In a stunning development, the International Rugby Players Association confirmed that World Rugby had not consulted them, nor any players, before their controversial revamp of the World Sevens Series.
The news, announced just days before the season-ending World Championship in Los Angeles last week, caught most teams by surprise, with some arguing that promises made to teams regarding the promotion-relegation process were broken, and that teams were blindsided by the news that the governing body dropped on them.
The unhappiness was further compounded by the decision of the LA 7s organisers to play just the elite top eight competition on the main field, while the rest of the teams - those in the playoffs for promotion - were left on an outer field.
KENYAN FANS ON OUTER FIELDS
This decision had the effect that Kenya’s large supporter contingent were on the outer field, while the main stands were empty during pool play.
Still, while South Africa went on to win the World Championship with a stunning display in Los Angeles, the unhappiness persists among teams, who feel they were left out of the process and not consulted in the way the new system would work.
While World Rugby have said it is a “popular” system that is “sustainable”, there is a growing concern that the new World SVNS Series model will only entrench the richer nations and do little to help developing nations grow in the system.
Critics point out that the new Series - which only included the eight elite teams - who have six elite tournaments before four teams from the newly formed Division Two can join them in three World Championship Series events, will create two different tiers that the smaller nations will find it difficult to move upwards.
FRIDAY HAS HIS SAY
One of the most vocal critics has been former Kenyan and USA coach Mike Friday, who is one of the top coaches in the sport, who reacted to a video on Twitter this week where World Rugby CEO Alan Gilpin was praising the new format, with disdain.
“Breaking down this interview, whoever wrote this script is miss-informing (sic). Most importantly in all this, the players aren’t supportive of the changes, they are opposed to it and yet they were ignored,” Friday wrote on Twitter.
“This decision is not rugby driven at all, it’s all financially driven due to the 7’s leadership thinking they are an events company and failing miserably losing - Sustainable is achievable - assign the rights and/or revert back to the unions host model.
“The WSS (World Sevens Series) is NOT just about “best v best”…it’s about global opportunity and representation, it’s about jeopardy and resilience and the unpredictability of David v Goliath contests in a global festival coliseum.
“The PowerPoint pathway presentation the 7s leadership “dusted off” doesn’t inspire the fans, players sponsors - quite the opposite - Successful in suppressing the developing nations, widening the gap, providing less opportunity to make the jump and alienating fans.
“How about considering what was discussed in Madrid “shape the 7s game conference 12 months ago and learn from why the Paris Olympics was successful…OR WR could ignore, dust off a proposal that was rejected as unviable four years ago, play politics at ExCo and impose it on all.”
UNHAPPINESS
This unhappiness was compounded when the International Rugby Players Association - which represents the Players organisations from around the globe and has MyPlayers as a member, put out a statement on Monday confirming they were never consulted about the new Series model.
“International Rugby Players (IRP) has called for players to be at the heart of any future discussions on the future of the Sevens game,” the diplomatically worded statement said.
“The global representative body for professional rugby players believes that the only way to make the code successful is to have players at the centre of all detailed decision-making.
“During World Rugby’s recent development of a new tournament model, IRP can confirm that players were not involved in devising the model and were presented with its details at a late stage, immediately prior to its submission for ratification by the World Rugby Executive Board.
“Early exchanges took place, however discussions on the actual mechanics of the model did not include the players.”
IRP’s Chief Executive Omar Hassanein hinted that World Rugby missed an opportunity to include Players' views on the new series.
“Following the incredible success of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, there is a fantastic opportunity to grow Rugby Sevens rugby globally, one which we must all collectively embrace,” said Chief Executive, Omar Hassanein.
“Players understand the game better than anyone, and therefore must be involved at each step to ensure the best outcome. This should include all discussions, not only on tournament structuring and welfare matters, but also the commercial aspects of the game,” he added.
CALL TO HEAR PLAYERS’ VOICES
US Rugby Players Association President, Chris Mattina, said: “We want the series and Rugby Sevens to grow and believe that this is best done through collaborating with the players competing in these events. We hope that World Rugby hears the voices of the players and includes them in the process moving forward. for the good of the game.”
The new model, which is centred around the elite Division one, which comprises eight teams in six tournaments, a division two of eight teams and a division three, which comprises regional tournaments.
Four teams from Division two will join the eight teams for the three World Championship events after fighting it out in three Division two events.
Kenya, for instance, were expected to qualify for the main SVNS Series through the old playoff system - which would have put the teams 9-12 from the Series against the top four teams from the Challenger Series with the top four teams qualifying for next season’s SVNS Series.
But days before that tournament, the announcement was made, and Kenya have to now qualify through the three Division two tournaments, even though they played in the final in Singapore during this year’s Series.
Spain, who finished third and faced the Blitzboks in the World Championship final in Los Angeles, would not have made elite competition a year ago, where they finished 10th. The concern is that smaller nations who don’t play regularly against elite teams won’t be able to compete in future.
