International rugby will be a bore until RWC

[Umaga's Witness]

As many of you will know, I don't love how World Cup obsession takes away from the importance of non World Cup test matches, but that is especially the case the closer you get to the World Cup.

It feels like test matches from this point onward will be more about World Cup development and less about the game at the time. Maybe that's just an NZ view because now that we've played Ireland and South Africa the rest of our games this year are comparatively easy, and on the year of the World Cup it's normal to mix up the selections a bit so as to finalize the starting lineup and the squad and ensure the whole squad is on the same page.

It kinda feels like the existence of the World Cup means you miss out on a whole year of test rugby. And that sucks.

I love the World Cup, when it happens, but I consider it more as a festival than a four year goal. Like the hong kong sevens used to be.

Anyone else feel disappointed that the next year of rugby will hold less importance? Or is it just a necessary sacrifice to ensure the excitement you get from the World Cup? Or do you enjoy the buildup games anyway, because you get to see new players etc so it adds something a bit different?

 

[Scotty]

I dont know as i think the Six Nations arguably holds more importance in the world cup year as winning that buts you in a great place going forward.

Saying that we have EJ who will use the 6N to try new things as HIS only focus is the the WC regardless of what the fans want annoying us alot

But with a more stable coach i think the 6N before a world cup definitely doesnt hold less signicance because of the WC.

 

[Umaga's Witness]

I dont know as i think the Six Nations arguably holds more importance in the world cup year as winning that buts you in a great place going forward.

Saying that we have EJ who will use the 6N to try new things as HIS only focus is the the WC regardless of what the fans want annoying us alot

But with a more stable coach i think the 6N before a world cup definitely doesnt hold less signicance because of the WC.

But the only reason ireland lost was because Schmidt was holding back his secret plays

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

I don't think it impacts on the 6N / REC so much but likely does on the RC. I'm generally disinterested in EOYTs and mid year Tests every year barring fixtures of potential historic importance (i.e. NZ against anyone this year).

 

[Umaga's Witness]

I don't think it impacts on the 6N / REC so much but likely does on the RC. I'm generally disinterested in EOYTs and mid year Tests every year barring fixtures of potential historic importance (i.e. NZ against anyone this year).

I'm guessing you care about northern vs Southern Hemisphere games when it comes to the World Cup, just not outside the world ? If so, why? Is it because the teams don't tend to get up for those games, perhaps the teams themselves think of the games as building for a World Cup?

or do you just simply want a game to be part of some kind of larger competition in order for you to care about it?

Apart from (most) games involving the all blacks, I do find the EOYT games to lack the quality you see in RC or six nations. The springboks especially don't seem to turn up in those games

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

I'm guessing you care about northern vs Southern Hemisphere games when it comes to the World Cup, just not outside the world ? If so, why? Is it because the teams don't tend to get up for those games, perhaps the teams themselves think of the games as building for a World Cup?

or do you just simply want a game to be part of some kind of larger competition in order for you to care about it?

Apart from (most) games involving the all blacks, I do find the EOYT games to lack the quality you see in RC or six nations. The springboks especially don't seem to turn up in those games

I'm basically one of those weirdos that doesn't like glorified friendlies in any sport. I could never dream of watching a football friendly or a F1 race with nothing on the line (like their meaningless superpole mini races). My interest on Test cricket has grown again since they introduced the World Test Championship for example (that your lot miraculously won) to make the Test series a bit more meaningful.

The NH vs SH was interesting this summer because it showed a shift in power but I doubt I'll be all that interested in it next year. As I've said elsewhere I think it is easy to retain the EOYT and mid year test series in an overarching Europe vs Rest of World tournament like the Ryder Cup. That'd be the minimum change to regain the interest of someone like me. In terms of the RWC I don't care about hemisphere. I'll always root for the unions getting the most out of their own territory in player and coach development (like NZ) rather than anything to do with hemispheres.

As a Tier2 obsessive I'm interested in things like Georgia vs Italy, despite these essentially being friendlies, but that's not going to interest the mass market unless its part of some kind of wider tournament.

My opinions are irrelevant and I'm not the mass market dollar that rugby unions may want to chase. If the status quo can get enough TV money it will remain and I think most exisiting rugby fans will continue to embrace that. If a far more lucrative TV offer comes tied to a World League proposal then that may happen and folks like me (and new fans in new territories) might get more interested.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

I prefer games where there's something properly at stake. But not too many. An annual 6N and quadrennial RWC is absolutely fine for me. Bar the RWC the idea of cross continental competitions is a total turn off.

I also enjoy friendlies provided there aren't too many of them.

Even though the genie is irreversibly out of the bottle, I'm definitely a fan of less is more. Remember the anticipation of Eng v NZ in 2018? Huge deal as 1st v 2nd in the world and hadn't played each other in 4 years. In that same period NZ played Australia 13 times - maybe a few looked forward to the 2015 RWC final, but otherwise……..yawn.

The RWC will always be a big focus involving some experimenting - although smarter teams will phase that in over time and not cram in the last year. At least the 2023 RWC seems very open so the build up games might carry a bit more interest.