World Rugby.”

The concept was proposed by French Rugby Federation [FFR] president Bernard Laporte during his successful campaign to become World Rugby vice-president last year.

Speaking to Midi Olympique last April, Laporte said he wanted to see a six-week tournament held annually featuring the six top teams from Super Rugby, the best four from the Premiership, Top 14 and PRO14, and the champions of the Top League and Major League Rugby.

If a such a format is to be applied, a change in the makeup of the teams would be likely given the changes Super Rugby and the PRO14 have undergone in the past 12 months.

ADVERTISEMENT

Super Rugby will be comprised solely of Trans-Tasman and Pasifika sides in a 12-team league next year, while the PRO14 is set to become the PRO16 following the admission of South Africa’s four former Super Rugby franchises into the European league.

However, Laporte’s proposal to stage the tournament every year at the expense of the European Champions Cup was met with a swift response from the EPCR.

The governing body of Europe’s premier club competition instead proposed the Club World Cup to be held once every four years, a move that would keep the Champions Cup, and the second-tier Challenge Cup, alive.

AFP reports those plans to make the Club World Cup a four-yearly tournament are being put into action, but in an eight-team format with four of the best from each hemisphere, rather than a 20-team global competition as proposed by Laporte.

ADVERTISEMENT

“It’s advancing, still on the principle that the EPCR represents the interests of the northern hemisphere, based on a four-yearly format and with a date for the first tournament yet to be decided but not before 2024,” Gaillard said.

It comes three months after a report that chief executives within Super Rugby were keen on the idea of a Club World Cup, as were Harlequins and Scarlets board member Sean Fitzpatrick, Panasonic Wild Knights coach Robbie Deans and Toshiba Brave Lupus coach Todd Blackadder.

Top League chairman Osamu Oita also threw his support behind the concept as he said he expected a Club World Cup to be staged “in the near future”.

“If the club world championship can be held that is a very good thing for us,” Ota told Stuff.

“If some of the Japanese clubs can make it that is a positive for us, so I’m expecting the club world championship will be held in the near future.

“But of course many discussions have to be conducted to find the best format for everyone. We need to think about the player welfare as well as the international calendar, which is very difficult.

“So, everyone needs to capture the big picture of what is going on on a global basis to sort out the right place and the right timing.”

Gaillard, meanwhile, added that the EPCR has signed a new deal with national unions and federations guaranteeing the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup through until at least 2030.

Just how the South Africa’s four soon-to-be PRO16 franchises – the Bulls, Lions, Sharks and Stormers – fit into the continental equation remains unclear, though.

“There will be no South African clubs in the European Cup next season, that’s for sure,” Gaillard said.

“In the Challenge Cup, theoretically, it is possible. We are looking at the possibility, but it is quite unlikely. There are details to settle, especially at the PRO16 level.”

A report from Stuff earlier this year indicated chief executives from within Super Rugby were

Listen to the latest episode of the Aotearoa Rugby Pod below:

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

O
Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING England player ratings vs New Zealand | Autumn Nations Series 2024 England player ratings vs New Zealand | Autumn Nations Series 2024
Search