Plan sparked backlash from clubs and unions who were unwilling to sanction release of their prized assets to effectively a rival competition
From the Telegraph:
The launch of the prospective World 12s tournament has been torpedoed after World Rugby told organisers that it would not sanction a new model of the game, Telegraph Sport can reveal.
Backed by big names such as World Cup-winning coaches Jake White and Steve Hansen, organisers claimed it could bring the biggest players together in an annual 12-a-side tournament, which it said would bring £250 million into the sport over five years. The first men’s tournament was scheduled to take place over three weeks in August 2022 and chairman Ian Ritchie, the former chief executive of the Rugby Football Union, claimed to have received more than 10 significant approaches from organisations looking to invest in their franchise model.
However, despite receiving strong interest from the players, who could stand to make £90,000 each, it has sparked a backlash from clubs and unions who were unwilling to sanction the release of their prized assets to effectively a rival competition. Telegraph Sport can reveal that Premiership Rugby, the Ligue Nationale de Rugby (which represents the French league), the United Rugby Championship and some home unions wrote to World Rugby expressing strong opposition to the proposal.
World Rugby has now communicated those feelings to the organisers which leaves the tournament “dead in the water” according to one high-placed club source.
“The game’s major stakeholders welcome innovative thinking that has the potential to enhance the sport, and new concepts are always given full consideration,” a World Rugby spokesperson said.
“World Rugby has reflected the views of national unions, international and domestic competitions to the group proposing World 12s and confirmed that stakeholders do not wish to explore the concept further at this time.
“This is a position endorsed by the World Rugby Executive Committee and Professional Game Committee, which includes representatives from across the elite men’s and women’s game. The priority for the sport is advancing productive discussions regarding the establishment of a welfare-focused, streamlined and harmonious annual international calendar.”
Could World 12s still happen?
World 12s organisers insist that World Rugby’s lack of blessing is not a death knell for the tournament, although privately they accept that it was never realistic to have “192 of the world’s best male players” for their inaugural tournament in 2022 as their initial prospectus suggested. Instead, they believe they can still get enough players on board, primarily from the southern hemisphere, for the tournament to go ahead in 10 months time.
If they can prove the concept is viable then they believe the men’s tournament can go ahead with the world’s best players in 2024. But this remains contentious. Both the inaugural World Club Cup and a revived Nations Championship are supposed to be launched in the same year. There is no wiggle room in the calendar, but their backers have no interest in launching a rebel league like Kerry Packer did in cricket, even if they are confident the players are keen to come on board.
They also believe there are no barriers to the first female tournament going ahead in 2023, which starts a year later to avoid a clash with the World Cup.
A new female chief executive will be revealed later this afternoon and one of her first priorities will be to communicate to the clubs and leagues that they can be allies rather than enemies. Suspicion remains high among the clubs, however, about why they would sanction the release of their players and prized assets for a private tournament. Telegraph Sport understands that CVC Capital Partners, the private equity firm which has stakes in Premiership Rugby, the Six Nations and the United Rugby Championship, was opposed to the World 12s.
“It’s dead in the water,” a club source told Telegraph Sport. “If we want to run a 12s competition preseason then we would do it. We own the players’ contracts. I just don’t understand how intelligent people could do something like this without going to World Rugby or the leagues in the first instance. It was total hot air.”
Always a Wasp
Topic: World 12s 'dead in the water' after World Rugby refuses to sanction new format (Read 774 times)