There's no doubting that the IRB's rugby union world sevens tour is a huge
success, and has taken rugby union to new territories like Chile, China and
Dubai.

I think that rugby league needs to do something as well. I know money is not
so feely available in league as it is in union, but promoting the game to
the world has got to be worth the investment.

I know that the Sydney sevens is being reintroduced, and that's great for
emerging teams to take part in, but as far as the audience it is preaching
to the converted. We need to take rugby league to places like Hong Kong,
Malaysia and Brazil.

My idea is to hold a new competition, for the full 13-a-side game, to be
played throughout the regular season, with players donated by the clubs for
this purpose, much like they are in rugby union. So the very top players
won't take part, they can concentrate on their normal season, but fringe
players and youngsters from professional clubs would make up the bulk of the
squads, to ensure good quality games, but with room also for amateurs/semi
pros from developing countries. So for instance, Europe would be composed
mainly of French and British players, but players from Russia, Italy and
Ireland etc should also be included in the squad.

The new competition would be called the 'Continents Cup' and the teams would
be: Europe, Oceania, Africa, Asia, The Americas.

I'd have each team playing each other home and away during May/June/July.
Europe could play its home games in places like, for instance, Moscow, Rome,
Madrid, Dublin and Belgrade. Asia could play in Japan, Singapore, China etc.
Africa could host games in Morocco, South Africa, Dubai, Ivory Coast...
The Americas could play in the USA, Canada, Argentina, Chile...
Oceania could stage their games around the Pacific islands.
In this way, over a number of years, rugby league could be taken to the
corners of the world. Even if crowds are very low, as they will be in
certain venues, it has got to be worth the investment.

I think that tournaments of this sort are the ideal way of developing the
game, rather than trying to do it during World Cups, which should be left
for the elite.


Andy S
http://www.andysav.free-online.co.uk/rugby.htm