Worldwide game gets $53m boost in IRB initiative

Three new test competitions and three international provincial competitions were launched yesterday in a $53 million initiative to boost worldwide rugby.

The three-year plan of the IRB is focused on elite player development in rugby's seven 'Tier Two' nations - Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Canada, Japan, Romania and the US.

"This is an historic day - it's an unprecedented investment in rugby," said IRB chairman Syd Millar at a press briefing in Cape Town following an IRB executive committee meeting.

The new international tournaments combine the tier two nations with the second teams of the game's 10 leading countries.

The IRB plan a 'Pacific Six Nations' in which Australia 'A' and a Junior All Blacks will compete against Japan, Tonga, Samoa and Fiji.

The existing Churchill Cup will be expanded to include Canada, US, Argentina 'A', England 'A' and other national 'A' teams from the Celtic unions, France and Italy.

A third international tournament pits Romania against South Africa 'A' and 'A' teams from the balance of the Celtic unions, France and Italy.

As part of the investment, the 'Tier One' countries (the Six Nations, SANZAR countries and Argentina) will be eligible for annual grants of up to $445,000 per year for high performance projects.