Skeptics were quick to circle the proposed World 12 tournament with the might of English rugby Exeter strongly questioning the logistics and spectator appeal of the concept.

The World 12 have unveiled plans to kick off a three-week tournament next year with eight franchise teams involving 192 world-class players, seeking to bring an Indian Premier League cricket format to rugby with quick 30 matches. minutes to 12 against.

Fitting it into an already busy international schedule arises and an instant problem – it would clash with the rugby championship in the south and pre-season preparations in the north. But Exeter coach Rob Baxter sees major problems beyond that.

“I had a wry little smile to myself, I shook my head and thought ‘here we go again’,” Baxter said. Rugby Pass of his first impressions.

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Exeter is a major force in England and in Europe. They’ve been to the last six English Premiership finals, have won two and won the European Champions Cup in 2020.

Baxter believes players will be under tremendous pressure because of the expected riches the ambitious World 12s will deliver. He expects the matter to become “confrontational”.

“The biggest thing that bothers me when these proposals are launched, and I don’t mind saying it, is the dissatisfaction of the players. will be the result? Baxter said Rugby Pass.

“It will be basically players placed in the middle – they are going to be the jam again in the sandwich between the clubs and the unions. These people [the tournament organisers] are going to offer, I guess, quite a bit of money to try to get them to play, and the player is going to turn around and he is going to have to ask to be released from his contractual obligations. This is the first thing I thought about.

“How does that fit into any player’s contract, because most of them will be on contract twelve months out of the year and it doesn’t fit into that without the player’s release. There’s going to be a lot of confrontational meetings and issues before I can even see it take off. “

Baxter also asked if rugby really needs another short form – there are seven-a-side and ten-a-side competitions – just as an entertainment show.

He felt that the sport was completely different from cricket in this region.

“I can see how it works at times with cricket and I can understand the appeal. What people need to understand is what you are creating? You can come to a rugby match and spend two or three hours at a match and have a great time and have a lot of fun, whereas in cricket, to participate in a match before, you had to be there for a day ” , did he declare. Recount Rugby Pass.

“I see why the short form works in cricket because you change the whole viewing environment – you go out for a night out – but that doesn’t need to change in rugby so I don’t know what the change is going to look like. of public. to be. Personally, I don’t think it will be as attractive as people think it is. “

Former All Blacks coach Steve Hansen is a World 12 ambassador and believes it can be good for the game.

“There’s a lot of negotiation to go on … it’s not about trying to have rebellious competition, it’s about trying to have something that works for everyone,” said Hansen. Thing.