Rugby's failure to reach calendar consensus is warning of bleak future | Robert Kitson


Talks will continue regarding the global season but ignorance of mounting problems in the Covid-19 fallout is alarming

No one could ever accuse rugby union of rushing into big decisions. It is 25 years and counting since the sport was effectively ushered into a new professional era and still the arguments continue regarding how it should ideally look. Monday’s global calendar forum – the word summit was studiously avoided – was never going to solve everything overnight.

At least all the various factions were mostly represented, sticking up for what they insist they believe in. You could fill an empty lake bed with the multiple leaks from various sources over recent weeks, few of whom – sadly – will repeat in public what they mutter in private. My favourite to date came from a leading figure about a harassed senior official in a different organisation: “He’s like Harvey Keitel in Reservoir Dogs. He’s trying to mop up every mess there is.”

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