What does the future hold for the Six Nations
Roar Pro By SAMURAI, 4 Feb 2012 SAMURAI is a Roar Pro
- Tagged:
- Ben Foden, European Nations Cup, Imanol Harinordiquy, Mamuka Gorgodze, Marius Tincu, Matthew Rees, Rugby Union, Six Nations rugby, Vasily Artemyev
The 2012 Six Nations starts today with France taking on Italy at the iconic Stade de France in Paris to kick-off the annual rugby union championship involving six rugby powerhouses of Europe.
For five weeks, international rugby rules over the hectic club rugby season as passionate fans proudly display their nationalism and witness the clashes of Europe’s finest players. I
t’s fifteen matches of the highest intensity played in front of huge crowds at some of world rugby’s most iconic stadiums.
But what does the future hold for the Six Nations? Is the tournament preventing exposure for emerging nations such as Russia and Georgia?
No invitations are handed out to these so-called minnows, while the most powerful rugby nations only get stronger and richer.
The Six Nations presents valuable test experience to the next generation of players from the participating nations. However, a young Russian or Georgian will only be exposed to this intensity of international rugby every four years.
The best he can hope for is to play in the European Nations Cup, and if he’s lucky he might play in a one-off Test match during the autumn window.
A lot of people behind the scenes are working hard to do what they can to bridge the gap between the Six Nations and the rest, whether they are the officials at the IRB providing valuable funding to the emerging nations or a foreigner coaching the national team.
But this gap can be bridged in a shorter amount of time if Russia, Georgia, Romania and others were allowed to join in the annual rugby bonanza of the Six Nations.
Obviously there would be huge opposition from some in the European rugby community. The prospect of England playing against a less-glamorous Georgian side is less-appealing to fans and sponsors alike.
However, the 2011 Rugby World Cup displayed the outstanding abilities and potential of the three European minnows: Russia scored eight tries in their campaign (Including three against the Wallabies), Georgia gave England a horrid time, and Romania were ten minutes away from a memorable upset of Scotland.
The rise in popularity of rugby in Georgia and Russia, where the game is given the full support of the national government, would guarantee respectable crowd attendances for their home fixtures.
Also players like Mamuka Gorgodze, Vasily Artemyev and Marius Tincu can match it with the likes of Imanol Harinordiquy, Ben Foden and Matthew Rees in their respective positions, and deserve to be playing against tier-one opposition on a more regular basis.
One possibility would be to implement a promotion/relegation system between the Six Nations and European Nations Cup. Critics would doubtless say a relegated Scotland or Italy would be hit by an immense financial loss, losses that the administrators in Edinburgh and Rome can ill afford.
Whatever the solution, the addition of other European nations would provide another dimension in what is an already fascinating competition.
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February 4th 2012 @ 8:55am
sheek said | February 4th 2012 @ 8:55am | Report comment
There are no simple solutions. A place at the top table must be earned.
It would be easy to suggest you split the top 12 European nations into 2 pools x 6.
In Pool A, say England, Wales, Italy, Georgia, Spain & Ukraine. In Pool B, say France, Scotland, Ireland, Romania, Russia & Portugal.
Then have cross-over semis & a final. But this would dilute the quality immensely for who knows how many seasons.
Certainly the lower tiered nations can only get better by regular contact with the top tiered nations. Once every 4 years at the world cup is too infrequent.
Somewhere in the busy schedule the top tier nations must play twice against the lower tier nations on an annual basis. This would seem to be the most satisfactory structure.
But like I said, no simple solutions…..
February 4th 2012 @ 11:14am
kingplaymaker said | February 4th 2012 @ 11:14am | Report comment
Sheek unlike Super rugby, adding more teams is not a problem in terms of quality for the Six nations, as anyone who watches Scotland/Italy will know, and in any case Georgia and Romania would quickly be up to speed. The problem is that none of the other nations wants them and they see no economic advantage in having them.
