International Rugby Players – On The Changes Announced To Rugby Calendar

The International Rugby Players have welcomed some changes following the announcements made by World Rugby on the plan for the men’s and women’s rugby calendar but acknowledged it’s not perfect and that some more work needs to be done in some areas.

International Rugby Players said via a statement that it has been a “key stakeholder in negotiations on a new international calendar for the past four years, stressing the need for a meaningful competition that grows the game and promotes player rest and recovery.”

Chief Executive Omar Hassanein said: “We must recognise that the newly proposed model is better than the status quo and represents progress in the game. Having said this, we feel that more detail needs to be provided in relation to the increased opportunities for teams ranked 13 to 24, to pitch themselves against Tier 1 opposition.”

The IRP welcomed:

• Alignment of regional and global windows for the women’s game.
• Offering more certainty around release periods in the men’s game.
• A guaranteed fixture list for emerging nations in the men’s game allows for performance opportunities and commercial sustainability.
• New player load guidelines will also come into effect as part of the new regulations.

However, as we have seen in the general reaction and as noted by World Rugby CEO Alan Gilpin in the press conference following the announcement, the model is not perfect.

The International Rugby Players have asked that “further improvement needs to be made in key areas to ensure the games’ two primary objectives – growing the game via emerging nations and raising player welfare standards – are met.”

TOULOUSE, FRANCE – SEPTEMBER 28: The two teams contest a scrum prior to during the Rugby World Cup France 2023 match between Japan and Samoa at Stadium de Toulouse on September 28, 2023 in Toulouse, France. (Photo by Pauline Ballet – World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images)

Player Welfare Remain Paramount

Head of Player Welfare and High Performance, former All Black and RWC winner, Conrad Smith added: “To have reached a global agreement on player welfare and load management standards is an important development for the game.

While there are still some details to be worked through, minimum rest periods and restrictions around the number of matches played in the season will be beneficial to players as a means of combatting a number of player welfare challenges in the game.

He added, “There is a significant amount of research going into player welfare and these guidelines and the creation of a Player Welfare Project Group allow the game to react to any findings immediately, ensuring the guidelines adapt and evolve with science.”

Rugby Development News

• Is The New Aligned Rugby Calendar Good For The Sport?
• New Pacific Nations Cup Gets Underway In 2024.
• RWC 2025 Host Cities.
• Rugby World Cup 2027 – What Changes Have Been Made.