Exeter Chiefs
Rugby 12s?
By Plympton Chief
September 7 2021
Pulled this from the Beeb website. would be brilliant to have the world's best here but do we really need another form of Rugby
Plans have been unveiled for a new 12-a-side rugby competition proposed to take place in England next August.
The new tournament, World 12s, is intended to feature 192 of the world's best players, picked via auction to represent eight franchises.
World 12s Limited says the competition will take place over three weekends in a round-robin format before knockouts.
"World 12s is a natural evolution for rugby union," said the organisation's chairman, Ian Ritchie.
"We feel that this is a game for our changing, fast-paced world that can excite a global fanbase in the way that we have seen with the IPL [Indian Premier League] or most recently The Hundred in cricket."
Ritchie, formerly chief executive of the Rugby Football Union, is joined on World 12's board by former Welsh Rugby Union chairman Gareth Davies and former New Zealand Rugby Union chief executive Steve Tew.
World 12s say they hope to inject as much as £250m into rugby union through the tournament and will offer equal prize money for men and women, with the women's competition proposed for 2023.
It is intended that most players will be selected from Tier One nations but every franchise will be required to select at least two players from Tier Two nations and one under-20s international player.
World 12s also said "informal" conversations with World Rugby, clubs, unions and players had been "constructive".
World Rugby insisted extensive talks with the tournament organisers were vital.
"We are aware of the proposed new World 12s competition," World Rugby said.
"While we welcome innovative thinking with the potential to advance the reach, attractiveness and growth of the sport, comprehensive consultation with the organisers is required to understand the viability of the concept, particularly in the context of ongoing global calendar discussions and the priority area of player welfare."
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07/09/2021 14:36
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Quote:Hear, hear.cornwallchief
Any prem players taking part for three weekends in August before knockouts with training involved will not get any rest. As always money driven by Richie and Co - I cannot see where rugby player welfare comes in to thinking; Autumn internationals, Six Nations the premiership itself, champions cup, country summer tours and the Lions for some; - is that not enough! I think the 12's is a step too far - surely the pressure to play and risk injury in another competition, not directly involving the club who the player is contracted to is problematic, for the clubs themselves.
We'll soon have 7's, 10's, 12's, 13's (RL) and 15's.
From the World Tens website "Tens Rugby is the perfect hybrid of 15's and 7's - built for broadcast, betting and new-market fan engagement."
Presumably 7s and 10s are 'copyrighted' so if Richie's mob want to make money from their league they must have a different number.
Exeter boss Rob Baxter has raised concerns about a proposed new international 12-a-side rugby competition being planned for 2022.
The World 12s hopes to have 192 of the world's best players playing for eight franchises in England next August.
The tournament hopes to inject up to £250m into rugby union.
"The biggest thing that bothers me when these proposals are thrown around, and I don't mind saying it, is player discontent," said Baxter.
"Straight away from a managerial point of view if this goes ahead what's the outcome going to be?
"It's basically just going to be players being put in the middle, they're going to be the jam in the sandwich again between clubs and unions because these people are going to offer, I'm assuming, quite a lot of money to try and attract them to play as they have to make it attractive for them to play, and the player's going to turn around and he's going to have to ask to be released from contractual obligations.
"How does it fit in to any player's contract because most of them will be under contract for 12 months of the year."
Former All Blacks coach Steve Hansen is backing the new venture, which is being run by ex-Rugby Football Union chief executive Ian Ritchie.
It is intended that most players will be selected from Tier One nations but every franchise will be required to select at least two players from Tier Two nations and one under-20s international player.
World 12s also said "informal" conversations with World Rugby, clubs, unions and players had been "constructive".
But Baxter says he is unsure how the new format would attract a new audience:
"I can see how it works at certain times with cricket and I can understand the attraction.
"What are you creating? You can come to a game of rugby and spend two or three hours at a game of rugby and have a thoroughly good time and be thoroughly entertained by it, whereas with games of cricket previously to really partake in the game you had to be there for a day.
"Even in Twenty20 you've got to put quite a lot of time into that and if you go to a Test match or 50 overs you have to invest whole days at least.
"So I see why the short form works for cricket because you change the whole watching environment.
"But that doesn't need to change in rugby, so I don't know what the change in audience is going to be.
"I can't quite see what the experience or the time input or the time sacrifice you have to make as a spectator, that bit I don't get, and I think that's probably why personally I don't think it's going to be quite as attractive as people think it's going to be."
