A major change to international rugby's traditional test windows is on the horizon.
Midi Olympique reported on Sunday that World Rugby is considering scrapping the usual summer and November tours and instead installing a world league based on UEFA's Nations League.
It's said that World Rugby vice-president Augustin Pichot pitched the idea in July to New Zealand's Steve Tew along with French counterpart Bernard Laporte and South Africa's Jurie Roux.
The competition would be held across five dates in November beginning in 2020.
It would be comprised of the world's top 12 teams based on rankings and broken into four groups of three.
There would be three group games with the top teams in each group progressing to a semi-final and then a final.
The hosting of the tournament would alternate between the northern hemisphere and southern hemisphere. Each group would also be hosted by a different country.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the concept will be discussed at a World Rugby meeting in Sydney on Wednesday.
World Rugby CEO Brett Gosper has hinted a the possibility of change.
"At the moment 56 per cent of the games in international rugby in the world are friendlies and that's what we're looking at and maybe swinging it back towards more meaningful, competitive games and that may be even with interaction between north and south," he said.
"There's a number of models out there but I think ultimately (a North vs South competition) would help add more meaning to a Six Nations or a (Rugby) Championship so it could only be good news for everyone."
Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
