Why World Rugby is to blame for Wallabies spring tour mess
The blame game that has unfolded in the past few days as Quade Cooper, Samu Kerevi and Sean McMahon withdrew from the Wallabies squad for the spring tour has missed one key party â€" World Rugby.
The events of the past week have finally shone a bright light on what is a really murky area that could be fixed by the game’s governing body.
Quade Cooper, Samu Kerevi and Sean McMahon are all returning to their Japanese clubs and missing the Wallabies’ spring tour.Credit:Getty, Getty, Supplied
The loosely policed Regulation 9 pits national interest and international fixtures against the financial imperatives of club owners, who pay the bulk of a player’s income.
It’s only natural that a Japanese, French or English club that is paying these stars close to seven figures a season feels they have first call on those players. They do not want to risk their investment in any player if they are injured and miss a significant part of their season.
This will not be resolved until there are distinct and non-conflicting segments of the year dedicated to domestic competitions and international matches. And that responsibility falls entirely on World Rugby.
World Rugby needs to construct a global season that has the approval of all clubs and competitions.
‘The international game is a big driver of revenue for national unions and for World Rugby, but the product needs the best players available.’
The global season needs clearly defined windows and clear responsibilities about player availability for national teams when called upon.
If clubs don’t co-operate, World Rugby must restrict the ability of clubs and competitions to operate as “rugby†entities.
Domestic competitions must be shorter. The Japanese Top League is a great example of how a premium professional competition should look, with just seven preliminary games in 2021 and then play-offs.
This will enable player fluidity across different competitions. A French Top 14 player currently has about nine months of matches before the mandatory rest period of six weeks in between seasons. That season is too long.
Let’s trim competitions to about 10 teams, without two full rounds, and devise a system of global play-offs. This may also have the positive effect of levelling the playing field in terms of contracts: fewer matches means less packed-out stadiums and less revenue for the likes of Toulouse, and, therefore, a more equitable situation in terms of playing contracts.
The international game is a big driver of revenue for national unions and for World Rugby, but the product needs the best players available.
On the field, the Wallabies’ reliance on Cooper and Kerevi, who were not in the national squad just a few months ago, will be borne out in the next few weeks. Cooper brought experience and communication into the mix; Kerevi brought organisation and astuteness.
They certainly lifted players around them in the Rugby Championship simply through composure and confidence.
And, unfortunately, it also has to be said that the lack of depth in Australian rugby has caused this temporary reliance. To be bringing players back into the international scene after several years out of it in semi-retirement â€" regardless of the ability of those players â€" is a sad indictment on the pathways and coaching in Australia.
A heavy load will fall on the shoulders of Hunter Paisami and Len Ikitau during the spring tour.
The challenge for them will be to leave their comfort zone to become more assertive on the field for the good of the players around them.
Let’s hope the messy outing against Japan â€" to take nothing away from Jamie Joseph’s developing side â€" was just a reflection of being on tour and perhaps taking the opposition a little too lightly.
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