Is the division between Tier 1 and Tier 2 rugby disappearing?
Referee, Luke Pearce in his Rainbow Laces top during the Gallagher Premiership match between Exeter Chiefs and Sale Sharks at Sandy Park, Exeter on 26th February 2023. Photo: Phil Mingo/PPAUK
From behind the whistle, Luke Pearce has a close-up view on the changing landscape of the game. This week, Luke caught up with the team at ACME Whistles to talk about the narrowing, even disappearing, gap between what has historically separated tier one and tier two rugby nations.
Following his twelve-week stint at the Rugby World Cup, he said:
“I think Fiji are the prime example. They beat Australia, they ran England relatively close in that quarter final and I still think they are classed as a Tier 2 nation.
“I think one thing this World Cup has done is just make people aware of the quality that’s outside of the top ten countries.
“So what happens next is well above my pay grade, but there seems to be a desire to increase that level of competition from “Tier 2” countries.
“One thing that I found amazing was the interest in some of the games that involve those Tier 2 teams. I mean some of the playing styles of the so-called Tier 2 nations seemed to capture the fans imagination. Perhaps the public out there is a little bit bored and they are ready for some different, more flamboyant rugby.”
Photo: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK
He added; “However, they also have to be competitive. And I think that’s one thing that this World Cup delivered as well. Of course there were a few blowouts in terms of score lines, but Uruguay running France and Italy close; Chile digging their heels in for the first half an hour against most of the bigger sides; Portugal pushing Wales and then beating Fiji.
“Those kind of games are what a World Cup needs, rather than just the big teams beating everyone convincingly and then it being a standardised Australia, Wales, New Zealand, South Africa, France, Australia kind of game.
“So I think it was amazing for that and I think seeing the different layout now for 2027 in four years time, I think will only be a good thing in terms of knockout rugby happening sooner.
“There’s going to be a massive opening not just for Fiji, but for the likes of Georgia, Chile and Uruguay. There are the underpinnings of great rugby nations and having spent time, they are huge rugby breeding grounds waiting to happen.
“If the likes of the North American sides in USA and Canada can also step up, it’ll be even better.
“For me the Northern American sides seem to have fallen a little bit behind everyone else in terms of Tier 2 rugby. But with the World Cup going there in 2031 I think there’s also massive scope there for growth.
“It looks like there’s more of an acceptance to add in the likes of Georgia, Fiji, Japan into this growing kind of world game, and I think that will only aid in the quality of games going forward.
“I think the November internationals now have a true meaning because there’s actually something to play for, rather than it just being a Test match.
“Maybe it’s time to get rid of this Tier 2/Tier 1 status labelling.
“I feel a little bit sorry for some of these Tier 2 labelled sides because they’re better than what they’re labelled as. And some of the Tier 1 teams are perhaps a little bit fortunate to have kept their Tier 1 status.”
