Breakaway rugby competition would flop - even with Saudi billions

Reports of deep-pocketed investors targeting rugby emerged last week, to no one’s real surprise. This masthead understands the funding source is Saudi Arabia, where money is no object. However, the structure of the competition as reported has no chance of succeeding. Made-up teams, playing in non-rugby cities across the world in a competition that looks more like a series of exhibition games?

Supporters won’t buy into that circus, and I strongly suspect any player who signs up for it can kiss their Test career goodbye. This isn’t the IPL, which despite its former novelty is a relatively straightforward domestic competition in a giant market where demand had already been established. The very threat of the rebel league, however, does feel like a shot across the bows of World Rugby to get on with projects such as the Nations Cup.

2. Tane’s time in Edinburgh?

One of the interesting subplots of the Wallabies’ tour is the need to develop for the British and Irish Lions tour versus the desire to win every Test. Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has already signalled there will be changes for the game against Scotland next week, but if he starts getting closer to a grand slam that seemed improbable at the start of the tour, will he be tempted to keep rolling out the top liners? The Wallabies-Wales result overnight will play a part in this conversation, but the Scotland Test does feel like an opportunity to get Tane Edmed’s Test career started after two weeks in the camp.

3. The low-hanging fruit for Brett Robinson

The new World Rugby chair has an overflowing in-tray full of issues that need to be addressed, but he can score an easy win by reining in the TMOs. South Africa and France won classic Tests against England and New Zealand over the weekend, but both were punctuated by dreaded TMO interventions that infuriated the fans in the stands and no doubt millions watching around the world. There is a current obsession for finding offences by the attacking teams at ruck time, and while it is well-intentioned, it is just another invitation for the TMOs to inject themselves into the game. If a player commits a genuine, malicious croc roll it is typically obvious and should be accompanied by a heavy off-field sanction. But that’s not what TMOs jumped in for at Twickenham and the Stade de France.

French forward Emmanuel Meafou looks one for the future.Credit: Getty

4. Emmanuel Meafou’s big moment against the All Blacks

The giant young Australian-raised second-rower has some unique qualities, and Les Bleus are reaping the rewards. He produced one enormous carry early in the second half of France’s 30-29 win against the All Blacks, and it was one of those moments that shifted the momentum towards the home side. Meafou is a giant of a man, more than 140kg, and he was part of a French lineout and scrum that was under severe pressure in the first half. But that big carry was a sign of his ability before he was replaced after 48 minutes.

5. Australia-NZ alliance confirmed

Back in July, a New Zealand Rugby powerbroker was discussing the prospects of Brett Robinson becoming the World Rugby chair. Even then, it was thought that South Africa had committed to back John Jeffrey, the Scottish candidate who subsequently dropped out. Asked if that would end Robinson’s hopes, the powerbroker told this masthead: “I don’t think he’ll need them.” That’s exactly how it played out at the World Rugby elections this week, and it shows how invested the Kiwis were in Robinson’s candidacy. Even then, they were doing the numbers and lobbying for the former Brumby, particularly among the Six Nations countries. Australia and New Zealand will never see eye-to-eye - and a bit of tension is healthy - but the two countries are pretty tight on some key issues at the moment.