O, BRAVE NEW WORLD CUP? ALAS, NO

THE 2027 RUGBY WORLD CUP

TODAY’S RWC’27 DRAW IN SYDNEY, YET AGAIN, FEELS LIKE PLANNING FOR CHRISTMAS IN BLOODY JULY. BUT WHO WERE THE WINNERS AND LOSERS FROM RUGBY’S GREAT QUADRENNIAL LOTTERY? AND WHAT’S THE POINT IN EXPANDING THE TOURNAMENT TO EMBRACE MORE OF THE EMERGING NATIONS AND THEN GIVING THEM FEWER AND TOUGHER GAMES? IT’S A PUZZLER. INDEED, PERHAPS IT’S TIME FOR A COMPLETE RE-THINK OF THE ENTIRE CIRCUS.