February 5th 2012 @ 12:21am
Bakkies said | February 5th 2012 @ 12:21am | Report comment
A European Championship might be a go every four years (the year after the Lions Tour for instance) and keep the Six Nations as it is.
February 4th 2012 @ 9:10am
kingplaymaker said | February 4th 2012 @ 9:10am | Report comment
Great article Samurai.
Firstly, for the reason given a Six Nations or Rugby Championship could never have promotion/relegation. it’s absolutely impossible and undesirable, so other solutions are necessary.
There could be two pools, changing each year, although most countries would object to the removal of regular occasions such as England/Scotland, Wales/Ireland, England/France. Or there could be a system whereby not every team plays every other team each year. But then there would be the same objection.
The wealthy Six have no interest in adding impoverished Georgia and Romania to their tournament anyway, as they would bring minimal market value. It it were Spain or Germany, things would be very different and they would be gleefully accomodated.
Russia is the only possibility, but for an unrelated reason is impossible. It is too cold in the Russian winter to play in the Six nations. It would be conceivable to construct two indoor pitches perhaps for international matches, but not to build the thousands of indoor pitches necessary for the whole game to take place in winter, which would have to underlie it. No, Russia can only join the southern hemisphere and the Rugby Championship!
It would be very nice if the Southern Hemisphere had more teams in its championship. Imagine three engaging matches, six separate teams, with a whole range of different ramifications at any time. Two matches each weekend is better than one, but the sooner more teams are added the better.
Besides, as the Six nations is practically full and there are places left in the Rugby Championship, the next power when it arrives, the U.S. Canada, Japan, or Russia, can well join the south.
Once a championship gets to 5 or 6 teams it really is a huge international event and would help rugby in its fight for attention considerably.
February 4th 2012 @ 10:30am
Viscount Crouchback said | February 4th 2012 @ 10:30am | Report comment
I suggest replacing the Scotch with the Georgians would be a fine start.
February 4th 2012 @ 10:51am
kingplaymaker said | February 4th 2012 @ 10:51am | Report comment
VC oddly if there were only Georgia or only Romania I think they might just accept having another match despite the over-crowded fixture list. But as they’re quite equal, you would really have to add both, which would mean another two matches which is a lot of extra fixtures.
February 5th 2012 @ 12:35pm
Stats said | February 5th 2012 @ 12:35pm | Report comment
Georgia are far superior to Romania
February 6th 2012 @ 10:13am
kovana said | February 6th 2012 @ 10:13am | Report comment
And as recent home crowds for Georgia vs Tier 2 nations suggest, they would more then easily fill the Georgian stadiums for matches against Tier 1 opposition.
February 5th 2012 @ 10:56pm
HardcorePrawn said | February 5th 2012 @ 10:56pm | Report comment
I think it was Sean Connery in one of his films, for once playing the part of a Scotsman rather than someone of another nationality who just happened to have a Scottish accent, who said that Scotch is a drink, the people from Scotland are referred to as Scots.
February 4th 2012 @ 10:33am
Emric said | February 4th 2012 @ 10:33am | Report comment
Japan will be the next nation to join the championship. I like the idea of splitting the 6 Nations and rotating the streams each year. The issue is the 5/6 nations is over 100 years old. There might be some fan resistance to change.
February 4th 2012 @ 11:02am
kingplaymaker said | February 4th 2012 @ 11:02am | Report comment
Emric all four possibilities for the future of the rugby championship: Japan, the U.S., Canada and Russia, are at least all at RWC level already and should be getting significant funding boosts with the inclusion of rugby at the Olympics.
Japan have the most developed game professionally and claim they are going to significantly increase playing numbers for the next world cup, so it would seem as if they should develop fastest.
However, the Japanese union are accused of ineptitude and unwillingness to develop the game.
It’s also true that while the Japanese team did well against France at the RWC, their team had many naturalised non-Japanese, whereas the American team with mostly Americans did even better against Ireland.
