Johnny Sexton has hit out at the “out of touch” proposal for a new World League.
It’s been reported that international rugby is set for a shake-up in the form of a new competition which will see 12 teams compete throughout the year before a hectic end-of-year schedule.
The idea is for Six Nations teams to travel to the Southern Hemisphere in the summer for three tests each against sides from the Rugby Championship – soon to include Japan and the USA – before three tests in the Northern Hemisphere in November.
The top four teams in the league table will then take part in semi-finals before the final in either late November or early December.
The hope is for the World League to come into effect by 2020 but the idea has not gone down well with some players, particularly Ireland out-half Johnny Sexton.
Sexton, the International Rugby Players President, slammed the idea on a conference call on Tuesday night.
‘While players gave this idea a cautious welcome when we met at the end of last year, it now seems like a commercial deal on the future of the game is being negotiated at a rapid pace with little consideration given to the important points we raised with World Rugby in November,” Sexton said.
“The issue of player load has never been so topical, however, it needs to be properly understood. To suggest that players can play five incredibly high-level test matches in consecutive weeks in November is out of touch and shows little understanding of the physical strain this brings.”
England captain Owen Farrell echoed Sexton’s concerns, suggesting that the proposal has been rushed and the appropriate considerations have not been taken into account.
Farrell said: “Players are definitely open to discussing a new global season, but what we develop has to work with the club game in order to reduce conflict, deal with player release issues and make sure their welfare is looked after.
“The proposal presented to us at the moment doesn’t seem to have considered this properly and shows no signs of improving this already difficult situation.”
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