Asia is to get a new Five Nations rugby union tournament

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22-02-08, 10:35
KenyaQuin

Asia is to get a new Five Nations rugby union tournament

Five Nations rugby tournament announced
February 21 2008 at 07:59PM

http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?s...5139507C951813

Paris - Asia is to get a new Five Nations rugby union tournament to help develop the sport on the continent, the International Rugby Board (IRB) announced on Thursday.

The inaugural Asian Five Nations will oppose teams from Japan, Hong Kong, Kazakhstan, South Korea and the Gulf featuring a round-robin format with Test matches held on five consecutive weekends throughout April and May of this year.

An IRB statement said that the new event "represents the pinnacle of a complete restructuring of competition structures in Asia by the region's governing body, the Asian Rugby Football Union (ARFU).

"The Asian Five Nations will be the flagship tournament for Asia, serving to promote and raise awareness of the game in the region at all levels, while also providing a competitive competition and development structure for all participating unions," said the IRB's Head of Rugby Services Mark Egan.

'The Asian Five Nations will be the flagship tournament for Asia'
"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."

Japan were the only Asian team to qualify for last year's World Cup in France and they failed to make it past the group stages.

ARFU Honorary Secretary General Ross Mitchell said that the advent of the Asian Five Nations was an exciting development for the Game in the continent.

"The tournament is vital for the development and expansion of rugby throughout Asia and will give our elite players the chance to perform in front of a significantly expanded TV audience, whilst providing a platform for development at all other levels."

The Asian Five Nations Tournament will be the pinnacle of four newly formed tiers of elite competition across all 25 Asian Rugby Unions with promotion and relegation opportunities between divisions for all participating teams.

The last placed team in the Asian Five Nations in 2008 will be relegated to the 2009 Division One competition and the top team in Division One will gain promotion to the Asian Five Nations.

The promotion and relegation policy will also be in effect for the Division One and Division Two competitions, guaranteeing an opportunity for all Unions to advance on the world stage.

This year's Division One competition will be played amongst China, Chinese Taipei, Singapore and Sri Lanka.

The Division Two competition will be contested by India, Malaysia, Pakistan and Thailand.

Four regional competitions will also be played in 2008.

The first is in Qatar and features Macau, Mongolia and Qatar, the second will be held in Guam between Brunei, Guam and the Philippines, the third is in Indonesia and features Cambodia, Indonesia and Laos while Kyrgyzstan hosts the final regional competition with Iran, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. - Sapa-AFP
22-02-08, 12:57
beige

It's something I guess... :rolleyes:

Actually, to be fair, it'd be good to get them playing each other regularly...
22-02-08, 13:12
Seldom

Major % of the worlds population get to see more rugby, alway a good thing!!!
22-02-08, 13:41
BaldCunus

I just got back from singpore and they are rugby mad (although not as mad as they are about manchester united) and every school oval I saw had a rugy pitch! I wish WA was the same (we can only dream)!
22-02-08, 13:44
BaldCunus

Quote:

Originally Posted by KenyaQuin

Five Nations rugby tournament announced
February 21 2008 at 07:59PM

http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?s...5139507C951813

The first is in Qatar and features Macau, Mongolia and Qatar, the second will be held in Guam between Brunei, Guam and the Philippines, the third is in Indonesia and features Cambodia, Indonesia and Laos while Kyrgyzstan hosts the final regional competition with Iran, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. - Sapa-AFP

I cant wait to see Kyrgyzstan vs the Wallabies in a World Cup!!!!
22-02-08, 13:54
BLR

Are they going to be broadcasting all the games in Asia? That'd be very good for the growth of the sport if it is constantly on television...
22-02-08, 14:01
beige

Supposedly - although I haven't seen any details. Apparently HSBC has signed on as the naming rights sponsor for the first 3 years which is a positive.
22-02-08, 15:53
Haymaker

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 and especially the Celtic Nations.

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 terrified to stir these Asian Tigers.

Set them free I say!!
24-02-08, 18:41
Badger

Quote:

Originally Posted by BunnoBarbarians

I cant wait to see Kyrgyzstan vs the Wallabies in a World Cup!!!!

Will Borat be their captain.
24-02-08, 18:42
GIGS20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Badger84

Will Borat be their captain.

That's Kazakhstan Dumbass! I have heard however that Kazakhstan will be playing in Lime green Mankinis!
25-02-08, 08:49
beige

Quote:

Originally Posted by Haymaker

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.

That particular idea is unrealistic but I agree with what you're getting at...

As I alluded to on a prior thread, it's Japan that really needs to get its act together if Asian rugby is ever to amount to anything. Japan already has the immense playing depth, it already has the big corporate dollars in the game and it will continue to dominate continental rugby for the forseeable future. It's only its infuriatingly shambolic and unprofessional domestic structure - and the perenially competing interests that go along with it - that continues to hold it back.

Fix this and I believe that the Japanese league can grow to rival any of the big leagues in Europe or elsewhere (and help push its national team to some long overdue respectability on the world stage). Leave things as they are and Japanese rugby will continue to be an embarrassment.
25-02-08, 09:44
jono

Quote:

Originally Posted by GIGS20

That's Kazakhstan Dumbass! I have heard however that Kazakhstan will be playing in Lime green Mankinis!

why?:verysad:
-------------------------------------------
terrible jokes aside

i think the best feature of this competition is the relegation. because it will force teams to get better, to either get into the main competition; or stay there.
In 8-10 years if the competition is still up and running, there will be immense talent in all sides involved. As in the main competition there is always something to loose, and in the second tier there is always something to be gained. because no matter what there will be one team leaving and one team entering each division every year. so it will facilitate team and player growth.
25-02-08, 12:30
beige

I think I kind of sit in between the two extremes of opinion on this competition - I don't think it will change the world but I do think it is a positive.
25-02-08, 15:07
AndyS

I'm with you beige. If it is managed right, it is an international competition played in a big sponsorship market with the blessing of the sports governing body. It will tick all the boxes for sponsors like HSBC and other Asia-centric businesses, provided it can generate a buzz.