New World Rugby Calendar and World Cup format

I would imagine it might be the only way to get the likes of USA to qualify for a world cup, especially with the 2027 world cup being the last chance before they host in 2031. If they get the USA in at 2027, then 4 years to promote the game a bit, might be more successful 2031 world cup. They really want that USA market.

It might benefit the likes of SA and NZ more though, any team with enough depth to be able to pick and choose any of their 33 players. Because rotation becomes a bigger issue than it was at the current world cup.

The weird bit is having a bi-annual tournament that will essentially just be all the favourites for the world cup. Kinda seems redundant.

Ya I'm certainly not saying that as a defence of the current system.

It at least gives an opportunity to Tier 2 countries which presently doesn't exist, and if nothing else will give Japan and Fiji (who I assume will be Teams 11 and 12) a real lift.

It's not a perfect system at all but to me is better than what we have.

It also adds a more competitive element to the June and November Internationals and should raise more TV and sponsorship money.

How seriously will the big countries take it, especially a year out from the world cup? Will it be like the Nations League in football? We won't know until it happens.

As for the WC expansion, I like the idea of a round of 16, but obviously it creates more mis matches in the pool stage. But at least this way the pool stage will be done in 3 weeks, but there won't be a lot of jeopardy for the top 8 or so sides until the knockouts.

Hopefully Tier 1 sides undertake to play at least one match each against a Tier 2 side each year there is no World Championship league preferably away from home. New Zealand playing in somewhere like Tblissi would give rugby a massive shot in the arm in Georgia.

Ireland will finally get to win a knockout game...there will be some serious mickey mouse last 16 games in 2027.....

Thats true. It's not actually adding more games so little harm done really.

Not a big fan of the "some 3rd place" type tournament set ups though in any sport.

Think you'll have a lot of the bigger teams putting out weakened sides in the last 16 round knowing they'll get away with it no problem. Not really how knockout world cup rugby should be.

I'm just waiting for them to play a snippet of rock music at a slow ruck...or maybe a firework? Boom!

Delighted the world cup is expanding but combined with the nations League it's a real poor day for those outside the 6nations and rugby championship who based on this just show they ultimately don't care about expanding the game and are only interested in protecting themselves.

The sport is shooting itself in the head with this.

Absolutely idiotic decision

Yeah that's what I meant by spread over2 years

They'll still find some way of ensuring Ireland play one of FRA/SA/NZ in a QF though wont they...

Like in europe where there is the european nations cup which has multiple divisions with promotion/relegation and then there is the pacific nations cup for fiji, tonga etc. These sides play more than enough games against each other already. what they need is far more games against the top sides

The problems with that setup is the home/away fixtures in the 6N in 2026 will be the same in 2028, also the RC teams play each other twice in the competition. Not saying it's impossible but there's changes needed there

absolutly stupid increasing WC to 24, should be reduced to 16 , to get rid of the Namibia/Romania hammerings and increase overall quality.

Think the new tournament is needed , probably see Ireland win it, and if we can't win a WC knockout game at next WC , maybe its time to stick to GAA,

But provided there are guaranteed cross tier matches in the non World League years, and Alan Gilpin stated this would be the case, then surely this is better than the status quo, maybe not perfect, but what is perfect?