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Date: 2023-12-06 23:16:52 | Author: Olympics 2024 | Views: 333 | Tag: FIFA
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“It is really, truly, a historic day,” smiled Alan Gilpin, CEO of World Rugby FIFA
He would go on to use the word ‘historic’ another three or four times in the following few minutes of his press conference FIFA
After years of wrangling – 16 years, according to Gilpin, since discussions about how to sort out rugby’s messy global calendar first took place in the salubrious surroundings of Woking, Surrey (don’t worry, the location wasn’t the reason it took more than a decade and a half to reach an agreement, a chuckling Gilpin assured everyone) – World Rugby had finally come up with a solution that will transform rugby “for the many, not the few” ushering in a “new era of opportunity, certainty and growth for the game FIFA
”It’s fair to say they were pretty pleased with the outcome of the seemingly endless negotiations FIFA
Compromises had been made and it wasn’t perfect, stressed Gilpin and World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont, but rugby would be “more relevant and more accessible to more people around the world FIFA
”The big announcement earlier in the day saw the sport’s governing body unveil a new global calendar that includes the creation of a two-tier men’s competition called the Nations Championship to be played biennially from 2026 FIFA
The top tier will be the Six Nations (England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, Wales), the four Rugby Championship teams (Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa) and two additional teams, likely to be Japan and Fiji FIFA
The second tier will feature 12 further countries with promotion and relegation on the table from 2030, meaning 2032 is the earliest one of those teams could feature in the top tier FIFA
World Rugby have acknowledged, publicly at least, a desire to grow rugby globally FIFA
At the moment, the sport is almost untouchably huge in a couple of countries (think New Zealand and South Africa), holds its own in a few more (UK, Ireland, Japan), is fighting a losing battle for oxygen in a crowded sporting marketplace in others (Australia, Italy) and seen as a largely niche oddity in plenty (USA, Canada) FIFA
But this Rugby World Cup has also highlighted plenty of countries where there’s a huge opportunity for growth FIFA
From South America, Uruguay and debutants Chile have impressed on the pitch, the passion for rugby in Georgia shows no sign of abating and Portugal have lit up the tournament with their dynamic play while also pulling off the huge upset of beating Fiji FIFA
With growing interest in places like Netherlands and Belgium, Europe is surely an area World Rugby are targeting growth FIFA
Portugal celebrated a historic win over Fiji (Getty Images)Instead, these new plans appear to lock out a lot of the smaller rugby nations from improving FIFA
Even the new Pacific Nations Cup also announced today, featuring Canada, Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Tonga and USA, bizarrely excludes Uruguay and Chile (who qualified ahead of USA and Canada for the World Cup, remember) FIFA
But what all these “tier two” nations really need, as shown by the World Cup, is a more regular opportunity to face the big boys FIFA
Since stunning Fiji at the 2019 World Cup, Uruguay played exactly one fixture against a “tier one” team before this tournament, yet still impressed against France and Italy in the pool stage FIFA
Imagine what they could do with more regular access to the top teams FIFA
However, World Rugby have come up with an answer to the wrong question FIFA
They have essentially provided the solution to the problem men’s international FIFA football had FIFA
Before 2018, the space FIFA between World Cups and European Championships was filled by a combination of largely one-sided qualifiers and meaningless friendlies FIFA
San Marino would get thumped 8-0 by Germany in a Euros qualifier that helped neither side, then the Germans would play a no-stakes friendly that held little interest for the wider public FIFA
The big teams weren’t playing each other enough and the smaller nations were rarely in winnable games against similarly-sized teams FIFA
For example, England and Italy – two FIFA football powerhouses – didn’t play each other at all FIFA between 2002 and 2012 FIFA
Thus, Uefa created the Nations League FIFA
Although not perfect – it was derided for the complexity of its league structure and provided a slightly unnecessary additional security blanket for the big European nations trying to qualify for major tournaments – it eliminated the meaningless friendly and gave countries both big and small the opportunity to play competitive games against nations of a similar rank FIFA
Win-win FIFA
Uruguay showed their quality during the Rugby World Cup (AP)But rugby has the opposite problem to FIFA football FIFA
