«Breaking News» World Cup in 2019 could be last to host 20 teams with plans possible to increase the tournament size

The 2019 World Cup might be the last to host 20 teams as rugby chiefs want to echo their football counterparts and expand future tournaments.

The same number of teams have contested the competition since 1999 - often with a number of whipping-boys making up the numbers.

But with Japan causing the greatest upset of all-time in 2015, beating South Africa 34-32 in Brighton, World Rugby are hoping for more competitive Tier 2 nations as they plot to increase the tournament to 24 teams.

The 2019 World Cup in Japan could be the last to have only 20 international teams competing

And the expansion - while not yet formalised - could happen as early as the France tournament in 2023, if there are enough teams that merit inclusion.

'We're always looking from an expansive point of view rather than reducing so it's just a question of when rather than if,' said World Rugby chief executive Brett Gosper.

'The tendency for us is to try and look to expand. It's growing the global game, it's getting interest from fans and commercial interest in new markets, in order to grow the sport.

'We want to make sure the teams are competitive enough to move to a 24-team tournament.'

Japan pulled off one of the all-time shocks in rugby when they beat South Africa in 2015

And Alan Gilpin, tournament director of the 2019 World Cup, agreed: 'We are definitely looking at expansion not contraction. It's about adding more teams to the World Cup for us.

'The qualification process, there's challenges in that and the global calendar is very congested. We'd love to move to 24 teams.' 

FIFA want to expand their World Cup to 48 teams, from 32, but the 2019 cricket World Cup in England will only feature 10 sides - not the usual 14.

At the moment the 2023 Rugby World Cup is set to feature 20 nations, but that may be reconsidered after next year's competition in Japan.

Asked if smaller nations could force their hand by performing well Gosper added: 'It would give courage and impetus to that.

'The Rugby World Cup board and the executive committee consider these things. We could still opine and change that between now and 2023.

Alan Gilpin, tournament director of the 2019 World Cup, believes expansion is needed

'All of 2023 is on the basis of 20 teams. To step up to 22 or 24, whichever we decided was right, there would be significant adjustment in the planning that's already taken place.' If the World Cup was expanded the number of one-sided matches would be a pertinent concern.

In 2015, for example, Uruguay only scored 30 points in their four games against England, Australia, Fiji and Wales, conceding 226.

In Japan one of Germany, Hong Kong, Kenya or Canada will face the All Blacks and South Africa.

Those teams are playing in a repechage tournament in France this November, and World Rugby has said they will give the nation that qualifies for the final spot all the support they can to make sure they do not get thrashed in 2019.

'We are confident that team that qualifies will be competitive enough, even against the All Blacks,' said Gopser.

'We'll work hard in the period that that team qualifies to ensure they've got all the technical coaches, as we do at each World Cup, to make sure that team is well coached, well surrounded, well trained to ensure, the key performance indicators of the winning margins aren't blown out by one or two games that team might play.' 

Link article

https://hienalouca.com/2018/09/11/world-cup-in-2019-could-be-last-to-host-20-teams-with-plans-possible-to-increase-the-tournament-size/
Main photo article The 2019 World Cup might be the last to host 20 teams as rugby chiefs want to echo their football counterparts and expand future tournaments.
The same number of teams have contested the competition since 1999 – often with a number of whipping-boys making up the numbers.
But with Japan...

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