Nonetheless I would agree with you that Japan are the next most likely Rugby championship team.
It would be great one day to have Japan, the U.S. Canada and Russia, which would only mean one more match for each team than in the Tri-nations last year.
What about:
8 nations: England, France, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Italy, Georgia, Romania.
Rugby championship: New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Argentina, Japan, U.S.A, Canada, Russia.
Sound good?
February 4th 2012 @ 11:45am
Working Class Rugger said | February 4th 2012 @ 11:45am | Report comment
Georgia are in a between a rock and a hard place in terms of ever gaining entry into a major international tier one tournaments, while they potentially possess the talent they as stated previously just don’t have the financial clout as yet to warrant inclusion or even consideration. It’s highly, highly unlikely we’ll ever see the 6 Nations ever expand beyond its current format. Too much of a good thing can has the reverse effect and in my opinion should remain at six indefinitely.
What is needed is for the next tier nations to be looking to investigate and establish their own championships of note. One I would like to see would be at the very least a Tri-Nation like Championship between the USA, Canada and Japan. All three are very much at the top of the emerging nations and could develop a really good quality championship. They could even look to involve Russia.
We shouldn’t be looking to simply just constantly add on t traditional structures. Adding Argentina to the Rugby Championship was a natural fit but probably should never look to do so beyond that.
We should be looking to develop good, strong new championships instead. A few others I would like to see are;
South American 5 Nations will the likes of Chile, Uruguay, Brazil, Paraguay and Columbia played annually, home and away basis with a playoff between the winner of CONSUR B and the 5th place runner.
Similar in the Gulf with the likes of UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Iran with a four team 2nd division with the same format as above.
I would like to see the Asian 5 Nations structures remain but with the top division adding one more to its numbers and played on a home and away basis. Same for the second division as I believe there are 12 teams that stand out above the rest. These are just a few ideas.
February 4th 2012 @ 11:56am
kingplaymaker said | February 4th 2012 @ 11:56am | Report comment
WCR the Tri-nations was accused of repetitiveness though, and although Argentina will add more variety, there is still a case of teams having to play each other twice, while in Europe over the next two days there will be three different and interesting fixtures that will not be repeated, in a glamourous variety of capitals: London, Dublin, Paris, Edinburgh, Rome, Cardiff (ok perhaps not the last
)
Should the U.S or Japan become strong enough one day, which admittedly isn’t any day soon, creating a 5,6 nations Rugby Championship played in L.A. and Tokyo would turn the competition into a massive, glamorous event.
Not only that but the potential financial income from adding the 1st, 2nd, 6th and 10th biggest economies in the world, or even one of those, in terms of GOLDEN TV DOLLARS, could in one blow eliminate all of the southern hemisphere’s problems and allow it to keep its own star players rather than see them go off to Europe, expand the game within its own borders dramatically, and return in glory to the battle with league.
I can see that it would be good to set up another championship in the meantime to take care of them: the U.S., Canada, Japan and Russia would certainly involve some big countries.
As for Georgia and Romania, the Six Nations is the only place for them and in terms of players they are good enough, however the Six Nations simply don’t want poor nations joining them so I can’t see anything happening sadly.
February 4th 2012 @ 12:05pm
Working Class Rugger said | February 4th 2012 @ 12:05pm | Report comment
The Tri-Nations only received that criticism when they started playing each other 3 times a season and in Aus/NZ case 4 times. Too much of a good thing. Including Argentina but reverting back to the home and away format will return the natural balance.
Perhaps in time if the US, Canada and Japan to get something up and running and strengthen appropriate then if all agree then maybe a 6 or even 7 team Rugby Championship could evolve but for now they would be best served to look to do it themselves.
February 4th 2012 @ 12:34pm
kingplaymaker said | February 4th 2012 @ 12:34pm | Report comment
True that all makes good sense.
It will be odd watching two matches a week this time.
