World League will add to the pressure

ALL the excitement in the game at the moment surrounds the upcoming World Cup in France, and that’s the way it should be. But what is going to happen when we have the new World League in play? Where is the highest value going to go then? I’m not sure what the main reason was for the introduction of the new tournament but, in my eyes, it can only add extra pressure on the coaches and players.

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Is this just the way for the international game to get more bang for their buck? Or has it just been supported by the players because it will mean they can get more bucks?

The good thing is that there appears to have been strong collaboration between World Rugby, the Six Nations, Sanzaar and the International Players Association. Who’d have thought it? The players finally get some say before the decision is presented to them as a fait accompli!

Don’t get me wrong, whenever I played for Wales, I wanted to win. However, there were times on a summer tour or during the autumn series when the coaches could experiment and the pressure to win wasn’t as great as it is in tournament time. Now, though, with every game counting towards a league position, there will be no escape. It is going to be win at all costs. With no relegation in the early seasons, when it inevitably comes the pressure will be massive.

I hate the idea of the Six Nations being reduced from seven to six weeks. That will add even greater pressure on the players, especially those from the nations with smaller populations. If France or England lose two or three front-line players, they have a vast array of candidates to step in. That is not the case for Wales, Scotland, Italy, and, to a lesser extent, Ireland.