All Blacks legend Sir Steve Hansen is hoping something tangible comes out of the upcoming summit having experienced some pointless World Rugby meetings.
In November, the top coaches and referees will convene in London to discuss the state of the sport and how it can move forward.
Previous Shape of the Game conventions have resulted in some laws being created or amended, but not to the satisfaction of Hansen.
The 67-year-old has been a critic of certain aspects of rugby and believes that these meetings have not yet delivered real change.
Having been part of similar forums during his time as All Blacks boss, he revealed what he wants to see from the upcoming event.
‘People sit there and don’t say anything’
“Before I’ve brought anything to the table, I would want reassurance. This isn’t the first time we’ve had all the coaches there and the referees, they have them all the time,” he told the Rugby Unity podcast.
“What’s the purpose of the meeting? I want that to be really, really clear. I don’t want to be going to the meeting and then having the referees sit up and give me a report on how the game is; we’re getting this stat and that stat and the next stat.
“I’ve been to those meetings and they’re a waste of time. People sit there and don’t say anything, and I used to get frustrated, say things and p*** people off because you’re saying them.
“The game’s bigger than all of us so you’ve got to say something, you can’t just sit there. We achieved nothing, we would all go away frustrated.
“If I’m going to a meeting I would want to know what’s the purpose of it, is it to make the game better.”
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Host David Pembroke then interjected, claiming “clearly that’s the point [of these meetings]”, but Hansen rejected that assertion.
“No, all show and no dough,” he responded.
“You’ve been there before, ‘this is how we’re going to referee the game’, they’re going to tell you how to referee the game, so that’s not the issue.”
The risks to rugby
The former New Zealand head coach ultimately insists that the sport risks losing people from the game if, as he claims, World Rugby continues to not address rugby’s problems.
“We’re losing our fanbase because people are frustrated with it, we’re losing players because they’re frustrated with it, so how are we going to get the game simpler?” he added.
“Why would you be a referee? It’s too hard to ref. That’s the purpose. How do we end up with a better game than we’ve got at the moment? Don’t tell me how you’re going to referee the next November Tests, I’m not interested.
“What I want to know is how we make the game better for the people that participate in it, whether it’s a fan, player, coach or referee.”