World Rugby's First Credible Global Calendar Plan Revealed

Crunch talks are set to take place during the Six Nations that could have a massive impact on rugby’s global calendar, according to reports. The perennial topic of aligning the northern and southern hemisphere calendars will once again be debated as World Rugby looks to finally achieve synergy for the first time since the game went professional. It is understood that the idea of the Rugby Championship shifting to the same window as the Six Nations is being tabled to align the two hemispheres with the latter competition also starting a fortnight later. Crunch meeting scheduled This is according to a report by Midi Olympique, who state that legendary Los Pumas scrum-half and former vice-chairman of World Rugby, Agustín Pichot, will lead the discussions on behalf of the SANZAAR nations – Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The report states that the meeting will take place in mid-February in London, with the top Test nations’ bigwigs all set to be in attendance. In October last year, Springboks boss Rassie Erasmus lobbied for the international schedules to be aligned, which he believes will be hugely positive all round. “It’s just my opinion, but I think it would be fantastic if we can all play the Rugby Championship when the Six Nations is on,” he said during the press conference after the announcement of the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour. “It would be so much easier to know other teams, to be all aligned. Not having some countries flat in June and others peaking in November, and then we are flat in November. “Law changes or variations would then be so much easier to implement right across the board, because all competitions start at the same time. There might be a big thing I’m missing, but I can’t see any reason why we, New Zealand, Argentina and Australia don’t play that competition at the same time as the Six Nations.” ‘All Blacks have abdicated World Rugby innovators throne with Scott Robertson’s sacking’ The report adds that delegations are expected to present their demands and potential compromises. One of the biggest stumbling blocks for the alignment would be shifting Super Rugby Pacific to a spot in the calendar that would allow the Rugby Championship to be held earlier in the year. The broadcasting deals for the tournament that are already in place and competition with other major sports in the Southern Hemisphere will complicate moving Super Rugby. Rassie Erasmus slammed for ‘childish’ post that is a ‘massive disservice’ to Scott Robertson after All Blacks firing Benefits of alignment Midi Olympique dubs this as the first ‘credible attempt in a long time to bridge two worlds’; however, it adds that this rare summit demonstrates the governing bodies’ willingness to reopen a project that professional rugby has been grappling with for thirty years. Alignment is made somewhat easier with South African franchises joining the United Rugby Championship and European competitions. If the club tournaments were to be aligned, allowing for the international seasons to be synchronised too, it would be hugely beneficial all around. Currently, many South African and Argentine players effectively play all year round, while tier two nations are often without overseas-based players during international tournaments like the Pacific Nations Cup. If domestic and international competitions were all aligned, it could elevate the Test game with the top talents being available to their nations more regularly.