Pablo Lemoine, the head coach of Chile's national rugby team, has delivered a sobering assessment of the sport's global health, warning that rugby union is in significant trouble even in its traditional heartlands.
A Warning from the Game's Frontiers
The former Uruguay prop, who now leads Los Cóndores, argues that the sport's financial model is fundamentally broken. He points to the well-documented struggles in Wales, where regions have faced severe budgetary constraints and player exoduses, as a prime example of the malaise affecting established nations.
Lemoine's perspective is shaped by his unique position, having experienced rugby at various levels across hemispheres. He suggests the issues are not confined to developing nations but are systemic. The concentration of wealth and power among a small elite, coupled with a crowded and uncoordinated global calendar, is stifling growth and creating unsustainable pressures.
The Chilean Journey and Systemic Barriers
Under Lemoine's guidance, Chile achieved a historic milestone by qualifying for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France, a first for the South American nation. This feat highlighted the potential for growth outside the traditional tier-one countries.
However, he details the immense challenges that remain. "The system is not designed for teams like Chile to compete consistently," Lemoine states. He emphasises the difficulty in securing regular, high-quality fixtures against top-tier opposition, which is crucial for development. The financial gap is another colossal hurdle, limiting resources for player development, coaching, and infrastructure.
An Unsustainable Global Calendar
A core part of Lemoine's critique focuses on the international schedule. He describes it as a "jigsaw puzzle that doesn't fit together," designed primarily for the benefit of the major northern and southern hemisphere leagues. This leaves little room for emerging nations to arrange meaningful tours or host visiting teams, perpetuating a cycle of isolation and missed opportunities.
The physical toll on players is also a grave concern. The increasing intensity and length of the season, from club to international duty, raise serious questions about player welfare and the long-term quality of the spectacle.
A Call for Structural Reform
Lemoine does not merely diagnose the problems; he calls for urgent, structural reform. He advocates for a more equitable distribution of the game's revenues and a genuine effort to integrate emerging nations into a coherent, thought-out calendar.
His warning is clear: if the sport continues on its current path, it risks alienating fans, burning out players, and stunting its own global growth. The struggles in Wales, a nation with a deep-rooted rugby culture, serve as a potent warning sign that the crisis is already at the door of the game's historic strongholds.
Ultimately, Lemoine's message is a plea for vision. Rugby union, he argues, must decide whether it is a truly global sport willing to nurture its newcomers, or a closed shop destined for gradual decline. The time for action, according to the Chilean coach, is now.
