Forget England's dramatic draw with the All Blacks or Ireland and France cementing their status at the top of World Rugby rankings over the weekend. Instead raise a glass of Portuguese or Georgian wine in celebration of two historic results which are prompting renewed questions about the future structures of the international game in Europe and beyond.
Even viewed in microcosm the significance of Portugal's last-gasp penalty in Dubai which earned them the final place at next year's men's World Cup at the expense of the United States was considerable. So, too, was the manner of F Georgia's win over Wales, one last monumental scrum from the Lelos clinching a famous 13-12 victory in Cardiff. Put the two together and the tectonic plates of global rugby would appear to be shifting.
Which makes it a perfect week for representatives of all the major unions to be discussing the global calendar and, specifically, the finer detail of the nations league proposals which have been on the table for months.
This story is from the November 22, 2022 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the November 22, 2022 edition of The Guardian.
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