News article
World Rugby debates sustainability pillars including welfare, experience and growth
World Rugby has identified key areas that it would like to improve and explore in collaboration with stakeholders, surrounding welfare, fan experience and growing the sport.
These areas include making changes within the game to enhance the playing experience; improving the fan experience through more simple terminology, technology, broadcast operations and laws; tweaking the officiating experience and improving welfare for players.
There is also a major focus on game flow, welfare and fan experience within women’s rugby and on injury prevention programmes.
The new directives were agreed upon at the recent World Rugby Shape of the Game conference in London, which built on the first meeting held last year. World Rugby’s sustainability focus also incorporates how it can grow its audience share over the next decade on the road to Rugby World Cups in the US.
"As a sport, a movement and a family, we must always challenge ourselves to think differently if rugby is to excite and attract new audiences and participants across all its forms."
World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: “As a sport, a movement and a family, we must always challenge ourselves to think differently if rugby is to excite and attract new audiences and participants across all its forms.
“That means detailed consideration of what fans and players want the future of our sport to be, a future where more people want to play and support the game, where injury risk is reducing and where all involved in the game have their say.”
He added: “The Shape of the Game II meeting is a key step to a reimagination of our sport. The contributions from a wide spectrum of disciplines gives us a clear mandate to progress. I would like to thank all participants for taking time out at a busy time to unite, collaborate and consider our future.”
Unsplash: Edgar Pimenta on Unsplash