Bad Company
09-21-2008, 06:04 AM
http://nz.sports.yahoo.com/rugby/news/article/-/5029627/report-30-million-rugby-world-series-likely
The International Rugby Board is reportedly set to give the green light to a biennial tournament which would see the 10 of the world's top nations battle out for a $30 million prize.
The Daily Mail has reported the competition would feature the All Blacks, Springboks, Wallabies, Argentina, England, Wales, France, Ireland, Scotland and Italy.
It would be played on a four-yearly cycle, in the two years between each Rugby World Cup.
The paper has reported the concept, which was previously mooted and set aside last year, would be discussed at an IRB board meeting in the UK next month.
The tournament would help boost the standing of mid-season tours hosted by the likes of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, with a raft of under-strength sides from Europe consistently being sent away.
The paper reported: "A round-robin competition will leave everyone playing everyone else once, a series of nine matches with all Six Nations games and some Tri-Nations results counting towards the World Series.
"One plan under discussion, according to sources in the Southern Hemisphere, makes provision for tests against Argentina during fallow weeks of the Tri-Nations, with the Pumas staging home tests every June against two of the home countries.
"They would alternate between visiting Argentina and South Africa at the end of one season, New Zealand and Australia the next with return fixtures at Twickenham, Cardiff, Murrayfield and Dublin every November."
The paper quoted an IRB spokesman saying: "A lot of goalposts will need a lot of shifting if the World Series is to get off the ground before the next World Cup in 2011.
"It's a complex jigsaw with a lot of obstacles to be overcome but the idea is taking shape."
The paper said proposals for the bonus point system to include an extra one for an away win, to compensate those with only four home fixtures, are under consideration.
It added: "The final would be staged at either Wembley, Twickenham or Cardiff, though Wembley, with 90,000 seats against Twickenham's 82,000, offers extra financial clout in reaching the target of generating an extra ($30m) in revenue for that match alone."
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That'd be fucking awesome :D
The International Rugby Board is reportedly set to give the green light to a biennial tournament which would see the 10 of the world's top nations battle out for a $30 million prize.
The Daily Mail has reported the competition would feature the All Blacks, Springboks, Wallabies, Argentina, England, Wales, France, Ireland, Scotland and Italy.
It would be played on a four-yearly cycle, in the two years between each Rugby World Cup.
The paper has reported the concept, which was previously mooted and set aside last year, would be discussed at an IRB board meeting in the UK next month.
The tournament would help boost the standing of mid-season tours hosted by the likes of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, with a raft of under-strength sides from Europe consistently being sent away.
The paper reported: "A round-robin competition will leave everyone playing everyone else once, a series of nine matches with all Six Nations games and some Tri-Nations results counting towards the World Series.
"One plan under discussion, according to sources in the Southern Hemisphere, makes provision for tests against Argentina during fallow weeks of the Tri-Nations, with the Pumas staging home tests every June against two of the home countries.
"They would alternate between visiting Argentina and South Africa at the end of one season, New Zealand and Australia the next with return fixtures at Twickenham, Cardiff, Murrayfield and Dublin every November."
The paper quoted an IRB spokesman saying: "A lot of goalposts will need a lot of shifting if the World Series is to get off the ground before the next World Cup in 2011.
"It's a complex jigsaw with a lot of obstacles to be overcome but the idea is taking shape."
The paper said proposals for the bonus point system to include an extra one for an away win, to compensate those with only four home fixtures, are under consideration.
It added: "The final would be staged at either Wembley, Twickenham or Cardiff, though Wembley, with 90,000 seats against Twickenham's 82,000, offers extra financial clout in reaching the target of generating an extra ($30m) in revenue for that match alone."
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That'd be fucking awesome :D