Samoa captain Michael Ala'alatoa isn't convinced that the newly-proposed Nations Cup will help close the gap on Tier One countries.
A second 12-team division will operate below it, but with promotion and relegation not set to come into effect until 2030, there has been criticism the new format will make the rich richer rather than make the game more competitive globally.
The Leinster front-rower has returned from the World Cup where the side ranked 15th in the rankings were edged out by England by a point, while also tasting defeat to Japan and Argentina.
Speaking on 2fm’s Game On, the 32-year-old outlined his concerns with the structure.
"It sounds good in theory, but I can’t help but feel that it’s favoured towards the Rugby Championship and Six Nations teams, or what you’d call the Tier One teams," he said.
"It may sound good in theory to give us more structure around our games, what do those games look like? Are we going to get genuine opportunities to play against Tier One teams and what Tier One teams are we going to get to play against?
"We need more clarity."
Ala'alatoa said there is going to be frustration among the second group of 12 sides with Japan and Fiji reportedly the two sides in Tier One of the competition.
"There are sides other than Fiji and Japan that have shown what they can do at the World Cup and when they are given a chance with adequate preparation time,
"It is frustrating to have to wait until 2030 (to be given a chance to compete at the top level)," he said. "That seems a long time for any team that is in that bottom tier that wants to get into the top tier."
World Rugby CEO Alan Gilpin has claimed there will be an increase in the number of "crossover" games between Tier 1 and 2 sides in the years the tournament isn't taking place.
Ala'alatoa argues that the only way for sides to bridge the gap to the big hitters in the game in regular game time against elite level competition and playing against fellow Pacific Islanders time and again won’t bring any team up to the level required.
"We’re so used to playing these teams. We all want the same opportunities to play Tier One countries so we can get used to playing at the high level, being used to being put under that pressure.
"Because the games are so far and wide between, we don’t have that exposure to be able to deal with that pressure. We might play one good game, but not so good the next one."
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