IRB back Asian comp
The IRB have announced a new Five Nations tournament will be staged in Asia in aid of developing rugby on the continent.
The tournament kicks off in April this year and will feature Japan, Hong Kong, Kazakhstan, South Korea and the Gulf. The Test matches will be staged on five consecutive weekends.
“In addition to providing annual competition for each union, the tournament will serve to provide the platform as an ongoing development tool for players, officials and administrators with an ultimate goal of providing a pathway for entry into world class competitions such as the Rugby World Cup,” said IRB’s Head of Rugby Services Mark Egan.
The last placed team in the Asian Five Nations will be relegated to the 2009 Division One competition and the top team in Division One will gain promotion to the Asian Five Nations. Division One currently features China, Chinese Taipei, Singapore and Sri Lanka.
Division Two is contested between India, Malaysia, Pakistan and Thailand. Four regional competitions will also be played in 2008.
February 21st, 2008 at 10:24 pm
is borat captaining kazakhstan??
February 21st, 2008 at 10:36 pm
How about this 5 Nations instead?
Fiji
Samoa
Tonga
Japan
China/HongKong
This way fewer players for the Chokers to poach.
February 21st, 2008 at 11:09 pm
Ag jirre. Wat n mors van tyd. Wat van die Argies? wat van die Suid See eilande? IRB moet bietjie bykom. Maar sal seker niks doen wat die old boys klub gaan ontwrig nie.
February 21st, 2008 at 11:43 pm
The other teams will have to counter Kazahkstan’s Borat in the lineout.
February 21st, 2008 at 11:44 pm
Ah keeping-it-real beat me to the Borat reference I see.
February 22nd, 2008 at 12:45 am
Go Thailand!!
February 22nd, 2008 at 1:21 am
g13g
I chatted with the Thai coach just the other day in Bangkok. Kiwi dude. Nice guy
The Philippines failed to beat India and so are below in a regional competition
February 22nd, 2008 at 1:40 am
That’s a damn great idea. What’s the longterm plan with Argentina though?
SARU also needs to find a way to bring Namibia back into the fold, but not sure how practical it is, they probably lack money to keep traveling to SA, and attract good players.
February 22nd, 2008 at 1:43 am
je
why don’t namibia start a competition of some sort wuth the spears?
the spares have lots of travel money
February 22nd, 2008 at 1:45 am
The above is just the official announcement by the way
Princess has been telling us about this for a while
February 22nd, 2008 at 1:46 am
Interesting that not all teams mentioned are IRB ranked because of all the criteria
February 22nd, 2008 at 3:11 am
chch
I’ve being Thai many times and always neglect check out the local rugby. Wouldn’t mind abit of golden oldies in Phuket myself, next time I am over there
February 22nd, 2008 at 3:15 am
chat later,
my boss wants to see me about something(probably about the FOUR MORE YEARS sign on my office window
February 22nd, 2008 at 7:16 am
About time we saw this. It can only improve rugby in the region. I still think the RWC should have gone to Japan.
Agree,G13G, I have been to Thailand a few times and the place never ceases to amaze me. There are plenty of Aus and NZ expats there, especially Phuket, so the local rugby is probably a lot of fun to be part of.
Haven’t been for about two years now, so maybe this new years again.
February 22nd, 2008 at 8:10 am
If it wasn’t for the big time difference, it would be really good for rugby if England could be incorporated into this competition. You know, try and get the confidence up again with a few close, competitive games.
February 22nd, 2008 at 9:22 am
This is a ridiculous competition.
The IRB throws a few coins in the tin cup of these Asian riugby administrators to cover travel and ground transportation in a rick shaw and they expect the game to grow?
They might as well hold a pillow over these counties mouths. The IRB are protecting their own.
Let the corporate titans in Korea, Japan, Singapore and India pump money into their own professional league and watch the elite rugger players from around the world signy with Samsung, Toyota, Sony, Panasonic, Mittal, Tata and Sahara.
The IRB are poep bang for stirring these Asian Tigers.
Set them free I say!!
February 22nd, 2008 at 9:57 am
Now we need an Eastern Euro comp. Big potential for growth in the ex Soviet Bloc countries.
February 22nd, 2008 at 12:00 pm
wooden spoon – You are the first chap to speak some sense. That would be a brilliant competition.
Big bloomin hard men that lot are. Georgia, Romania did so well at the world cup last year.
It is funny that asian competition needs money from the IRB, there is alot of money in all those countries.
February 22nd, 2008 at 12:41 pm
I think its a good idea, to develop rugby in the region. Now its up to these respective unions to attract big name sponsorship. I also agree that the IRB should start a regional competition in Eastern Europe. An America’s competition could also produce results. This could include Canada, USA, Argentina(almost too good for this comp), Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay.
Enough has been said in many previous threads about South Pacific Islands. Thats the only way rugby will grow in these regions.
Can you imagine a world cup where some these teams will actully be good enough to be serious contenders?
February 22nd, 2008 at 12:49 pm
Maybe the IRB just feel guilty about giving the next WC to New Zealand.
February 22nd, 2008 at 12:56 pm
Are these okes not a tad small to compete with the top teams?
February 22nd, 2008 at 1:56 pm
Sumo wrestlers are quite big. And the world’s tallest man is Chinese.
February 22nd, 2008 at 7:30 pm
RE: 2 England will still steal our players, as they have out footballers.
PS England has lost more RWC finals than almost all other countries put together. Choking opium pushing slave traders!
Their referees are good though. They have put the Kiwis out of almost every RWC.