From the Editor’s Desk: Gloom in Tier 2 Countries Over SANZAAR/Six Nations Plans; Lots of Rugby Next Weekend; Another World Cup Coach Rumoured to Leave
There’s been some negative reaction to the rugby giants colluding together to have their own party during the summer and fall test windows. The Planet Rugby article calls it the “death of Tier 2 rugby”, Americas Rugby News states, “Changes are set to hit International Rugby like a hurricane.”
You can read the article blurbs and links below.
What are my views as Editor of BCRN? I feel for Georgia, they’re ready to join the Tier 1 party, they can feel hard done by. Uruguay as the top Tier 2 team in the Americas, can also have a legitimate beef. In Canada, we have bigger problems to worry about, how to qualify for the next World Cup, how to beat Uruguay, Chile and USA in the next World Cup cycle. We have a dysfunctional men’s XVs program that needs to be sorted out before we start complaining about playing Tier 1 countries. The women’s XVs program is doing just fine, they’re Tier 1 and have a new world league structure to play in. The men’s 7s program under Canadian coaching has surprised the world, won the relegation tournament, and has stayed on the World Rugby 7s series. We’re waiting on the new HP guy, Stephen Aboud, to give us a clue, will it be the same old BS from Rugby Canada or does he really have a plan to turn things around for the men’s XVs program. The jury is still out.
Yahoo News
A new biennial international rugby competition featuring teams from the Six Nations and the southern hemisphere is set to start in 2026.
Six Nations Rugby and SANZAAR the organization which includes South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Argentina said Saturday they are working on a new competition to take place in the existing July and November international windows.
It will feature all the Six Nations teams England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales and SANZAAR teams, with two further spaces reserved for invitational unions to join the southern hemisphere group.
https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/six-nations-sanzaar-plan-biennial-102814051.html
Planet Rugby
The death of Tier 2 rugby Fans slam plans for new global international rugby tournament
A new biennial international rugby tournament featuring the Six Nations and SANZAAR teams is set to start in 2026, the two organisations have confirmed in a joint statement. The tournament will be ring-fenced until 2030, with World Rugby setting up a Tier 2 competition for promotion and relegation.
Americas Rugby News
Changes are set to hit International Rugby like a hurricane. Canada, USA, Uruguay and Chile are among those set to miss out in the new International Competition. The arrangement will see SANZAAR and Six Nations Rugby beginning a new international competition that will begin in 2026.
The new competition will alter the July Internationals and November Internationals. No longer will they be for tours; instead, matches will be played in a World League format. The catch is that the competition is for a select group of teams.
Rugby Next Weekend
Things have been quiet this Canada Day weekend but next weekend we have the Provincial Regional Championships in BC, with close to a thousand U14 to U18 youth competing at UBC. That’s the future. We have the Canada U18 men’s team in the Netherlands trying to improve on their 3rd place finish last year among the 4 teams, USA, Netherlands and Belgium. We have the senior and U20 women in Ottawa playing international matches. All those matches should be available by live stream or broadcast.
Another Coach Bites the Dust
Rumours out of Japan that Jamie Joseph will step down after the World Cup comes from Kyodo News, link below. Meanwhile in Canada there’s a large number of people humming that catchy rugby tune, “why are we waiting, oh, why are we waiting, oh why are we waiting, oh why, why, why…”