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Impromptu Rugby World Cup and Lions tour replacement proposed for 2021 to raise funds for financially-hit game
By Online Editors
An unofficial Rugby World Cup is being proposed next year, with claims it could raise up to $500m for a financially beleaguered game.
New Zealand and other top nations would square off, just two years after South Africa dethroned the All Blacks in Japan.
The matches would be staged in the United Kingdom and Ireland, and force the Lions tour of South Africa to be postponed.
The Telegraph reports that the idea is the brainchild of Francis Baron, a former chief executive of the England Rugby Union. The idea has been put before England bosses and World Rugby.
Staged over six weeks in June and July, 16 invited teams would play 31 matches under a plan that has apparently been given the title of "Coronavirus Cup of World Rugby".
Baron told the Telegraph: "The key will be winning the support of the southern hemisphere unions but with everyone facing horrendous financial challenges, this is a bold and ambitious plan to raise large amounts of new cash from which they will be major beneficiaries."
Baron helped England win hosting rights for the 2015 World Cup and said that tournament generated profits around $800m.
All profits from the proposed 2021 tournament would be spread around the participating unions, and a support fund started for rugby families who had lost members to COVID-19.
"The RFU (England) should take a leadership position and propose to other major unions and World Rugby that a special one-off tournament be held," Baron said.
"Its key selling point is that all the money raised would be for keeping the game of rugby alive around the world.
"I have talked to one or two senior colleagues and they all think the country would get right behind it."
England predicts it will lose more than $200m in revenue if this year's autumn internationals are cancelled. World Rugby has already created a $160m rescue package.
The British and Irish Lions' eighty-match tour of South Africa starting in early July would need to be postponed, to protect the professional club competitions around the world.
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Latest Comments
Agreed. As a Saffa I have much respect for the ABs. I also have to say given any option I would ONLY prefer to lose to ABs. To lose to England is probably the most embarrassing think to happen to either of us.
There was a time when both of us lost to England and we both hated it. Thankfully those days are behind us. Kudos to you guys, kudos to ABs. But dear old BS seems to hate us Boks. No idea why.
Go to commentsI got the sense that holding him to it was kickback from SB and the rfu smarting at being jilted quite so soon, so unexpectedly and so publicly.
Seem to remember that they spoke to Gustard before appointing Joe and you really have to think he would have come in at a higher level?
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