(CNN)Radical plans to reshape rugby’s international calendar have caused shockwaves through the sport, but World Rugby vice-chairman Agustin Pichot has quelled fears that certain teams — specifically Fiji and Samoa — will be excluded from the new league.
Reports last week suggested a 12-team, ring-fenced World League was set to be established in 2020, with the likes of USA, Japan, and Italy — ranked 11th, 13th, and 15th in the world respectively — included at the expense of the Pacific Island nations.
But Pichot, a former Argentina captain who retired from rugby a decade ago, has said he is advocating promotion and relegation between two international leagues.
