Sublime to ridiculous World Club Cup plan tosses away decades of European rugby history

Some people are never satisfied. They firmly believe that if things are constantly tweaked there is a better chance of staying relevant.

- Robert Kitson

In certain areas of retail they are right. Years ago, on a dusty pavement in India, I once encountered a man selling second-hand false teeth from a small wooden table. I think of him whenever people lament the size of their annual bonus or their boss's failure to appreciate them.

Sport, though, is rarely that simple. While you don't want to end up miles behind the curve, retaining an element of familiarity is crucial. Supporters love the comfort blanket of their favourite local team, the club colours their parents wore, the same time-honoured songs and competitions. It rarely pays to confuse your existing audience or, worse, to announce that things that should matter hugely are now as sexy as 30-year-old dentures.

Which is pretty much the conundrum rugby union is facing. If you had been beamed down from Mars on Saturday afternoon you would have sat in the Principality Stadium watching the Champions Cup final and assumed club rugby was in fabulous shape. A throbbing spectacle, two sets of passionate but good-humoured fans, 70,000 paying punters in the stands. There was even a spot of post-match niggle to underline how much everyone cared.