The Debut/Return of The Pacific Nations Cup

[Puja]

https://usa.rugby/news/world-rugby-laun ... 2PF8a0Du6w

Massive, massive news for the USA - annual six-team competition between Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Tonga, USA, Canada (in order of finishing in the first comp) that starts in 2024 and will be played in the SH release window of Aug-September.

Hard to explain how big a difference this will make - if there is any hope for the recovery of the US and Canada, it lies in this fresh start. They need a consistent international competition for development of their teams and players, but more importantly, they need to build it into a consistent and marketable rivalry and recognisable championship that can be sold to fans/sponsors/broadcasters.

Hopefully they will market the shit out of this and play the games in MLR stadia with discounted tickets and freebies given to every school in the area to pack out the stands. Imagine USA vs Japan, but instead of being played on some shitty little field somewhere (or worse, Glendale), it's in Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego with 15-20k watching. That would give me hope for RWC 2031 that I'm struggling to find right now.

Puja

[Lizard]

Bit of a snub to Uruguay and Chile.

[Puja]

Bit of a snub to Uruguay and Chile.

I believe they don't want to play with the North American teams, as there are still a lot of hurt feelings about them breaking ranks and voting for Beaumont over Pichot. One would like to hope that there is a similar South American tournament soon to be unveiled by WR.

It's a shame, cause from a time-zones perspective, it'd make a lot more sense for the Americas Rugby Championship to be the comp that's resurrected and have Arg, Uruguay, Chile, Brazil, USA, Canada.

Puja

[Which Tyler]

One would like to hope that there is a similar South American tournament soon to be unveiled by WR.

Something like this one, you mean?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Ame ... ampionship

Stopped due to Covid - just needs to start up again