February 4th 2012 @ 3:25pm
gurudoright said | February 4th 2012 @ 3:25pm | Report comment
I thought I heard and I could be wrong that because the Churchill Cup is no more that the US and Canada were going to play in this years Pacific Nations Cup along with Japan, Tonga, Fiji and Samoa. I think this is a good fit as these 6 nations are close in ability to each other
February 7th 2012 @ 7:10am
Bakkies said | February 7th 2012 @ 7:10am | Report comment
Churchill Cup is gone
February 4th 2012 @ 12:15pm
Emric said | February 4th 2012 @ 12:15pm | Report comment
The beauty of the 6 nations is that the nations involved are all within a few hours plane flight of each other. I couldn’t imagine having to spend almost 30hours traveling to Russia and then having to fly back to play Australia at home the next week – I’d love to see your ideas on how a possible time-table for such a event could work. I’m guessing that home and away would be out the window and some other schedule would have to be produced
February 4th 2012 @ 12:38pm
kingplaymaker said | February 4th 2012 @ 12:38pm | Report comment
Emric if these teams ever got that strong, which would not be for very many moons, then by then they could probably fill large stadiums, and so cost wouldn’t matter.
Time-table would be no problem: travelling’s part of sport and in any case it’s already far enough to Cape Town and Buenos Aires!
February 5th 2012 @ 12:47pm
Bakkies said | February 5th 2012 @ 12:47pm | Report comment
Russia might be close to London but it’s not the most accessible place and it’s bloody expensive. A visa is needed to visit the country.
February 4th 2012 @ 11:17am
SAMURAI said | February 4th 2012 @ 11:17am | Report comment
The solution of expanding the Championship is exciting and would have immense long-term rewards, but if that’s too hard for the officials, then the easiest solution would be to ensure the likes of Russia and Georgia play at least three Autumn test matches in November: two against Wallabies/All Blacks/ Springboks and one against a Six Nation.
For me personally, the Wallabies playing against the home nations has always been captivating to watch, but recently it is getting repetitive, especially since we play some of them in June. It would be interesting to see how the Tri-Nations cope against the Russians on their home turf in what I would imagine to be a hostile atmosphere.
If these minnow nations were given the opportunity to play a total of 13-15 test matches against the tier-one nations inbetween the RWC, then an upset would be very realistic.
February 4th 2012 @ 11:29am
peterlala said | February 4th 2012 @ 11:29am | Report comment
The Tri-Nations is repeditive to the point of boredom…even though I love it. Good luck to Argentina.
As for further expansion, The Pacific Islands would be in the picture somewhere.
But neither championship will be improved by the addition of sub-standard teams. Even Italy struggle.
Even a well-established rugby nation like Scotland would have struggled in the Tri-Nations. In fact, I doubt they would ever win a game, which would undermine the competition.
As for Georgia, Romainia, Japan…they are nowhere near good enough for this level of competition.
February 4th 2012 @ 11:50am
Working Class Rugger said | February 4th 2012 @ 11:50am | Report comment
peterlala
You may like my suggestion a little above this comment then. Italy are ever so slowly improving and beginning to really push all of the other 5 but they still a work in progress. Good news is that that have sold out their 6 Nations game against England (Stadio Olympia I think, 70,000) and are well on their way to going close for Scotland. Definitely coming on.
February 4th 2012 @ 11:58am
kingplaymaker said | February 4th 2012 @ 11:58am | Report comment
WCR every year in Italy there is a double digit growth in participation, and they have overtaken Scotland in terms of adult players. Plus involvement in the Rabo Prodirect 12 has meant that the players they do have are given consistent high level exposure.
I think this increase in playing numbers should make itself felt in performances in five years or so, and at that stage Italy will be a steady player in global rugby.
