RFU Chief Executive throws weight behind Rugby Club World Cup

RFU Chief Executive Bill Sweeney has voiced positivity regarding the recent proposed notion of a Rugby Club World Cup, saying that such a tournament could create a Ryder Cup-style rivalry between hemispheres. 

Discussions are reportedly in progress and the tournament could commence as soon as 2025 and be staged every four years thereafter. 

The tournament would comprise four pools of four with eight teams coming from the northern hemisphere competitions – the Premiership, the Top 14 and the United Rugby Championship – as well as seven from Super Rugby and one from Japan. 

“It just will heighten excitement and awareness around the game,” Sweeney said, speaking to The Telegraph. “Fans are looking for new formats, new things to talk about. This summer there was a lot of talk around the north-south rivalry, there was almost a Ryder Cup situation towards the end there, in terms of was it going to be 6-6 or would the north win all of those final matches on the final weekend. 

“There seems to be more conversation around that and [the Club World Cup] just adds to that in terms of who has the best clubs in the world, the best club set-up, is it the north or the south. Seeing some of those club powerhouses compete against each other, the clubs look forward to that. 

“It's once every four years and sits in the same window as the EPCR Champions and Challenge Cup, so we're not adding additional weekends to the calendar which is one of the critical challenges you have in rugby, you just can't add on additional match weekends. 

“There is still a long way to go with it, it's not a completely done deal yet, but in terms of direction as a union we certainly support it and the clubs are very keen to get it done.”