IRB set to review international calendar
The IRB will hold a forum on the international calendar at the end of the Rugby World Cup in October, this time inviting representatives of England’s and France’s clubs to participate, according to a report in The Guardian on Saturday.
Under fire because of the weak representation sides the Northern Hemisphere teams are sending to tour in June, the IRB’s aim in the forum is to make the international game more profitable and meaningful.
The move comes as a result of the IRB’s resolution to include the clubs in their decision-making processes, as a part of the deal that ended the Heineken Cup strike last week. The clubs, for their part, have withdrawn their challenge to the governing body over its role in the game.
The forum will also include broadcasters and main sponsors, as the clubs and unions seek to resolve the problem of creating a global rugby calendar that includes tournaments played in blocks and international blocks that do not interrupt domestic seasons.
