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IRB hammers out new calendar
22/11/2007 17:38 - (SA)
London - The International Rugby Board
(IRB) will host a global forum next week to try to establish a
playing calendar that satisfies all "stakeholders" in the game.
The meeting, in Woking, southwest of London, on Nov 27-29
will attempt to create a blueprint for the future growth of the
game that is "relevant, commercially robust and acceptable to
all stakeholders," the IRB said in a statement.
Attending the forum will be IRB council members and
representatives from IRB member unions, clubs from all over the
world, as well as players, coaches, managers, IRB management and
commercial agents and consultants.
"This is an historic gathering of the game's stakeholders,"
said IRB chairperson Syd Millar.
"Never before has there been such a forum involving the
professional clubs, the national unions, players, coaches and
administrators from around the world.
"The IRB is committed to finding the best possible season
structure and has been working with the unions on the issue of
an integrated season for more than two years.
"The development of an integrated season is not any easy
task when you consider the different requirements of clubs,
provinces and national unions.
"Add in the fact that we have a game played across two
hemispheres with different playing seasons, the positioning of
Rugby World Cup, the need for player rest periods and that we
only have 52 weeks in the year, and you have a complex jigsaw
puzzle.
"If there was an easy solution it would have been
implemented some time ago. This is not a decision-making forum,
however it will hopefully provide a consensus viewpoint for the
way forward."
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Rugby
