KEY POINTS:
The International Rugby Board has invited all interested groups to a November summit to go over three proposals for an integrated global calendar.
"That is progress and I think we will find a solution and make a decision from those ideas," French president and IRB member Bernard Lapasset
said.
The head of the IRB tours committee was embarrassed France had to send an alternate squad to play the All Blacks because the bulk of the country's test stars were involved in the national club championship.
"It is not so good for the international level. We need to solve this, we need to take a decision urgently," he said.
"We are going to have a forum in November after the World Cup that will focus specifically on the organisation of the professional game throughout the world. Clubs, provinces, unions, sponsors, television companies, players and doctors - they will all be involved and offered the chance to give their views."
When IRB chairman Syd Millar was in Auckland several months ago he said nine proposals had been tabled as possible solutions for the congested world calendar. Lapasset confirmed those options had been trimmed to three but would not give more details.
"The schedules are too cluttered, there are problems everywhere and the standard of the international game is not too good at the moment. We have to take a decision; the next season is crucial."
The IRB and other factions had to wait until the World Cup had finished before holding the summit as they did not want to interrupt countries' preparations for the tournament.
"There are different problems everywhere. In France, we have a lot of Argentine players who are taking the positions of our players, so we don't have enough props. And, down here, the All Blacks not playing in the Super 14 is not good," Lapasset said.
The New Zealand Players' Association will be a force at the talks as it has picked up a contract to drive the International Players Association policy and is working on aligning the international programmes.
"We will try and have a big say later in the year," All Black hooker Anton Oliver said.
He did not subscribe to the concept that more was better and if test rugby was to remain a special part of the rugby landscape then it had to be cherished.
He was worried about the future of international rugby, saying there were way too many peaks and troughs in team selections and performance.