Could we be set for a major change to rugby union soon? World Rugby chief Bernard Lapasset is anxious to bring the northern and southern hemisphere rugby seasons closer together in a global rugby calendar.
As it stands, the two hemispheres operate independently with just two international windows in June and November for intra-hemisphere matches. This means that potential club games between clubs of opposing hemispheres have been notoriously difficult to organise.
As the sevens version of the game joins the Olympics in 2016, the game is set for a shake-up in the XVs format with World Rugby looking at a global rugby calendar as an ideal.
We have to look at the possibility of getting a new model of competitions, to grow profitability and to make it as attractive as possible to broadcasters. What is the best format, the quality of the competitions, the safety of the players? It is great to create opportunities and to aid the development of rugby.
There are a lot of obstacles to overcome before any of that can happen, mostly due to scheduling in the Northern Hemisphere where domestic leagues play for nine months of the year - compared to a maximum of seven months in the southern hemisphere.
Given that the weather in the southern hemisphere during December and January wouldn't be suitable for rugby; a move to a summer schedule up North could lead to a more attractive brand of rugby with better weather and surfaces to play on.
Do you think it would be a good idea?
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Picture credit: Brendan Moran / SPORTSFILE
