Rugby edges closer to ‘Champions League’
23 Jan 2012
An agreement to stage a best of the best tournament between the northern and southern hemisphere could be reached as early as this year.
The idea has been in the pipeline for years. What if the Super Rugby champions could battle the European Cup champions in a series of games to determine who is the undisputed club leaders in world rugby?
The good news is that top officials are considering the idea and working hard to find space for it in the international calendar. English rugby chief Mark McCafferty said that there’s plenty of interest from the clubs, sponsors and broadcasters for such a series, although it seems like a change in calendar won’t be possible until after the 2015 World Cup.
‘The thought of seeing the Bulls against Toulouse or Saracens take on Queensland Reds would be great,’ McCafferty said. ‘There are a lot of great sides in both hemispheres. It would only take one or two weeks but finding that one or two weeks is the problem.
‘We are talking all the time [to southern hemisphere officials] about improving the competition structures and growing interest in the game. And this is one of the ideas.’
A decision to stage such a tournament may be reached this year, and from there the officials will determine the format of the matches. One would imagine that the fairest format would see the teams playing home and away, although perhaps a third fixture would need to be added to ensure the series doesn’t end 1-1 and thus without an undisputed world club champion.
55 Comments
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23 Jan 2012, 13:19 pm
How about a Champions League every 3rd year before a worldcup year…Just like the Euro cup…
23 Jan 2012, 13:19 pm
How about a Champions League every 3rd year before a worldcup year Scrapping the Super rugby in that year…Just like the Euro cup…
23 Jan 2012, 15:24 pm
the champions league is played by European clubs who are all in close proxinity and in the same hemisphere, thus they all play football at the same time. Unlike our rugby seasons which are not entirely in sync with the north.
if players in clubs like Man U and Barcelona play 60 games a year, in about a 9 month season, why cant our rugby players do it? And they do it with a squad of less than 30 players, every competition allows for a squad registration of 25 players, under 21′s need not be registered.
And no, internationals will no be cancelled, and all tournaments will be played every year. Study the Champions League, Internationals, English Premier League, FA Cup and Carling Cup schedule and you see they manage to fit it all in, in one season.
Difference: They are truly professional, and what we have in SA, not nearly so!
23 Jan 2012, 18:50 pm
Wow i guess player burnout has been ignored by the IRB, yet again! First SANZAR will need to scrap the rubbish extended S15 and then we will find time.
23 Jan 2012, 22:30 pm
this champions league is a joke. the different seasons is always going to put one team at a disadvantage. the team that has this game scheduled at the end of their season will be ahead. that team will have the team together and game plans still fresh in the mind of players. the other team will be playing this game as a preSeason match and who cares what happens in preSeason games?
all about money. Tests, superRugby and 4Nations rugby will be untouched. these comps line too many pockets and those profiting from it will guard it like a she bear does her cubs. so none of these fixtures will be changed meaning more rugby has to be heaped on elite players.
such a dumb idea.
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