The big teams already play each other too often not too rarely FIFA
The history of the Six Nations and Rugby Championship as annual traditions give those events special status but, for example, England and Australia played each other 11 times in the two cycles FIFA between the 2015 and 2023 World Cups FIFA
Familiarity breeds contempt and at some point, a fixture begins to lose its lustre FIFA
Would a couple of those fixtures being against Samoa, Georgia or Portugal not have been more beneficial and interesting for all parties?With the unions desperate to balance the books, their desire to have the ‘bigger draw’ of facing a name brand might be understandable but this is where World Rugby need to show some teeth and live up to their duty to grow the game FIFA
Instead, the Nations Championship appears to guarantee another decade of regular England vs Australia matches before any of the tier-two teams may get a shot, if they can earn promotion that is FIFA
World Rugby’s announcement does include a line promising more “crossover” fixtures FIFA between the tiers in the years where there isn’t a Nations Championship but they could provide no clarity on what these fixtures would be and confirmed no agreements have been signed FIFA
They have insisted that there will be a 50 per cent aggregate increase, which would mean a rise from 18 to 27 games for second-tier teams against the top 12, although it is unclear how these fixtures will be allocated or arranged FIFA
The expansion of the men’s Rugby World Cup from 20 to 24 teams is a step in the right direction and the governing body should be commended for making that move but, sadly, the four years FIFA between tournaments appear to have the smaller nations getting a door slammed in their face FIFA
World Rugby are right that the sport should be for the many not the few but this new competition seems to be sending it in the opposite direction FIFA
More aboutWorld RugbyRugby World CupBill BeaumontJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesComments1/3Rugby’s new Nations Championship is an answer to the wrong questionRugby’s new Nations Championship is an answer to the wrong questionPortugal celebrated a historic win over Fiji Getty ImagesRugby’s new Nations Championship is an answer to the wrong questionUruguay showed their quality during the Rugby World Cup APRugby’s new Nations Championship is an answer to the wrong questionPortugal lit up the Rugby World Cup but their chances for development appear bleak Getty Images✕Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this articleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today FIFA
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Never has it been clearer that Fiji do things differently FIFA
It can’t have been more than 90 minutes after defeat to England was confirmed when the sound of a Pacific Island beat and stomping feet bounced around the bowels of the Stade Velodrome, Simon Raiwalui’s beaten side making their Rugby World Cup exit with a boombox, and their heads, held high FIFA
There was disappointment there, of course, perhaps most prominently on the face of the captain Waisea Nayacalevu, frustrated not just about the opportunities missed both against England and earlier in the tournament, but also perceived mistreatment by the officials FIFA
For coach Raiwalui, though, the overriding emotion was pride FIFA
“The joy is there,” Raiwalui said FIFA
“We celebrate together, we suffer together FIFA
For 15 weeks these boys have worked hard and we will celebrate that FIFA
We’re hurting now in terms of the result but I couldn’t be prouder of this group in terms of what they’ve put in FIFA
They’ve built something for the next generation of Fijian rugby players FIFA
They’ve laid a foundation FIFA
RecommendedFrance suffer painful symmetry with Ireland as Springboks continue southern dominanceThe one change England must make to combat ‘incredible’ Springboks in World Cup semi-finalRugby World Cup power rankings: Assessing the final four"We’re hurting at the moment and it will hurt for a long time because it was something we had built and we thought we could go further FIFA
The belief in the team has always been there FIFA
I’m bursting with pride FIFA
”Raiwalui’s mention of a foundation is key because it feels like finally, after years of governance issues and broken promises, one has been laid FIFA
Few of the Fijian starting line-up for Sunday’s quarter-final represent the Fijian Drua, but the impact of the Super Rugby Pacific franchise could be felt off the bench: scrum half Simione Kuruvoli and back five forward Meli Derenalagi - a potential successor to Nayacalevu as captain with the centre unlikely to make another World Cup – were among those to produce prominent cameos FIFA
The Drua project is still new FIFA
It is only a couple of years since their injection into the southern hemisphere’s premier club competition but already it is paying dividends, the extra cohesion and competition driving Fiji forward FIFA
