Thursday 27th September 2007
The current World Cup could still be the last to be played under its current format, with the IRB confirming a review of the tournament.
An investigation for the Sport Wales television show has learnt further details of plans to cut the tournament to 16 teams, with a second level tournament for so-called minnows.
The proposed changes will be discussed at the International Rugby Board meeting in Dublin, which will take place in November, and the new format, if approved, could be in place by 2011.
Under the new system the World Cup would consist of twelve seeded teams, and the last four remaining places would go to sides qualifying from the second-level tournament.
It is understood that the second-level tournament would take place in the year before the World Cup itself, with a promotion and relegation system between the two tournaments put in place.
"That's quite possible but not certain, we're reviewing everything," IRB head of communications Greg Thomas told Sport Wales.
"The main finals could stay at 20 or they could be cut to 16. We know what's working at the World Cup, but we are also looking at having 10 or 12 teams in a tournament the year before.
"That would give all qualifiers at least 12 months of preparation knowing that they will be playing in a World Cup.
"This year with the repechage, some sides didn't know they'd be in until six months before - that's not long enough, people must have a real chance to prepare."
However the mooted changes have been met with strong disagreement from sides such as Georgia, who have made a major impact at this World Cup, based on their continued involvement in the tournament from 2003.
Having come very close to causing the biggest upset in World Cup history against Ireland, eventually losing 14-10, Georgia went on to comfortably beat Namibia 30-0.
"If the plans go ahead they will be a very, very big mistake and will kill rugby in a country like ours," said Georgia head coach Malkhaz Cheishvili.
"We only have one chance in four years to play against the really good teams, so you can tell everybody that the Georgian delegation is strongly against the plans."
Japan, who failed in their bid to host the 2011 World Cup, were also strongly against any move for a new format.
"An easy solution seems to be less teams at the World Cup," said Japan coach John Kirwan, a World Cup winner with New Zealand back in 1987.
"But if you spend time with the players I'm with, it's the greatest experience of their life.
"You need to expand the game globally, and I think that we need to stay at 20 teams.
"If we spend some of the profits and make the tournament a week longer, I think that might solve some of the problems."
But Thomas believes a new format could increase World Cup revenue, which would eventually be ploughed back into the growth of the sport worldwide.
"Traditionalists will want the so-called minnows in the tournament," said Thomas.
"We understand that, but we also understand how important the World Cup is and that it continues to drive us commercially.
"That will ensure that we have money to give to the likes of Georgia, Fiji, Tonga, Madagascar, Ukraine, Ghana, Senegal and wherever else.
"It's a complex jigsaw puzzle and we're going to take our time and do it properly, we have a commitment to the developing nations."
www.planetrugby.com
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