Rugby chief promises end to lopsided World Cup draws

World Rugby chief executive Alan Gilpin has said draws for future Rugby World Cups will be better balanced following complaints about the lopsided format of this year’s edition in France.

The draw for a 2023 World Cup starting in September was made back in 2020.

Only two of top 4 into semis

But the world rankings have changed markedly during the past three years and, as a consequence, the top four sides in the current standings — Ireland, France, New Zealand and South Africa — are all on the same side of the draw.

Only two of the top four will make it into the semi-finals. 

Furthermore, top-ranked Ireland, reigning champions South Africa and Scotland are all in the same pool, meaning one of those teams will be eliminated before the last eight.

By contrast England, for all they won just two of their five matches this Six Nations, look to have a far easier route to the semi-finals on the other side of the draw.

New draw date

Giplin said future draws would no longer take place so far out from a tournament, with World Rugby looking to follow the example of football, where draws for the World Cup and European Championships are made less than a year out from the start of a major event.

Asked if he accepted supporters’ frustrations about this year’s Rugby World Cup draw, Gilpin — speaking at the SportsPro Live conference in London — replied: “Absolutely, and I understand, too, the frustrations of coaches and players.”

He added: “The lopsided half is because of the draw timing. We are using the world rankings, which is the best reflection of the relative strength and weakness of teams but if it is done in a certain point of time compared to now then it can become outdated.”

Gilpin said that for future global events World Rugby would take responsibility for ticket sales, and the associated risks, away from host organising committees, starting with the 2025 women’s World Cup in England. 

“That gives us the opportunity to say when do we think is the right time to do the draw, choose venues and launch ticket sales,” he said. “It is in our hands now to make those decisions.”

‘Cauldron’

Amid fears match referees are under too much pressure to make immediate and match-changing disciplinary decisions, Gilipin said he hoped this year’s World Cup would feature a different procedure.

The new system would see players who are yellow-carded have their punishment reviewed by a video panel during their 10 minutes in the sin-bin to see if it should be upgraded to a red card. 

The system is being trialled in Super Rugby in Australia and New Zealand, and at the Under-20 World Cup in South Africa in June.

“We hope it could be in place for the World Cup,” Gilpin said. 

“The idea is to take that off-field and out of the cauldron of the stadium and don’t ask that one match official alone makes that decision, and have the first seven or eight minutes of a yellow card used as a foul-play review meeting.”

Gilpin added that he was not concerned by the recent scandals that have beset French rugby.

Former World Cup general manager Claude Atcher was suspended after accusations over his “alarming” management style. 

French Rugby Federation president Bernard Laporte stepped aside after receiving a suspended two-year jail sentence for corruption.

But Gilpin said: “Awareness levels in France (about the World Cup) are at 90-plus percent, commercial programmes are in great shape… 

“Yes, a challenging time I think for parts of the French rugby ecosystem and a change of chief executive in the organising committee, but there’s a great team in place.”