It’s a Small World After All

With nearly 100 countries playing the game, rugby portrays itself as a global sport. Still, major reforms are required of its governing body to shed an elitist tag and give due recognition to upcoming “minnow” countries, argues this essay from the Economist. Huge resource gaps exist between the nine traditional rugby powerhouse countries and the “minnows” that are other members of the International Rugby Board, or IRB. The 2011 World Cup revealed partiality in rugby regulations: Despite favorable match schedules for traditionally strong contenders, the minnows played hard and enjoyed close scores in early games. The IRB has attempted reforms, looking to give second-tier sides more exposure, create strategic investment programs in second-tier countries and reward high-performing minnows with spots in major tournaments. Sport is drama, and the governing body of any sport recognizes that nail-biting matches and surprise endings attract more followers than a system that props up dependable winners who can never lose. – YaleGlobal