World Rugby’s project for a new global competition for women’s rugby, the WXV, marks a huge step forward. The financial investment alone, £6.4 million, is enough to confirm the good intentions. Full details here.
It is a first step in the introduction of a global calendar; a time-slot in September and October has been set aside for the purpose.
Inevitably it will require many unions to alter the timings of their season. The Six Nations for example will have to be completed by June. The 2020 version lasted from 2 February to 15 March, that is 41 days. So national club competitions would need to fit in between the end of the WXV and the end of May. The Allianz Premier 15s club league would have to delay – unless, of course, it was agreed to continue as usual without the involvement of the test players.
A brand-new competition for Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the USA will help to decide qualification to the highest of the three tiers, WXV1. One nation will miss out. Though this will be a massive boost for the participants, there will be a downside.
Women’s rugby is predominantly amateur. What hasn’t yet been explained is how the players are going to take time off work for these international fixtures. The huge logistical requirements of the World Cup itself will now come into play each year. Every player will need to be free of commitments to fly out to a location where three matches will be played. That is the equivalent of the three pool games in an RWC. If we allow four days between matches, as per the new RWC format, I calculate the three games lasting eleven days, and that excludes travel both ways and preparation time on site. The body clock may have a word to say on the matter. So we’re looking at a good fortnight away from a job; that could prove doable, or perhaps not. Some players in the 6N already find it impossible taking time off for each of the five tests.
We may have reached a point where individual players will need to have their game-time carefully monitored.
WR will need to take great care over the venues chosen. They didn’t cover themselves in glory as players in the 2019 Super Series at Chula Vista found themselves changing in tents pitch-side.
Promotion/relegation
The presence of promotion/relegation is a central issue. For the emerging nations the prospects are bright: there is the real possibility of advancement to the top tier over a period of a few years. Many a union might ponder over the priority it has given to 7s. With an annual world 15s championship on offer, some might decide to shift direction.
If we look at the minnows of South America for example, the chance to qualify for the WXV3 tier could raise competition and standards across the continent. Till now it has not found a place at the World Cup table.
Promotion/relegation will have its effect on certain top-tier nations too. No other move could do more to wake them up to advancing their women’s rugby programme as promptly as possible. The 6N is a classic case of a closed shop, where individual unions could trundle along in second gear safe in the knowledge that nothing worse could befall them than a wooden spoon.
Media Coverage
Alan Gilpin, the interim CEO of World Rugby, isn’t yet able to announce details of media coverage, but is aware of the depth of feeling on the subject. He hopes that free-to-air television can be attracted; only that would ensure the widest following. Social media have been full of hopes and fears about increased coverage of women’s rugby. At club level livestream is now commonplace in France and England, but still no news of television interest. The same is true to an even greater extent for the Six Nations.
Another maddening Delay
As with so many other commitments in the world of sport, WXV has had to be delayed to 2023 from the originally planned 2022. But when it appears, it will be a very bright star.
