World Cup every two years?

[chewbacca]

I have played, watched and loved this game since 1963. There have been some fabulous experiences. The seismic shift of professionalism spelled the beginning of the end. "Stick in the muds" and worse names were applied to those who advocated, not for the rejection of professionalism (it was inevitable) but caution as to how it was implemented.
It is now a helter-skelter of gigantic proportions and many sit helplessly careering and accelerating down and round with no knowing how it will end.
Of all the possible endings "well" is not one of them.

Its not the same game. Its not Barry John, Gareth Edwards, JPR Williams and I for one wish it was.

[northerntiger]

I have played, watched and loved this game since 1963. There have been some fabulous experiences. The seismic shift of professionalism spelled the beginning of the end. "Stick in the muds" and worse names were applied to those who advocated, not for the rejection of professionalism (it was inevitable) but caution as to how it was implemented.
It is now a helter-skelter of gigantic proportions and many sit helplessly careering and accelerating down and round with no knowing how it will end.
Of all the possible endings "well" is not one of them.

Its not the same game. Its not Barry John, Gareth Edwards, JPR Williams and I for one wish it was.

More to the point, it’s not Jonny Wilkinson, Brian O’Driscoll, Dan Carter or Martin Johnson either.

[Dangerous4]

Every two years! Please, NO. What a crackpot idea.

[ourla]

Cheer up, it may never ever happen.

[kk20gb30]

What ever the frequency , looks like the RFU are preparing a solo bid for the 2031 tournament.....

https://www.ruck.co.uk/the-rfu-confirms ... world-cup/

https://www.the42.ie/2031-rugby-world-c ... 1-Sep2021/

[Old Hob]

Cheer up, it may never ever happen.

The new chairman of the RFU Tom Ilube says he thinks he can grow the game by "two or three times". Whether this figure relates to revenue, people watching or people playing he doesn't say. He is, however, a big fan of private equity investment.

[Not a jock]

Most sports now have an elite professional arm and a mass participation amateur side, for example, golf, tennis, boxing, cricket etc with the gulf between them getting ever wider. I suspect rugby union is following cricket in having a commercially successful top tier (ie internationals of various formats) with largely amateur layers of clubs below that. Recently, I read that Chris Woakes played his first county championship match for Warwickshire in two years. I fear RU is heading this way too with international players playing fewer and fewer games for their clubs until the link is eventually broken.

You can't blame young sportsman for wanting to secure their financial futures. Those that don't will be free to play for a club of their choice. In the amateur days the progression was from club to county to region to national trial. At the end of the day, money talks, some will listen, others will cover their ears but the conversation will still be going on. When, not if, central contracts come in for England (say), the cream of talent in the clubs will be lured away by central contracts.

The one sport that has bucked this trend is football where the clubs are in the driving seat (even though the attempt at a European super league failed - this time).

I have an idea for a new format - four aside, played on a 70m x 22m pitch, touch tackling, ball can't go above 2m, brightly coloured clothing, BMIs <30, 2 mins each way, 15 mins half-time for ads/snacks etc, red card - straight to bed (they'll already be wearing their PJs), winners get slot on SCD - losers on IACGMOOH).