Wales set for battle of the world

Feb 28 2008 by Paul Abbandonato, Western Mail

WALES are in line for a money-spinning world championship showdown against the best of the southern hemisphere.

The International Rugby Board will this weekend discuss plans to stage a one-off global challenge between the winners of the Six Nations and the Tri-Nations tournaments.

The mouth-watering game is likely to be staged in the far east this year, with Hong Kong the probable venue.

The battle between the best of Europe against the best from Down Under would guarantee a sell-out crowd and reap rich financial rewards for the two participating countries.

Warren Gatland’s Wales side are in pole position to represent Europe in the big clash, their three wins out of three making them leaders of the Six Nations table.

Just one win from Wales’ remaining two matches, against Ireland and France, should be enough for Ryan Jones and his team to lift the crown.

New Zealand, South Africa and Australia do battle for the 2008 Tri-Nations title in July, August and September, with the winners going into the world championship game.

Just when the one-off clash would be fitted into an already crammed rugby calendar has yet to be thrashed out.

But WRU chief Roger Lewis flies out to Hong Kong this weekend for an IRB meeting, where the idea of a one-off battle between the world’s best will be the top item on the agenda.

The fine details of date, venue, finance and practicality will be thrashed out during the discussions.

As well as Lewis, representatives from the other home unions, France, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand will be present.

The possibility of a global tournament involving a number of countries, to run between World Cups, is also expected to be explored by the rugby bosses.

Hong Kong, who are set to host a Test match between Australia and New Zealand in the autumn, have already indicated they would be “extremely interested” in staging the planned one-off best of the best clash.

“We believe Hong Kong would be an excellent venue for such a game,” said a spokesman for the Hong Kong RFU.

“Part of our strategic plan is to look at hosting international matches and it would be a tremendous honour if we were asked to host this match.

“While nothing has been finalised yet, parties, including the Hong Kong Government, have welcomed the idea with great enthusiasm.”

Wales already have games planned against New Zealand, South Africa and Australia for the Millennium Stadium this autumn.

But the idea of representing Europe in a battle for global supremacy would prove too tempting for Gatland and his WRU bosses to turn down – particularly with big money at stake.

If Wales do win the Six Nations, their likely opponents would come from New Zealand or South Africa.

Richie McCaw’s Blacks are the reigning Tri-Nations kings, but the star-studded Springboks are world champions.

However, the planned Europe versus Down Under idea met with opposition from former England star Brian Moore.

The ex-Lions hooker insisted such a game would only serve to “devalue” existing international clashes.

“I’m sure it will make a lot of money, but I’m not really sure if it is of any particular good to rugby,” said Moore.

“The game will be a sell-out wherever it is played so it will be a good way of making money from a one-off match, but do we really need another game?

“What it could do is end up creating a quasi-World Cup and the danger with that happening is that it will devalue other matches.

“There is a pool of top rugby-playing nations and if they meet on a more regular basis then it will take the shine off things like the autumn internationals, which already see Australia, South Africa and New Zealand visit regularly.

“They hold a similar thing with the clubs in rugby league, but it comes at the end of one team’s season and the beginning of the other’s, so I’m not sure whether it would be a fair contest.

“We’re already talking about player burn-out from too much rugby so to bring in another a game, and the travelling which is associated with that, seems a bit unnecessary.”

Western Mail columnist and world great Gareth Edwards said, “We want to see the best play the best so I can definitely see the attraction in having a game like this.

“From a commercial point of view, I can see how it is appealing to those who run the game, but we have to worry about how many matches the players will play and the timing of when you have such a fixture.

“And how much time will it be before you say ‘Let’s have the top two teams play each other’ and then it becomes not just a one-off annual match.

“I would also be worried about how it would impact on the British Lions tours which are very important to the home nations and I would not want to see them affected as a result.

“Of course, it’s not just the match itself, it is the preparations that coaches would demand. This could cause problems with domestic clubs who wouldn’t be happy with their players leaving for such a match.”