Rugby moves closer to global calendar - NZR boss Steve Tew

NZ Rugby chief executive Steve Tew speaks to the media. Photo/Photopsport

World rugby seems to have moved a step closer to a global calendar taking affect after the 2019 World Cup.

At a two-day forum just completed, representatives of national federations, the major competitions from around the world and players reportedly made progress on the concept of a common international season.

New Zealand Rugby chief executive Steve Tew remains cautiously optimistic about the talks, but hinted there was still considerable room for derailment over coming weeks.

"We now have broad agreement over a number of proposals," he told Radio Sport rugby editor Nigel Yalden. "People now need to go away, talk to their stakeholders, double-check the details and come back together again in March to see what it looks like.

"We are negotiating a very complex issue with a very broad cross-section of interested parties.

"The reality is, to get a season structure, we're trying to agree on a long-term international calendar that leaves space for the club competitions, the international game, keeps Rugby World Cup in its premium space and allows us to build our own domestic competitions, as well as prioritising and highlighting the Super Rugby and Rugby Championship."

Tew said the parties had made concessions over the past few months and days, but more would need to be made, if this proposal was to become reality.

"There's still a bit to be done and there will still need to be a bit of tweaking, which will mean some people giving and some people receiving," he said. "Everyone needs to leave the negotiations feeling they got something, but not everything, otherwise somebody won't be happy.

"We're dealing with a wide variety of stakeholders and I can't control what's going to happen in other places, I can only talk to our people when I get home."