World Rugby’s new two-tier competition has been branded “ridiculous, shameful, farcical and scandalous” by a former US coach
World Rugby’s new two-tier competition has been branded “ridiculous, shameful, farcical and scandalous” by a former United States international coach after the sport’s major nations voted in a closed-shop system until 2030.
A new global competition due to begin in 2026 will see the six Six Nations teams, four Rugby Championship sides, Fiji and Japan form a global league with a biennial Grand Final.
So-called Tier Two nations – such as Uruguay, the United States and Georgia – will be locked out of the top league until at least 2030 and may only get matches against top sides when they’re weakened, such as during a Lions Tour, or at a Rugby World Cup.
Rugby plan ‘totally ridiculous’
“It is utterly and totally ridiculous. It is not progressive at all,” former United States head coach Gary Gold told City PM
“When the accusations come towards the powers that be of them being an old boys’ club trying to look after themselves, it is difficult not to believe that is the case.
“It seems like the boys’ club is looking after the boys. I cannot see another explanation to this. It is just nonsense.
“There are teams like Romania, the United States, Canada, Spain and Uruguay who have big ambitions and want to grow. And they’re not going to grow, this is the bottom line.
“Playing Fiji, Tonga and Canada [for Tier Two] nations is all fair and well, you will get better, but you’re not putting yourself in a position to significantly improve.
“It is scandalous. I read something where Nick Easter [former England No8] said rugby was one of the worst-run sports in the world and I am struggling to disagree with him.”
For the many
World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont praised the plans, which passed on Tuesday morning by a slim number of votes, as “an era that will bring certainty and opportunity for all”.
He added: “An era that will support the many, not the few, and an era that will supercharge the development of the sport beyond its traditional and often self-imposed boundaries.”
But the plans have faced criticism, with nations who have captured new fans such as Portugal now facing a prolonged period without matches against top sides.
United States need more games
“You don’t want to see situations with teams like Namibia or Romania at the World Cup where there’s 70, 80 or 90 points on them in a game,” added Gold, currently coach of URC side Bulls and formerly of Worcester Warriors.
“The reason that is happening is because they’ve played just eight games in two years. They’re not bad players but if there’s not enough regular competition against top opposition you’re never going to be good enough.
“I am not saying they need to play 10 Tier One nations per year but having competitions like the ARC [Americas Rugby Championship] was meaningful for the United States.
“There are some clubs who will not release their players for the new Pacific Rugby Cup and that makes the whole thing farcical.
“I don’t agree [with Beaumont]. This is not a solution for Fiji, Samoa, Japan, Tonga, USA, Canada, Chile, Uruguay, Spain, Portugal; teams who have performed.
“The countries are desperate and you have teams like New Zealand who want to play outside of the international window which is of no value to us. It’s not that we don’t want to play Tier One teams but we want to play them with our best players. It’s pretty disgraceful.”