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Mind the Gap (between Tiers)
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<blockquote data-quote="Bruce_ma gooshvili" data-source="post: 1109178" data-attributes="member: 74121"><p>So we have definitely seen some interesting steps this year. </p><p></p><p>Japan are continuing gradual improvement but still cannot front up against a top pack. They are getting ever closer to pulling off another Tier1 scalp though. I do think their success is dependent on having an outstanding coaching team and residency rules, but their league is starting to produce higher quality domestic talent. </p><p></p><p>Georgia bumping off a good Italy side and a misfiring Welsh one is extremely impressive and should not be a flash in the pan. Each new young player coming through for Georgia raises their standard. </p><p></p><p>WR financial prioritisation of the PIs by spending millions to subsidise their presence in Super Rugby has brought instant benefits. Fiji now have huge depth (competing in Scotland without a lot of their big name stars). Samoa and Tonga have been transformed and are routinely spanking the other Tier2 nations that don't benefit from diaspora players. Fans of these other Tier2 teams cannot believe the transformation of the PIs and (wrongly in my opinion) think their own sides have all underperformed. Samoa just defeated Georgia in Tblisi. The PIs remain a step short of the Tier1s but have an increased chance of taking out a Tier1 ranked 6 and under if they have an off day. </p><p></p><p>World Rugby have pulled off the political step of ensuring the PIs will take every available San Francisco agreement cross-tier test that they possibly can. So no Spain, Romania or Uruguay should be polluting a Tier 1 stadium near you any time soon. </p><p></p><p>The plus side is though that the PIs now provide a better bridge over to Tier1. Exposure of the non-favoured Tier2 unions to the PIs will raise their standard more so than in the past. The other Tier2s should be treating these matches as Cup finals to try and secure San Francisco agreement tests. Ironically, this may in the long term, help all of Tier2 close the gap on Tier1.</p><p></p><p>As for Tier3, it is much quieter. Kenya were hugely disappointing this month. Brazil are in crisis without a coach, have massively stagnated and have no meaningful international test tournament to help them progress (only SLAR). Belgium do not convince me at all. The only Tier3 hope I have for the next RWC cycle to 'do a Chile/Portugal' and go from Tier3 to RWC standard is the Netherlands. Brazil still have a chance and if Korea get their rumoured team in the Japanese league structure who knows. Unions that have largely ignored this model, such as Romania, US and Canada have stagnated and appear to consider they need to adopt this model in some way if they are to catch up.</p><p></p><p>Overall, positive steps but I don't expect any further movement prior to the RWC. Looking ahead to 2024 I can only hope for the APAC tournament starting and helping put pressure on the merits of an expanded Rugby Championship. I also hope for Tier3s like Poland, Germany, Czechs, Israel and Paraguay getting professional players/teams and trying to 'do a Chile' to develop and retain players until they are about 24 or 25years old rather than losing them to the jobs market/higher education. Plus, what will World Rugby do to advance their favoured children of North America (to replicate the investment in the PIs). </p><p></p><p>And to end on a negative note (as is they way of Tier2 observers) should global financial troubles bite, a lot of the recent gains (including for the PIs) may disappear as quickly as they have emerged. The PIs (€3.5million), SLAR and even the RESC (both around €100-150k per side per annum) are all reliant to some extent on World Rugby funds. So I'm hoping for a financially successful RWC and by 2027 growing to around 25-30 national sides with professional players who would be of a standard for a RWC qualifier. Maybe that will be the tipping point where Tier1 unions think more of future opportunities and sporting fairness and less of self interest.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Bruce_ma gooshvili, post: 1109178, member: 74121"] So we have definitely seen some interesting steps this year. Japan are continuing gradual improvement but still cannot front up against a top pack. They are getting ever closer to pulling off another Tier1 scalp though. I do think their success is dependent on having an outstanding coaching team and residency rules, but their league is starting to produce higher quality domestic talent. Georgia bumping off a good Italy side and a misfiring Welsh one is extremely impressive and should not be a flash in the pan. Each new young player coming through for Georgia raises their standard. WR financial prioritisation of the PIs by spending millions to subsidise their presence in Super Rugby has brought instant benefits. Fiji now have huge depth (competing in Scotland without a lot of their big name stars). Samoa and Tonga have been transformed and are routinely spanking the other Tier2 nations that don't benefit from diaspora players. Fans of these other Tier2 teams cannot believe the transformation of the PIs and (wrongly in my opinion) think their own sides have all underperformed. Samoa just defeated Georgia in Tblisi. The PIs remain a step short of the Tier1s but have an increased chance of taking out a Tier1 ranked 6 and under if they have an off day. World Rugby have pulled off the political step of ensuring the PIs will take every available San Francisco agreement cross-tier test that they possibly can. So no Spain, Romania or Uruguay should be polluting a Tier 1 stadium near you any time soon. The plus side is though that the PIs now provide a better bridge over to Tier1. Exposure of the non-favoured Tier2 unions to the PIs will raise their standard more so than in the past. The other Tier2s should be treating these matches as Cup finals to try and secure San Francisco agreement tests. Ironically, this may in the long term, help all of Tier2 close the gap on Tier1. As for Tier3, it is much quieter. Kenya were hugely disappointing this month. Brazil are in crisis without a coach, have massively stagnated and have no meaningful international test tournament to help them progress (only SLAR). Belgium do not convince me at all. The only Tier3 hope I have for the next RWC cycle to 'do a Chile/Portugal' and go from Tier3 to RWC standard is the Netherlands. Brazil still have a chance and if Korea get their rumoured team in the Japanese league structure who knows. Unions that have largely ignored this model, such as Romania, US and Canada have stagnated and appear to consider they need to adopt this model in some way if they are to catch up. Overall, positive steps but I don't expect any further movement prior to the RWC. Looking ahead to 2024 I can only hope for the APAC tournament starting and helping put pressure on the merits of an expanded Rugby Championship. I also hope for Tier3s like Poland, Germany, Czechs, Israel and Paraguay getting professional players/teams and trying to 'do a Chile' to develop and retain players until they are about 24 or 25years old rather than losing them to the jobs market/higher education. Plus, what will World Rugby do to advance their favoured children of North America (to replicate the investment in the PIs). And to end on a negative note (as is they way of Tier2 observers) should global financial troubles bite, a lot of the recent gains (including for the PIs) may disappear as quickly as they have emerged. The PIs (€3.5million), SLAR and even the RESC (both around €100-150k per side per annum) are all reliant to some extent on World Rugby funds. So I'm hoping for a financially successful RWC and by 2027 growing to around 25-30 national sides with professional players who would be of a standard for a RWC qualifier. Maybe that will be the tipping point where Tier1 unions think more of future opportunities and sporting fairness and less of self interest. [/QUOTE]
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