New Zealand Rugby Players Association boss Nichol believes the proposed Global League by World Rugby could hurt the integrity of the international game and that the organisation needs to communicate better with players.
Despite World Rugby today releasing the competition format which has three tiers and includes a relegation-promotion system, Nichol said World Rugby needs to be more proactive with discussing such proposed tournament ideas with players.
"The current proposal on the table like the players said last week, it's fraught with so many issues that affect the integrity of it [competition] and the welfare of the players that are going to be asked to play in it," said Nichol.
"The more we can engage with World Rugby and the key people, the decision makers, the more they can understand those issues.
"And then we can look at how we mitigate them or how we manage them or what other options can be done to address them," he said.
"That has been the key part that has been missing to date, hopefully moving forward I think the indicators are that World Rugby have backtracked and they’ll commit to it."
World Rugby revealed their intended model of the global competition this morning after details of the tournament last week surfaced and was met with backlash.
"Contrary to reports, our proposed competition provides opportunities for all teams to compete at the top level on merit, with promotion and relegation," World Rugby said in the statement.
"Under this model, the Pacific Islands and all teams outside the current 6 Nations and The Rugby Championship would have a potential pathway.
"With the proposed model incorporating competitions that are not owned or run by World Rugby, not all unions are presently in favour of immediate promotion and relegation.
"We continue to consider the feedback, but remain absolutely committed to an eventual pathway for all."
For more on the proposed Global League, read here:
*World Rugby reveals planned structure for three-tier global league - with relegation and promotion
*All Blacks skipper Kieran Read highlights major concerns with new World League
*Former All Blacks and Manu Samoa halfback Ofisa Tonu'u says World League needs the Pacific
*Ardie Savea slams rugby's World League, saying it's 'shutting out our Pacific brothers'
*World Rugby calls emergency meeting to address backlash of proposed global league
*Pacific players encouraged by World Rugby's 'massive turnaround' towards proposed World League
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