IRB vs Sanzar

Forget the Rugby World Cup on the go, there is a much bigger showdown looming on the rugby horizon.

Sanzar (South Africa, New Zealand, Australia) is the tripartheid organisation managing the Super Rugby series and the Tri-Nations. Sixteen years ago professionalism struck rugby. And now, as we are well into the professional rugby era, another major decision will need to be made by the rugby-governing body. The International Rugby Board (IRB) is nowhere near as powerful as Fifa but is the world governing body handling rugby and will have its work cut out.

What is it all about? NZRU chief Steve Tew said IRB rules penalised major unions in World Cup years because their regular Test schedules were curtailed and teams were not allowed to promote their sponsors during the tournament. They have threatened to boycott the 2015 RWC in Japan. The unprecedented step would be “the very last port of call” but could not be ruled out as current arrangements meant his organisation posted a loss every time the quadrennial tournament was held. The NZRU chief executive said “that’s obviously a last resort and our style is to be consultative, collaborative and to try to work with everybody to find a solution”. So what does this all actually mean? It means that competing in the 2011 World Cup is costing the NZRU more than NZ$13 million casting a shadow over New Zealand’s participation in the 2015 tournament in England.

Financially New Zealand, undoubtedly the rugby powerhouse of the world, is placed under immense pressure. Sanzar was hoping sit down with the IRB and look at: the timing of future World Cups, the distribution policy, how much funding the IRB distributes — particularly to the major unions — and finally the commercial rules, about what you can and can’t do during a World Cup, according to Brendan Gallagher for the Daily Telegraph. I cannot say that I have heard comment out of the South African Rugby union to date but it has been made clear that Sanzar is unified in its stance.

This is a rugby association that will need to be appeased. It is in charge of the very powerful and lucrative Super Rugby series involving the three powerhouses of the game and the Tri-Nations which from next year is including the Argentinian Pumas. A Rugby World cup cannot be called such without these nations, although in 1987 it didn’t seem to matter right??

The IRB, I believe, have a lot to consider post this World Cup. For me there are the issues of time-wasting with the minnows of rugby, the draw, where one pool lands up inevitably as the pool of death and north vs south as opposed to the best four teams in the world and lest we forget the issue of money and team sponsors not being allowed into the tournament. I would say that irritating Sanzar is not a good idea and yet the dynamic of the IRB being the chief of the game vs the evident power of Sanzar should be an interesting spectacle. 2015 could just be a whole new game … we can always hope!