All Blacks could play Six Nations champion in world final

Kieran Read talks with head coach Steve Hansen after winning the Bledisloe Cup test match between the New Zealand All Blacks and Australian Wallabies. Photo / Getty Images.

The All Blacks could face the Six Nations championship winner under a new structure for international rugby, according to reports from the Daily Mail.

It's set to be discussed at a meeting in Los Angeles next week where plans are advanced for a proposed new World Rugby League which would see the winners of the Rugby Championship southern hemisphere competition play the Six Nations European champions annually to decide a world champion.

The All Blacks have won five of the last six Rugby Championship crowns, and New Zealand Rugby has made no secret it favours the World League concept, believing it would provide much-needed financial relief.

"World Rugby see a concept that would essentially reduce the Six Nations to the European League for a global tournament that concludes with the crowning of a world champion every year as a way of redistributing the wealth between the Northern and Southern Hemisphere countries, with the financial difficulties being endured by New Zealand, Australia and South Africa well documented," the Daily Mail reported today.

NZ Rugby will meet with their tier nation one counterparts and Six Nations officials in Los Angeles.

The Daily Mail reported Ireland were understood to have some concerns about the proposed structure.

The newspaper also said: "A further concern for fans, and something that is certainly on the agenda, is the possibility of a deal that takes international rugby off terrestrial television and on to pay-per-view."

Six Nations games are currently screened on free-to-air TV.

An unnamed Six Nations source told the Daily Mail there were concerns about the proposed format.

"Beyond the potential logistical nightmares, where does this leave the Rugby World Cup?. It will basically become a seven-week tournament not unlike the 52-week tournament they have every year."

Beauden Barrett of the All Blacks looks dejected following the International Friendly match between the New Zealand All Blacks and Ireland on November 17, 2018. Photo / Photosport.co.nz

"At the moment 90 per cent of the revenue for World Rugby comes from the World Cup, but there is clearly a desire to level the financial landscape when the southern hemisphere nations can see how successful the Six Nations is as a brand."