World 12s Launches New 12-a-side Rugby Franchise Tournament

A new rugby format will debut next year after a newly-formed international company, World 12s Limited, announced a new 12-a-side rugby union tournament.

Kicking off in England in August 2022, World 12s aims to bring the world’s best players together to compete annually around the world, with both male and female competitions set to take place.

World 12s Limited says it aspires to ‘bring £250 million of new financial stimulus’ into rugby over the next five years, while ‘attracting a new global fanbase’.

The company has also announced a Board and Executive team consisting of former RFU CEO Ian Ritchie as Chairman. It has also unveiled former NZRU CEO Steve Tew and former WRU Chairman Gareth Davies as Non-Executive Directors.

The venture is backed by a ‘UK-based financial consortium’, which says the competition will ‘complement the existing global calendar’.

Speaking at the launch, Ian Ritchie Chairman, World 12s, said: “World 12s is a natural evolution for rugby union.

“We feel that this is a game for our changing, fast-paced world that can excite a global fan base in the way that we have seen with the IPL or most recently The Hundred in cricket. In bringing together the most exciting players under the stewardship of some of the brightest rugby minds with commercial backing, we are looking to propel rugby forward and lay a positive roadmap for how the game is perceived for future generations.

“Early and informal discussions with World Rugby, unions, clubs and player associations have been constructive, and in announcing today we can continue our consultative conversations and collaborations with the relevant stakeholders.”

The inaugural World 12s tournament will see 192 of the world’s best male players from Tier One and Tier Two nations selected via auction to represent eight franchised teams.

Each franchise will be required to select at least two players from Tier Two nations as well as an international Under-20s player.

Hosted initially in England across three concurrent weekends provisionally set for August and September 2022, each franchise of 24 players, coached by some of the world’s leading coaches, will play in a round-robin format before the knockout stages crown the champions.

With Rugby World Cup 2021 now taking place in New Zealand in 2022, the women’s format of World 12s will launch from 2023 and will be played in tandem with the men’s tournament. World 12s then says the ‘vision’ is for the tournament to move to different global destinations each year and offer equal winning prize money for the men and women’s competitions.

World 12s Non-Executive Director Steve Tew added: “This is a truly exciting venture in the development of our global game. We believe rugby needs a new, innovative, fast flowing, and exciting concept, but one that remains authentic to rugby’s roots. We have assembled a strong team of rugby leaders with a wealth of rugby and commercial experience, and we look forward to the continued discussions with global stakeholders.”