World Rugby’s shameful treatment of Japan and other developing countries
Like all the other so-called Tier II countries, Japan will be hung out to dry as soon as the World Cup is over, despite the host nation delivering one of the best feel-good stories rugby’s ever seen.
Rugby
Don't miss out on the headlines from Rugby. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Japan give Wallabies a rugby masterclass
- Power rankings: RWC reaches sudden death
- End the torment: Stop losing to the Poms
Even in the wake of one of the best feel-good stories rugby’s ever seen, the sport’s rulers and traditional powers just can’t get it right.
Japan’s stunning victories over Ireland and Scotland are just what the game needs - a new emerging force in the most populated region in the world.
The Brave Blossoms have won the hearts of the sporting world with their inspiring performances that have given life to a tournament that’s been spoiled by overzealous and inconsistent officiating.
But what is about to happen next is nothing short of a scandal because it’s all too predictable and grim - and this doesn’t include the likelihood of losing to South Africa in next weekend’s quarterfinals.
Stream the Rugby World Cup 2019 on KAYO SPORTS. Every match Live & On-Demand on your TV, computer, mobile or tablet. Get your 14 day free trial >
Like all the other so-called Tier II countries, Japan will be hung out to dry as soon as the World Cup is over, left begging the big boys for the rare chance to play them again before the next World Cup in four years.
There’s no plans to include them in the Rugby Championship or the Six Nations and none of the big teams are offering them regular tests so they’ll be living on scraps again.
And the decision to kick the Sunwolves out of Super Rugby after next season looks even more shortsighted and cruel but this is the exact same shameful treatment that every other developing country has experienced after they’ve pleaded for a fair go from the deep pocketed but short armed countries that run the game.
It happens at every World Cup. Just ask Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. Or the European teams that have been excluded from the Six Nations. Or the United States and Canada, who are focusing more on Sevens now that it’s an Olympic sport.
Rugby Australia, to their credit, have been one of the few countries to back Japan, as have the other southern hemisphere teams.
Japan’s women’s side played two tests in Australia this year and the Wallabies travelled to Yokohama in 2017 to play a test against the Brave Blossoms and are already working on plans for a return visit, though it won’t be next year because the calendar is already full.
Rugby Australia was also one of the driving forces behind the proposal to create a new 12-team Rugby Nations Cup, that would have allowed Japan and Fiji to play annual matches against the Wallabies, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina, England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France and Italy.
The financial benefits would have been enormous but the real legacy would have been the spur it would have given to developing nations.
But we all know what happened to that idea.
Driven by their own self interest, several European countries - including Scotland and Italy - voted against it when they put their own self interests first because they didn’t want promotion and relegation.
No wonder the whole rugby world cheered a little louder when Japan knocked the Scots out of the World Cup, but moments like that will be too far and few between until the sport’s powers stop talking about it and actually start helping the developing nations.
Originally published as World Rugby’s shameful treatment of Japan and other developing countries