World Tens Series Rugby: A Game-Changing Spectacle for Rugby Enthusiasts
The World Tens Series has introduced a rugby union tournament that is contested by professional clubs from around the world. The competition debuted in Bermuda in 2020 and has received much success with a platform focussing on competitive rugby outside the usual elite-level nations such as England, France, New Zealand, Wales, etc.
Tens is relatively new to most fans, but the Chief Development Officer of the series, James Walker, has brought his passionate idea to life with an ambition of hoping Tens can evolve into the IPL of rugby.
Revolutionising the Sport
From the onset, critics suggested that Tens is a quicker variation of 15s or a more solid version of Sevens. However, Walker disagrees.
“It’s not strictly just rugby union. It’s an amalgamation of rugby union, rugby league, and then we’ve got some American football elements in it as well,” Walker commented.
The aforementioned factors were by design, and the World Tens Series is eager to enter the American market instead of solely focusing on Western European and southern regions where rugby’s popularity primarily lies. Walker visualised the potential of crossover athletes, from the likes of the NFL or athletics stars who may have gone unnoticed by their respective sports.
“Every year, about 1,000 players get cut from the NFL alone, and there are guys who can run [100m] in 9.99 and still can’t make the US national team. Walker added: “There are bucketloads of talent, not just in the US but worldwide, that fall through the cracks for various reasons,”
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Walker’s beliefs are more than just an average opinion. Aside from his involvement in the World Tens Series, he co-founded Tiger Rugby Academy. This academy assisted Perry Baker into the world of professional rugby after being cut from the NFL. Twelve months later, Baker competed in the World Rugby Sevens and is the lone man to receive the World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year Award twice.
Taking a similar route to the MLS, Walker is fighting to broaden the player pool and fanbase of rugby, particularly in the United States. “If you look at the global value of rugby versus the value of sport in the United States, it’s absolutely tiny. Rugby is the third biggest sport in the world, but the US sports market is $80b annually, while rugby is only around 1% of that.”
🦁 Ten years ago today, the Lions won their first series in 16 years after beating Australia in the third Test in Sydney pic.twitter.com/w4NAJlL0sO
— Rugby World (@Rugbyworldmag) July 6, 2023
Taking rugby to the next level
The Tens Series debut was met with a soft launch due to COVID-19, but since a full-scale tournament launched in 2021, it’s involved 16 franchises with twelve locations that are, most importantly, privately owned.
Private ownership of this magnitude can be found in the IPL (cricket) and Formula 1. There are also minimal limits on squad sizes within the series, which could result in some of the world’s greatest players shifting over to Tens in the future.
“The Tens season will be opposite to Super Rugby and the World Sevens Series, and even then, if you’ve got a wealthy British owner who says, ‘I want Owen Farrell to represent the London Royals for four weeks,’ why not? It’s their money to spend.”
Walker’s passion for Tens’ growth is undeniable, and the potential of growing future talent drives him to succeed. “We spent a lot of time with these combined athletes, and I’m hoping we get a couple of style moments from one of these boys.”
Rule changes may not sit well with old-school rugby fans, but they’re implemented to attract new supporters. Draws (tie-games) don’t exist, games are shorter, and rolling substitutions exist, amongst others.
When asked about the different rules, Walker stated: “To be successful, we need to be an entertainment package first; this is something the IPL does really right. I know back then, a lot of people who were traditionalists thought that the IPL was going to be the end of the world, the end of cricket. I’d argue that cricket has never been healthier [and that’s] because of the IPL. This is what we want to do for rugby.”
