Global season part of new plans

IRB meeting The International Rugby Board (IRB) interim meeting, which concluded in Dublin yesterday, has been hailed as the most important in terms of the future governance of the sport since 1995, when rugby union went "open".

IRB chairman Dr Syd Millar announced several far-reaching decisions that will shape the future of the sport, including the allocation of £30 million over three years to develop initiatives for the Tier One and Tier Two nations. There will also be greater transparency and democracy in the decision-making process.

Another is an undertaking to examine the feasibility of a global season. The study, prepared by consultants Deloitte Touche, stressed the importance of the international game in revenue creation both for member unions and the game's development.

It was agreed the three major international tournaments - Rugby World Cup, Six Nations and Tri-Nations - had a significant bearing on the development of an integrated season in terms of economic importance and timing.

No defined blueprint has been developed, but in the next few months the IRB will embark on a detailed financial analysis on the economic impacts of an integrated season.

The IRB council have unanimously approved a new strategic plan for the sport's governing body incorporating a new governance structure. The strategic plan recognises the fact that the game's policy-making and delivery mechanisms required modernising to reflect the changing requirements of the game.

There was a realisation that a review was needed in the way the IRB conducted their business with respect to the changing demands of the member unions, as Millar explained: "This is not change for change's sake but represents a change in culture for the organisation.

"The IRB will be more accountable to its stakeholders; the executive committee will be charged with swifter decision making and we will have additional finances of over £30 million for development initiatives to drive the growth of rugby and to ensure the Rugby World Cup grows in competitiveness."

This will be especially heartening for the Pacific Island nations like Fiji, Tonga and Samoa, who are being drained of natural playing resources. They need the financial muscle to be able to offer players the opportunity to remain at home or, at the very least, encourage them to turn up and play Test rugby. The same will be true of Romania, the US, Canada and Japan, who would benefit from such encouragement.

"The IRB is on the road to change," Millar added. "However, this is not a race and this meeting, while historic in laying key foundations for the future, is the beginning of the future development of the game. The IRB recognised the need for change for the future prosperity of the game and the new governance is focused on working together, trust, integrity and an understanding of our values and traditions."

The strategic plan encompasses five major goals, including actively canvassing for rugby union to return to the Olympic Games schedule. There is also a commitment to increasing the number of unions at Tier One level (the elite) and try to improve competitiveness in this particular playing sphere.

A new executive committee was established to improve efficiency and to speed up the decision-making process and will be facilitated in this respect by meeting regularly. It will comprise the chairman (Millar) and vice-chairman (Bob Tuckey) and seven council representatives.

Future trust funding for unions and tournaments will be allocated in line with the strategic plan, and executive committee members will become directors of the IRB services company in this regard.

IRB chief executive Mike Miller admitted: "The adoption of the new strategic plan is an important milestone for the organisation. The IRB council will remain the ultimate legislative body and will include for the first time all six regional associations. This means Europe, Asia, Africa, the Americas and Oceania will all have representation on council."

The new committees are: rugby; regulations; audit and risk; and high performance.

IRB EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: Chairman: Dr Syd Millar (independent), Vice-Chairman: Bob Tuckey (independent), Bill Beaumont (England), Jock Hobbs (New Zealand), Carlos Tozzi (Argentina), Bill Nolan (Scotland), Bernard Lapasset (France), David Pickering (Wales), Brian van Rooyen (South Africa), Mike Miller (Chief Executive Officer).