World Rugby still seeking solution in bid to salvage 2020 calendar

Full meeting with decision-making powers to be held by end of this month

Adam Hastings bursts through the Argentina defence during the autumn Test in 2018. The SRU are hoping that this November’s match against the Pumas can still go ahead with fans in attendance. Picture: SNS

The Scottish Rugby Union was remaining tight-lipped on its input to a World Rugby meeting which sought answers on how the rest of 2020 can be salvaged amid the current Covid-19 pandemic crisis.

Described in some quarters as a “once-in-a-generation” opportunity to finally come up with a global calendar which would more closely align the northern and southern hemispheres and bring more balance to the Test and club game, nothing of substance was agreed at the meeting.

SRU chief executive Mark Dodson, pictured, represented Scotland on the remote meeting hosted by the globe’s Dublin-based governing body. It has now said that a full meeting with decision-making power will be held “as a matter of urgency” by the end of this month.

While rugby in New Zealand, which has largely escaped the virus, is back up and running in front of packed houses, much of the rest of the world is facing a more serious 
situation.

Here, there remains the headache of completing a suspended Six Nations, Guinness Pro14, postponed summer Test series and the hope that November internationals can be played – in front of some form of crowd if possible.

The loss of games against Japan, Argentina and New Zealand at BT Murrayfield has already been costed at £12 million by the SRU.

World Rugby said of the meeting: “Whilst not a decision-making forum, the World Rugby Professional Game Forum provided the initial platform for national unions, international and professional club competitions and players to exchange frank views and consider immediate and long-term calendar reform in line with the guiding core principles of recognising the needs of the international and domestic game and enhancing player welfare.

“With the global Covid-19 pandemic significantly impacting the 2020 rugby calendar and union and club finances, all parties recognised the need to agree a compromise solution that enables both disrupted professional club and international competitions to be completed this year.

“In the absence of full alignment, further information sharing and discussion will be undertaken with all parties regarding the viability of proposed adjustments to the 2020 international release weekends stipulated in Regulation 9 that will enable postponed and other international matches to be played in an adjusted window from October, whilst enabling the completion of existing club competitions.

“The final decision on 2020 will be confirmed by vote of the World Rugby Council on 
30 June following consideration and recommendation by the World Rugby Executive Committee.”

The World Rugby Professional Game Forum attendees included the Six Nations, SANZAAR [South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Argentina], the International Rugby Players Association, the British and Irish Lions, European Professional Club Rugby, the Pro 14, French and English leagues.

World Rugby added: “There was also commitment to further detailed commercial and player welfare modelling in full collaboration with the club game to better assess the viability and attractiveness, for all parties, of a potential new ongoing global release period of October/November from 2021, replacing the July window.”

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