HOW ANDREW FORREST’S INDO PACIFIC RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP WILL WORK
* The inaugural season is set to feature six teams, starting in August 2018.
* The regular season will run for 10 rounds between August and October, with the top four teams reaching the finals.
* Areas that have expressed interest in entering a team include Japan, China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Samoa, Fiji, South Korea, Malaysia.
* If the ARU endorses the competition, players who sign for the IPRC will remain eligible to play for the Wallabies. If a player is chosen for Wallabies duties, the IPRC team will release that player for however long is needed.
* Forrest has promised to sponsor the National Rugby Championship if the ARU approve his new competition.
* The National Rugby Championship will run at a similar time to the IPRC.
* The IPRC also wants to work with the ARU High Performance team to improve talent identification, as well as athlete and coach development pathways.
* Forrest hopes this new competition will bolster Australia’s chances of winning the 2019 World Cup in Tokyo.
* The IPRC hierarchy have already started talks with various broadcasters around the world. There’s a strong chance this competition will be seen on free-to-air television in Australia.
* The IPRC is yet to be ticked off by World Rugby.
* Teams will be able to recruit their own high-profile players. There will also be a centralised player pool to ensure weaker rugby areas will be bolstered.
* The IPRC could feature rule changes such as increasing the number of points for a try, and any other changes that will encourage more of a running game.
* Things like music and other entertainment will also be incorporated to make it more of a spectacle.