It will all be about the Southern Hemisphere big four in the next nine days so, for the time being, it is worth a final look at the implications of this World Cup for the European game.
The elimination of European interest in the World Cup last weekend has inevitably brought calls for change with, for example, Peter Thomas, the Cardiff Blues chairman suggesting that a Northern Hemisphere Super 15 should be introduced, aping the Southern Hemisphere version.
For obvious reasons his basic notion is sound enough, however a combination of the current deal for European rugby allied to the self-interest of the powerful English and French clubs suggests it will not be happening any time soon.
That, though, represents an opportunity for the Celtic countries and those around the rest of the Continent if they have the courage to think differently.
On reflection there are three major issues that have come under the spotlight at this World Cup:
• The increasing threat to player welfare that has come about as a result of over exposure to repeated high intensity collisions
• The need to create a fairer global game which permits emerging nations to have the competitive opportunities required to challenge the elite
• The gulf that has emerged between Southern and Northern Hemisphere rugby
The first and third of those issues are at least partly down to there being too much rugby in the Northern Hemisphere and given the unlikeliness of engaging with the English and French who are so attached to the European model of professional sport which believes that home and away league systems are central to fair competition, the rest of Europe should consider looking instead to the North American set-up.
In particular the most successful team combat sport of them all understands that less is more in commercial terms and understands that the right system of play-offs can more than compensate for any unfairness during the league season.
The NFL Conference system means a maximum of 19 matches - as compared with the current 24 in the Pro12 and English Premiership and the French Top 14’s unwieldy, global schedule distorting 28 – are required to be played from season’s start in mid-September, to being crowned Superbowl champions.
Split into two Conferences or three four team divisions, they play divisional rivals home and away, each of the other teams in their divisions home or away and two random cross-Conference matches in which a certain amount of luck is involved in terms of facing in-form or struggling opponents. Disparity in the quality of different divisions in any given season is allowed for with a wildcard system that allows more than just the winner of any division to get into the play-offs.
As things currently stand the Pro12 would not need two Conferences, but could look after its players better and regain its competitive advantage over the English and French teams, by introducing the same principles with three or perhaps four team divisions that would allow room to introduce what the North Americans would call franchises in the likes of Tblisi, Bucharest, Barcelona and Madrid.
With their four team structures the Irish and Welsh divisions would look after themselves and a bit of imagination might be required to accommodate the Scots, Italians and others. Local derby rivalries could be protected within that while playing a meaningful role in the broader development of the game and maximising excitement.
The demands of European and international rugby that are not a consideration for North American sport would mean that the American Football model could not simply be imposed in this environment and the play-off matches would probably have to be separated from the league section of the competition and played at the end of the season, after the Six Nations and in among European play-offs.
However the challenge currently facing the sport’s administrators demands that unique solutions are sought and this is merely put forward to try to stimulate some fresh thinking.
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