World Rugby has announced plans to make the sport “quicker and simpler” as part of a drive to boost its global appeal and enhance the fan experience. The governing body’s renewed focus follows the Shape of the Game conference in London, where coaches, executives, officials and player representatives discussed the future of rugby.
No new law changes were proposed, with World Rugby indicating that it now believes the game is in a strong place and that previous tinkering may have confused fans. Instead, the organisation will prioritise greater consistency in match officiating across competitions, including a review of the Television Match Official process, and a wider effort to promote the sport in existing and new markets.
Chief executive Alan Gilpin said: “When rugby is at its best, it is a great entertainment product. We’re in a really tough attention economy, and we’ve got to make sure we are mindful of that. A lot of that is about how we interpret making our game quicker and simpler – not at the expense of the fabric of our game, but by taking out stoppages and ensuring consistency.” He stressed that a simpler game does not mean “dumbing down” but rather improving understanding for fans.
Despite reports in France that Australia and New Zealand had advocated “de-powering” the scrum, World Rugby chair Brett Robinson insisted no such discussions took place. “None of those issues were debated this week at all. They weren’t on the table to be discussed,” he said. The focus on the scrum remained on safety, stability and reducing reset set-pieces.
Former New Zealand Rugby CEO Mark Robinson has been appointed as World Rugby’s new Chief of Rugby, tasked with overseeing a five-year strategy. He will start in May after stepping down from his role with NZ Rugby. Robinson added: “Members have got views they are passionate about, but some of the topics raised weren’t even agenda items. We talked about the principles of the game – physical contest, safety, officiating accuracy and simplicity.”
World Rugby also reaffirmed its commitment to taking the 2031 men’s and 2033 women’s Rugby World Cups to the United States, and noted the upcoming “Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry” Test between South Africa and New Zealand in Baltimore this September as part of efforts to grow the sport in North America.
