Relegation from the Guinness Six Nations could be introduced for the first time after World Rugby held talks in Los Angeles about creating a world league.

The Times has seen details of the proposed tournament, which would aim to start in 2022 and involve the world’s top 12 countries — six from Europe and six from the southern hemisphere — playing each other once a year before a play-off series and final every autumn. It would not be held in a World Cup year, while a truncated event would be staged in years when the British & Irish Lions are touring.

World Rugby, the international governing body, held positive discussions with executives of the tier-one and tier-two nations on Monday. The project was greeted cynically