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Martin Devlin: World Rugby are unbelievable

Author
Martin Devlin,
Publish Date
Thu, 17 Dec 2020, 3:03PM

Martin Devlin: World Rugby are unbelievable

Author
Martin Devlin,
Publish Date
Thu, 17 Dec 2020, 3:03PM

Well done World Rugby! The game's global administrative body outdid itself this week with another glitzy glam flash-bash proudly announcing the (partial) World Cup draw for 2023. No, I am not joking. The draw for the tournament that only took place last year and isn't scheduled to kick off for another three calendar years.

That's right. Three whole years. And because only half the teams can be plugged in already, it's also only a partial draw with half the jigsaw missing. Brilliant. The All Blacks will play France and the rest we don't know because most teams have still to qualify and won't be cemented in 'til just months before it all kicks off. Now none of what I'm telling you here is anything but the truth.

This is serious. perhaps, like me, you are gently asking "and what is the point of this"? Good question. But not one you'll ever get an answer for because, like most things World Rugby, it is idiotic, nonsensical and utterly unnecessary.

Are we meant to care? Why are we meant to care? For most rugby fans up north the immediate concern is the upcoming 6 Nations. For us here in NZ it's whether or not we'll even get a full international calendar next year, here's hoping TRC plays out again in its full uninterrupted format. And for every nation not named on Tuesday life will be another endless round of anxious waiting for fixture confirmation and funding affirmation.

If you ever wondered why rugby dithers over everything, takes forever to make even the easiest decisions, you've just received your quad-annual answer. Because these fish-heads epitomise the very essence of incompetent sports administration. Their only purpose of being is to preserve their well-heeled, first-class, five-star extravagant jobs.

Forget all the game's problems, the real issues people want solved. How about another fatuous, pointless, RWC draw three years before the tournament begins? It says everything about World Rugby and why they take forever never to get anything done.

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