The British daily The Times reveals that a project for a traveling global Rugby league, on the same model as Formula 1, could be launched as early as 2026.
An earthquake in the world of professional rugby. The British daily The Times reveals that a global franchise project is currently in preparation, with 280 of the best players in the world, and could see the light of day as early as 2026. The format of this competition, supported by the United States, would take place over 14 weeks, each time in a different city around the world, on the principle of what is done in Formula 1. According to The Telegraph the Scottish fly-half from Bath, Finn Russell, has already been approached, and Antoine Dupont, the scrum half of Toulous and the Blues, would be a priority target in the implementation of this project.
This competition, which would enter into head-on competition with existing professional leagues – notably the Top 14 in France and the Premiership in England -, would bring together 8 franchises (plus a women's competition) and would offer more than attractive salaries (around €830,000 annually). . This would help revive interest in club rugby in certain countries where it is losing momentum (Wales, New Zealand, Australia). Concerts and activities would take place during match weekends.
37 matches per season for a French international
Brett Robinson, the Australian businessman who was elected head of World Rugby on Thursday, recently explained that he was concerned that rugby union was failing to generate enough revenue to survive in the face of wage inflation. “The product on the field suits me. For me, it is above all the way in which it is presented, the way it is sold, the way in which it is managed commercially (…). At the end of the day, sport these days is an entertainment industry. he said in the podcast The Good, The Bad & The Rugby.
This traveling league project would reduce the number of rugby players' matches in a season. An England international plays on average 30 matches per season and the players' union across the Channel recently complained that rugby players do not have enough rest time. In France, an international can play up to 37 matches per season, indicates The Times.
France
Rugby