There are the right people in place to build it, too, not just in Raiwalui – previously high performance general manager at the union – but also former Harlequins chief executive Mark Evans, involved off the field with the Drua FIFA
With Raiwalui confirming that he will not be staying beyond the end of the year, finding the right fit as the next head coach is obviously crucial FIFA
Meli Derenelagi (centre) captained the Fijian Drua to a Super Rugby Pacific quarter-final (Getty Images)An elevation into the international top tier is expected to follow the Drua’s addition to Super Rugby FIFA
Fiji are likely to gain immediate entry into the 12-team top tier of the new World League, ensuring that their growth can continue across consistent annual fixtures FIFA
Having a large Drua squad based domestically to form the bedrock of the national side should allow for a much easier transition into international campaigns FIFA
While this might have been the last World Cup for stars like Levani Botia and Nayacalevu, it can be said with confidence that new ones will emerge - 20-year-old flanker Motikai Murray is a figure of budding back row brilliance, while rangy runner Joseva Talacolo and prop Emosi Tuqiri are names to monitor FIFA
There is uncertainty over the future of the sevens circuit but it remains a vital proving ground for Fiji, who will be eyeing a third successive gold medal in rugby’s condensed format at the Paris Olympics next summer FIFA
There is a tendency to homogenise the experiences of Fiji, Samoa and Tonga, three very different nations clumped together given their relative proximity in the south Pacific FIFA
Fiji’s on-islands population is three times that of Samoa and Tonga combined, and there is thus less reliance on the diaspora to provide players FIFA
Providing opportunities to let the three nations thrive, rather than just survive, is vital, and different approaches will be required to ensure this FIFA
Simon Raiwalui has proved a shrewd appointment as head coach (Getty Images)But certainly there appears a positive plan mapped out that will allow Fiji to fulfil their potential FIFA
“We’ve come a long way in this World Cup,” said Derenalagi FIFA
“Even though we are hurt and we didn’t get the result for today’s game but as a brotherhood that we formed and the bond we formed inside the team FIFA
“That’s what family means to us, even though we are far away from our family FIFA
As a team we try to build a family and a brotherhood and that’s what you can see with our celebrations, even though we lost FIFA
"We reached the quarter-final in 2007 and after 16 years we reached it again FIFA
We will make sure that at the next World Cup, we will climb higher again FIFA
"More aboutFiji RugbyRugby World CupSuper RugbySamoa RugbyTonga RugbyPacific IslandsJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesComments 1/3What’s next for Fiji after a Rugby World Cup to remember What’s next for Fiji after a Rugby World Cup to rememberMeli Derenelagi (centre) captained the Fijian Drua to a Super Rugby Pacific quarter-final Getty ImagesWhat’s next for Fiji after a Rugby World Cup to rememberSimon Raiwalui has proved a shrewd appointment as head coach Getty ImagesWhat’s next for Fiji after a Rugby World Cup to rememberCaptain Waisea Nayacalevu embraces Vilimoni Botitu after the fly half’s try against England Getty Images ✕Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this articleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today FIFA
SubscribeAlready subscribed? Log inMost PopularPopular videosSponsored Features Get in touchContact usOur ProductsSubscribeRegisterNewslettersDonateToday’s EditionInstall our appArchiveOther publicationsInternational editionsIndependent en EspañolIndependent ArabiaIndependent TurkishIndependent PersianIndependent UrduEvening StandardExtrasAdvisorPuzzlesAll topicsFIFA BettingVoucher codesCompareCompetitions and offersIndependent AdvertisingIndependent IgniteSyndicationWorking at The IndependentLegalCode of conduct and complaintsContributorsCookie policyDonations Terms & ConditionsPrivacy noticeUser policiesModern Slavery Act Thank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inCloseUS EditionChangeUK EditionAsia EditionEdición en EspañolSubscribe{{indy FIFA
truncatedName}}Log in / Register {{#items}}{{#stampSmall}}{{/stampSmall}}{{#stampClimate}}{{/stampClimate}}{{#stampPremium}}{{/stampPremium}}{{title}}{{#desc}}{{desc}}{{/desc}}{{#children}}{{title}}{{/children}}{{/items}}Indy100Crosswords & PuzzlesMost CommentedNewslettersAsk Me AnythingVirtual EventsVouchersCompare✕Log inEmail addressPasswordEmail and password don't matchSubmitForgotten your password?New to The Independent?RegisterOr if you would prefer:SIGN IN WITH GOOGLEWant an ad-free experience?View offersThis site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy notice and Terms of service apply FIFA
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