The International Rugby Board (IRB) is taking steps toward introducing a global calendar to end substandard tours such as the current France tour of New Zealand.
The issue is to be thrashed out at a summit meeting of clubs and international unions soon after the World Cup final in Paris on October 20, head of the IRB's tours committee, Bernard Lapasset, said in Auckland yesterday.
Lapasset, who is also president of the Federation Francaise de Rugby (FFR), admitted to feeling embarrassed about the third-rate quality of his touring side which was beaten 11-42 by the All Blacks on Saturday.
"It's not good for the international level," he said.
About 30 top French players were unavailable for the New Zealand tour because it clashed with the play-offs of their domestic club championship.
England and Wales are also touring South Africa and Australia respectively with under-strength sides.
All Blacks coach Graham Henry last week called on the IRB to fix the scheduling "chaos."
"When sides are coming to this side of the world that are not as strong as they should be — that's not good for the game," he said.
"These things need to be talked about and solved. The game's bigger than that," he said.
Lapasset said the IRB originally put nine possible solutions on the table and that number had been whittled down to three which will be investigated in November.
He would not reveal the gist of the three options but was confident they formed the basis of a return to a schedule providing meaningful contests.
RSS