World Rugby Shape of the Game: Two clear factions emerge as France and South Africa fight for rugby’s ‘traditional values’
France's Oscar Jegou and South Africa's Cobus Reinach shake hands with an inset of World Rugby chair Brett Robinson.
France and South Africa have reportedly allied to ‘defend’ the traditional values of the sport at the World Rugby Shape of the Game meeting in London.
Leading figures in the sport have gathered in England for the all-important summit, where the evolution of certain laws have been debated and, unsurprisingly, not everyone is on the same page.
Most notably, it appears as though France and South Africa have formed one faction to challenge the ideas of Australia and New Zealand, who are effectively being accused of attempting to change rugby union into a sport more akin to rugby league.
The Shape of the Game summit this year is particularly important as any changes need to be finalised now if they are to feature at the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, which has added further tension to the debates.
Factions emerge
According to a report by L’Equipe, South Africa have aligned with the northern hemisphere nations, led by France, to defend the traditional values of the game with an emphasis on protecting set-pieces in particular.
This comes after Super Rugby Pacific’s law trials and modifications aimed at reducing the number of scrums in an attempt to increase the speed of the game and the ball in play minutes.
New Zealand and Australia are rallying to ‘revolutionise’ the sport, according to the publication, if it means abandoning fundamental elements of rugby.
“We’re open [to changes], but we don’t want to break what works,” Yann Roubert, the president of the Ligue nationale de rugby [LNR], the governing body of the Top 14 and PRO D2, said.
Florian Grill, the president of French Rugby, says that they are ‘determined’ to protect the values of the game and adds that their voice should carry weight considering the success of their domestic and national teams.
“We believe that France has genuine legitimacy given the quality of its professional rugby and its national teams,” he remarked.
It is argued by Australia and New Zealand, and echoed by World Rugby, that if the game is to grow in new territories, then a more dynamic style of play is needed, but the French Rugby Federation has countered that it will not be achieved “by imitating rugby league”. Instead, they believe that embracing rugby’s inclusive nature, being a game for all shapes and sizes, will be more effective.
Protecting the ‘symbols of our sport’
Former referee Mathieu Raynal, who is now the manager of the professional referees for the Top 14 and Pro D2, launched a scathing attack on Super Rugby Pacific law trials earlier this year.
While he has been less brutal this time around, he warns that New Zealand’s and Australia’s proposed changes will lead to a more standardised player profile with loose forward-esque body types replacing bigger-bodied front rowers.
“We believe these zones are powerful symbols of our sport,” Raynal said of the set-pieces.
“They also allow players to be concentrated and thus create space, a logical consequence when you have 16 or 18 players in 10 square meters.
“It also allows us to test the players’ physicality, tire them out, and therefore open up the game over time. And in this way, everyone can participate in our sport: the big guys, the tall guys, the short guys, the fast guys… In the long run, the rugby that New Zealand and Australia advocate will homogenise player profiles. We’ll end up with only back-rowers or centres. This will have an impact on the democratisation of our sport.”
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Olivier Lièvremont – the national technical director of the FFR – added: “The regulatory changes proposed by some nations tend to favour attack and possession.
“We believe there must be both winning and regaining possession. This allows for a diversification of playing styles between teams.”
READ MORE: Nigel Owens’ position on law tweak that Springboks coaches believe makes rugby ‘safer’
