Withdrawal weekend underlines need for a tighter World Cup
No more taking us all to the top of the mountain top at the Stade de France in a frenzy of excitement and Zombie delirium only to send us crashing down into a state of painful withdrawal, craving but with nothing on offer. Rugby Cold Turkey. This is true for Irish fans in particular but also of Welsh and England followers. Some of the England assistant coaches have even returned to Blighty for a few days’ break.
As for Scotland, we’d almost forgotten they were still at this World Cup so long was it between their first (South Africa) and second games (Tonga). Big tournaments need momentum to draw people in. An Olympics lasts just over a fortnight. The Ryder Cup is three days for goodness sake. This Rugby World Cup lasts seven weeks, three more than its football equivalent in Qatar last winter. There are reasons why – pools of five rather than four is one of the principal ones. There is talk of change for 2027 with a tighter format of six pools of four maybe. That would make scheduling more compact. Thank goodness.
2 – Have a second-tier competition
Every World Cup we discover new thrilling talent in seemingly the most unlikely of teams – in Cote d’Ivoire long ago, Japan more recently and now Portugal, all sides that have battled to establish themselves, to find cash first and foremost, then the drive and commitment to make it happen against the odds if there were to take a seat at top table with the big boys. We give them a patronising wave as we stumble across them, coo and gasp at the fact that they can actually weave and sidestep, cross fingers that they don’t get annihilated (as sometimes they used to do more regularly), and then start roaring them on as they cause the elite problems.
It’s happened just that way again. And even if there are one-sided encounters such as Namibia’s 96-0 blowout against France or Romania’s disappointing 76-0 effort against South Africa (doubly disappointing when you consider Romania’s heritage with wins over the likes of France), these are offset by the way Uruguay, with flanker Manuel Ardao, to the fore, have been getting stuck into France and Italy while individuals such as Portugal full-back, Nuno Sousa Guedes, and his dancing feet have been a delight. Look how Fiji have prospered since being given decent investment. These teams need more competition even to the point of a knockout tournament perhaps to run parallel with those that do make it through to the quarter-finals.
3 – 2035 World Cup in a nailed-on rugby territory
The locations for the next two World Cups have already been settled – Australia in 2027 and the USA four years later. As with Japan in 2019 and now France, it seemed sensible to pair a traditional rugby-playing nation as host with something more exploratory and experimental. Japan was a success on so many levels – sporting-wise, backdrop, culture, people – that it even managed to overcome major disruption when Typhoon Hagibis swept.
In theory, then, there is little wrong with World Rugby’s strategy. Or there wasn’t until the Wallabies imploded. What state will Australian rugby be in in four years’ time? How much interest will there be in that country when the hordes arrive? As for the USA, they have been the coming thing for 30 years yet have failed to really arrive and didn’t even qualify for this tournament. You can only wish both countries well. But it’s already time to start gauging where RWC 2035 might best be held. South Africa were denied at the death this time around and surely deserve what would only be their second ever crack. Or what about a Celtic World Cup in Ireland, Wales and Scotland? It has a certain ring to it.
4 – Free-to-air TV at all costs
Rugby is such a niche sport globally that it needs every last drop of exposure it can get. Reports that administrators are considering the claims of streaming services such as Amazon Prime as candidates for future World Cup bidding would have sent tremors through the marketplace. Perhaps that is the intention - to shake up the stakeholders and raise the potential value of the rights on offer. It’s hard to find fault in what the likes of Prime have produced in terms of quality of presentation, as was also the case with Sky or BT and now TNT as far as the UK market is concerned. Indeed, there have been plenty of complaints about aspects of ITV’s coverage. But terrestrial gives reach. It is as simple as that. Rugby being beamed into living rooms at prime time is a massive boon. No matter what riches might be offered, rugby should not give that up.
5 – Give security a crash course in Happy Clappy Vibes. And get the trains and trams running
It has usually been one of the most uplifting of images from major events, the cast of smiling volunteers that give of their time to make others welcome. While there have been fun and frolics across France with the volunteers at the centre of all that enjoyment, there have also been too many difficulties with high-end security protocols as well as transport issues getting to and from grounds. This perspective is all formed via social media which can be prone to a hysterical edge but, at the same time, nor can it be discounted as it does offer an insight into realities on the ground.
There have been access and exit glitches reported in Marseille, Nice and Bordeaux, teething issues in some regard but there have also been reports of water bottles being confiscated and over-the-top officiousness. Security is a constant presence in our lives and while we all have to recognise the need to protect arenas there is a fine balance to be struck. The supporters want to feel appreciated. A rugby crowd does not need segregating and is not known for disturbances. That needs to be kept in mind. So, smile, please.
