ENSURING that Tier 2 teams are more competitive at RWC is a problem that predates the origin of the tournament itself.
The fact is, Tier 1 teams simply avoid playing the ‘lesser’ countries far too often thereby denying them the opportunity to better themselves. New Zealand, for example, have never toured the Pacific Islands, the countries closest to them. The Home Nations do not bother travelling to Spain, Portugal or Georgia. South Africa do not visit the Ivory Coast, Namibia or Zimbabwe.
My suggestion is that when the IRB sanction the Southern Hemisphere Autumn trips ...