Laporte wants to create, with World Rugby, a Club World Cup

While world rugby is at a standstill and in great financial difficulty due to the coronavirus pandemic, Bernard Laporte has just thrown a stone into the pond. In this Monday's edition of Midi Olympique , the president of the French Rugby Federation is positioning himself in favor of the creation of a Club World Cup. With the support of the Englishman Bill Beaumont, the president of World Rugby.

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"Faced with the threats that loom today, we must move the lines, multiply aid and imagine what will be the rugby of tomorrow. This is why, for several weeks, I have been working with Bill Beaumont on the restructuring of the international calendar in order to standardize the windows reserved for national teams. And, in fact, create a window dedicated to clubs, which would allow the creation of a new international competition: the Club World Cup. This will be included in our manifesto which will be sent this week to all the federations. ”

A project that builds on the recent success of the World Cup in Japan. And which, explains Laporte, could have the following format: 20 teams divided into four pools of five, then a final phase with quarters, half and final. This new competition would be invited: the semi-finalists of the Top 14 and the English Premiership, the first six franchises of Super Rugby, the first four teams of the Pro 14 (ex Celtic League) and, adds the president of the FFR, the champion of Japan and that of the United States. If the latter still exists, because the North American Federation recently declared itself in default of payment ...

“The European Cup does not generate enough income. If we want to develop this Club World Cup, we have to find dates ”

But how do you integrate this Club World Cup into an already too busy calendar? There, Bernard Laporte suggests that it would be necessary to put an end to the European Cup! "It would disappear, that's for sure, if we don't want to overload the calendar a little more," explains the former manager of RC Toulon, the author of a historic continental treble between 2013 and 2015. And to add , still in Midi Olympique : “But let's be frank: it does not generate enough income. If we want to develop this Club World Cup, we have to find dates. Without the Champions Cup, nine weekends are available. ” Another question: how to occupy the other teams (in particular French) which would not take part in this new Club World Cup?

New FFR-LNR tensions

While tensions are steadily increasing between the Federation and the League, this project under the World Rugby banner should further strain relations between Bernard Laporte and Paul Goze, the president of the LNR. The latter - which manages the Top 14 and the Pro D2 - is de facto excluded from the establishment of this new competition which nevertheless involves its members. "This is an international competition and it is therefore normal that it is World Rugby who is in charge," says Laporte, who promises "enough income for the professional world to gain something". Tackling in passing the economic model of clubs in France, which is "based on the will of five billionaires." If they leave, the economy of the Top 14 may collapse. ”

“This crisis must push us to be innovative. Let’s do this competition, I’m sure that the public, partners and televisions will follow ”

Bernard Laporte, who aims in May the vice-presidency of the International Federation by composing a ticket with the outgoing president Bill Beaumont (and therefore by dismissing the Argentinian Agustin Pichot), begins to place his pawns. His proposal will create a real earthquake nationally but also internationally. In France, he ensures that "the presidents of the Top 14" are "excited by such a project". The oval planet trembles on its foundations because of the coronavirus pandemic but the president of the FFR insists: "I repeat: this crisis must push us to be innovative. Let’s do this competition, I’m sure the public, partners and televisions will follow. ” Shared enthusiasm or outcry from other rugby players? The reactions will not be long…

Abandoned like the World League?

Last year, World Rugby launched the idea of ​​creating a new competition, a World League bringing together, every year except those of World Cup, the best national teams. Faced with the wave of criticism that this had raised, the project had finally been canceled. Same for the Club World Cup?

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