February 5th 2012 @ 12:26pm
Pot Hale said | February 5th 2012 @ 12:26pm | Report comment
It’s the Pro 12 league. Sponsored currently by RaboDirect. Treviso are still over-dependent on imports with players like Botes, Van Zyl, Burton, and McLean gaining residency in order to play for the test team.
February 5th 2012 @ 12:58pm
Bakkies said | February 5th 2012 @ 12:58pm | Report comment
Burton has an Italian mother and I think McLean does too so they didn’t need residency qualifications. Craig Gower was the same and he didn’t play his club rugby in Italy.
February 4th 2012 @ 12:28pm
peterlala said | February 4th 2012 @ 12:28pm | Report comment
WCR, I do like your suggestions.
February 4th 2012 @ 11:36am
kingplaymaker said | February 4th 2012 @ 11:36am | Report comment
peterlala it depends which competition you’re talking about. The teams mentioned are certainly nowhere near good enough yet for the Rugby championship, but Georgia or Romania are perfectly good enough for the Six Nations. They did well against Scotland this year with no exposure to good teams all year before, many non-professional players and far less preparation. With repeated exposure to the highest level and the professionalisation of their top players they would easily be a match for many teams in the Six Nations, as would Romania for the same reasons.
And that’s just how they would do in the beginning. Within five years the game would probably explode in both countries: remember these two countries have very strong rugby backgrounds and it is only their poverty that has been holding them back.
February 4th 2012 @ 12:01pm
SAMURAI said | February 4th 2012 @ 12:01pm | Report comment
Absolutely agree, it’s all about providing genuine exposure to these minnow nations. If Romania played France tonight, they would probably lose by fifty, but five to ten test matches later, we would see definite improvement.
IMO Russia is the key to development of Eastern European rugby, they have an improving domestic league (Which also has quite a few Georgians, Romanians and even Ukrainians upon some research), and a huge population who are being turned off by football. If Russia take the initiative (Which they seem to be doing) and continue to expand the domestic game and attract sponsorship, then people would take this more seriously.
February 4th 2012 @ 12:26pm
Emric said | February 4th 2012 @ 12:26pm | Report comment
For sport in Russia to be successful the national team would have to start being successful. It would take a lot of teams throwing games against the Russians and allowing them to win the world cup before the game is taken very seriously in Russia.
This is my opinion and might not reflect reality
February 4th 2012 @ 12:42pm
kingplaymaker said | February 4th 2012 @ 12:42pm | Report comment
SAMURAI if it wasn’t for the Russian winter then everything might change, as unlike Romania and Georgia it’s a big and wealthy enough market for the European nations to bother with. However, as it’s too cold to play in the European winter things are difficult..
February 4th 2012 @ 12:38pm
Johnno said | February 4th 2012 @ 12:38pm | Report comment
The 5 and 6 nations has fought hard to maintain credibility and meaningfulness and prestige. I wouldn’t dilute it or change it to much. Just let it run it’s course until rugby moves to a continent cup every 4 years.
I would encourage instead the URB to actively promote the euro nations cup, and encourage teams like NZ,Aust. South africa to tour russia and georgia which i think we will see.
There players are getting itnot uerope’s top leagues so getting good exposure.
Baby steps and 7evens olympics good too for exposure.
February 5th 2012 @ 9:34pm
Bakkies said | February 5th 2012 @ 9:34pm | Report comment
Soccer/Football used to have a home championship and I say they regret scrapping it. England rarely play Scotland these days as a result. Hard for people who were born in the last two decades having to listen to the great stories from the past but haven’t experienced it that often in their lifetime.
February 4th 2012 @ 1:19pm
Working Class Rugger said | February 4th 2012 @ 1:19pm | Report comment
In regards to Russia. Evidently, the RRU are pushing for two teams to be entered in the Amlin Cup pretty soon. The Russian Pro LEague will be expanding next season with two more teams (cannot remember who, one definitely from Kazan but not sure who the other is
) and the infrastructure and player budgets of thee teams are rapidly expanding likewise.