With the Rugby World Cup 2015 just around the corner, World Rugby have announced the details surrounding their investment and support of tier two nations. Beneficiaries of this will be arriving in England over the course of the next two weeks and include Canada, USA, Fiji, Georgia, Romania, Namibia, Samoa, Tonga, Japan and Uruguay. As part of a four year cycle each of these nations has received funding from World Rugby to help them expand the sport on a global scale.
Tier Two Nations Investment Injection
Over the period 2012-15 World Rugby has invested approximately £34 million in the 10 tier two nations previously mentioned. With a heavy emphasis on development World Rugby has aimed to provide these nations with the backing that will allow them to compete to their potential at the forthcoming Rugby World Cup. In previous editions of the World Cup the major upsets caused by this group has predominantly come from the Pacific nations, Samoa and Fiji. With a steady influx of money the potential for greater upsets at this year’s edition will hopefully bring about a dramatic change of fortunes for each of these nations.
Within individual camps the need for greater specialist coaching has been recognised with World Rugby assisting in the appointment of numerous consultants including Steve Borthwick for Japan and Alama Ieremia for Samoa. These have been made with the aim of focusing on specific skill sets including scrum, lineout, strength and conditioning, in order to boost the professional nature of the back room staff of each individual tier two nation. A two pronged approach has been taken with the assistance from within and challenges from without. The establishment of high performance competitions such as the Pacific Nations Cup, Tbilisi Cup and Nations Cup has seen a greater number of test rugby level matches played by these nations. The increased intensity and pressure that can be developed on game day is far greater than that of merely training sessions. The success of these competitions will hopefully see them continued throughout the following years.
On the eve of the 2015 Rugby World Cup, World Rugby has allowed the rugby family across the globe to see exactly how they have supported the tier two nations in recent years but it is imperative that those nations seize their opportunities. The scale and extent of further investment surely rides upon their performances at the World Cup. It is a cruel double edged sword for these nations as they continue to look to expand, they may well struggle to make an impact in relation to the investment. Neutral fans alike will surely be hoping for the tier two nations to begin their walk into the spotlight at England 2015. With only four games each to make a mark it will prove difficult but the continuing emergence of Argentina has shown the way. Argentina have been able to advance in great strides from early World Cup appearances culminating in a 3rd place finish in 2007 and now the Argentinian Union are part of an expanded Rugby Championship and will soon join Super Rugby. There is no reason that the tier two nations cannot have a significant impact upon the eventual winners of the tournament, tricky ties for all the tier one nations await.
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