The world in union: Why rugby must become an Olympic sport again

Rugby has become the single sport where significance on the title of world champions seems to increase year by year. This is almost to the point where any other level of championship, either international or domestic, seems to pale into significance.

In football or cricket, they stage World Cups, but the entire four years in between does not live and die for these tournaments. In football the level of involvement at domestic or continental level is of major significance, with European championships and the winning of league titles on a par with a world title. 

In cricket, the World Cup is played over the one-day international format so the world champion cricket team is not necessarily the best team. Most cricketing purists will put a Test series like the prestigious Ashes as more important than a Cup.

Rugby is afforded no such luxury. New Zealand, the premier rugby-playing nation of the world, is exactly that if the concept of World Cups is removed.  They have a winning percentage over history far beyond any other team in the world. The major competitions between New Zealand’s two great rivals, South Africa and Australia,  is measured with the Super 14 and the Tri-Nations.