It has become a blot on the landscape and one would assume that World Rugby are anxious to fix it, including the risible put-in. Instead, World Rugby have the scrum on death row. Recently, the chair of World Rugby, Australia’s Brett Robinson, insisted that union is not moving towards league. It is one of the sport’s great characteristics, and those are what makes rugby union unique. We lose that uniqueness at our peril – sure there would be some sort of game but it would not be rugby union.

Source: The Irish Times February 19, 2026 22:03 UTC