[AJB39]

Is the Rugby World Cup always so drawn out? It's 7 weeks from start to finish. I don't think it helps with most of the games at weekends.

The football World Cup is usually done in 4 weeks and has much better momentum.

It’s been one week longer this time than previously to give teams longer breaks between pool games. Rugby is much more physical than Football so matches can’t be played as close together as in a Football World Cup.

[Rdd]

Deleted, the query was answered already,

[Brekkie]

Although understandable why it was extended (think the minimum between game period has been increased from 5 to 6 days in last few years) the extra week has made it feel much longer - and not really ideal from an ITV perspective that three of the four home unions had their week off the same weekend.

There are rumours it might be expanded to 24 teams so if and how they do that remains to be seen. Having 6 groups of 4 means the group stage would be done in 3 weekends rather than 5 then I guess they'd add a round of 16 so the tournament might reduce by a week again.

I'm not really a huge fan of the current Euros (and soon to be World Cup) format of having the top two then "best" third placed teams in each group progress, and probably tougher in rugby to distinguish the third placed teams fairly - I'd guess it would be done on points and then points difference.


Of course though cricket gives them a run for their money in terms of the length of the World Cup though coming in at 46 days compared to 51 days for the rugby equivalent, although with matches virtually everyday.

[Rdd]

I fear 24 teams would only mean more blowouts, though I do think four team groups would be better in terms of completing the group stages more quickly. Might the old Heineken Cup self-selecting QF draw be a way forward then - 6x4 with the top teams and two best runners up be an idea? Not specifically anything to do with TV of course, but might make for a more exciting tournament, which TV always relishes!

[Brekkie]

I think the risk with 6 groups is spreading the top teams too thinly. With the top 12 seeds across 4 groups you get 12 clashes between them but spread it to 6 groups and you end up with just 6.

I think this will be a huge problem with the forthcoming 48 team Football World Cup - the familar football has some big clashes in the group stage but now it could be 72, even 88 matches, before you get a big clash.

[Rdd]

New format announced today - they are indeed going for the 6x4 format with a round of 16 introduced.

www.rugbyworldcup.com 

Rugby World Cup 2027 expanded to 24 teams ｜ Rugby World Cup 2023
The men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia will feature 24 teams after the Worl…
  Source: www.rugbyworldcup.com

[Brekkie]

So overall just an increase of 4 matches, although means in the group stage you have 12 matches a weekend rather than 8, so will inevitably mean more weeknight matches.


They've also confirmed the expected new international test format featuring the Six Nations, four Championship team and two others (likely Japan and Fiji) resulting in one final, played across the July/November test windows from 2026 - with a second tier comp involving a further four nations. Details seem a bit vague but not a huge fan of the concept myself - though broadcasting wise might mean for the first time the Autumn Internationals and Summer Tests are with one broadcaster - and perhaps an attractive proposition for pay-TV broadcasters to help keep the Six Nations and Rugby World Cup free to air.

[AJB39]

Interesting that the next Rugby World Cup will start a good bit later on the 1st of October compared with the 8th of September this time. Although with it been in Australia bad weather should hopefully be less of an issue. It may actually be quite hot in some of the match locations. It’ll also be a far less attractive time zone for broadcasters in this part of the world, with breakfast time matches as opposed to prime time matches.

[Rdd]

It took till the medal presentation ceremony (or the setting up for it anyway) for the organisers to remember World In Union existed, it finally got a full play through the speakers in the Stade de France.

[Brekkie]

Did both RTE and VM1 show the final in Ireland?