Callard calls on IRB for funding

England Saxons head coach Jon Callard believes the International Rugby Board has a responsibility to take over the funding of A-team rugby because it holds such a vital role in the development of future Test stars.

The A-team programmes in Wales and Scotland collapsed under the weight of financial pressures in 2003 when both sides were withdrawn from a Six Nations A Championship, which promptly crumbled.

Wales have not fielded an A side since and decided to overlook it again this year, due in large part to the growing strength of the U21 game.

But with age group rugby changing to U20s, Callard feels A internationals will become more important than ever in preparing players for the demands of the Test arena.

Scotland play their first A international in over three years in Toronto this Saturday when they take on the Saxons in the opening round of the Barclays Churchill Cup.

While the IRB part-fund the tournament, an initiative headed up by the Rugby Football Union and designed to assist the game’s development in north America, Callard wants them to do more.

“I don’t think the A teams should be funded by the unions. I think the A teams should come out of an IRB pot because the development of the game is so important,” said Callard, who works at the RFU’s National Academy.

“They fund the U19s and U21s in terms of the World Cup tournaments. Why not do it with the A team as well? It’s all about producing guys for the next level.

“The U21 age group will go and the stepping stone now is the A-level, the big man’s game.

“In some ways it is what has happened with this tournament and it’s great to see the IRB supporting the Churchill Cup.

“Scotland’s financial situation has been well documented and this way it would give everybody an opportunity to compete.

“You will find it easier to spread the game and play the game and it would take the financial burden away.

“It makes sense. A international rugby is massive and it will become more important as the U21 level goes.”

Scotland A coach Steve Bates believes Scottish rugby has been hampered over the last three years by not having have a regular second string.

“It is important from a national perspective to create that competition,” said the Borders coach and former Wasps scrum-half.

“Professional rugby in Scotland is about creating competition to play in the national side and maybe it’s also about creating competition to play in the A side, so people have things to aim for.

“I think it’s really important for us to get as many professional teams as we can in Scotland because it creates competition. Competition creates performance and that raises the whole level.

“If you don’t have competition, for A team places or senior team places, you put people into a comfort zone.”

Bates is set to name his side tomorrow but Callard, his former England team-mate, declared England’s hand early.

London Irish scrum-half Paul Hodgson captains the side after being preferred to Sale’s Richard Wigglesworth, who starred for Sale in their Guinness Premiership final win over Leicester.

“Paul is a natural captain. He leads from the front and is competitive, communicative and committed,” said Callard. “He is coming off the back of a good season, his confidence is high and it’s right that we should utilise that enthusiasm.

“It’s really tough on Richard, who played exceptionally well in the final last weekend, but he is on the bench and there are two more games in this tournament.”

Worcester’s Kai Horstmann, a late replacement in the squad for the injured Jamie Forrester, starts at number eight alongside flankers Dave Seymour and Ben Woods.