How about a Grand Slam tour every year?
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Wales' Alun-Wyn Jones is tackled by David Pocock of Australia (AAP Image/Paul Miller)
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Rarely does the money-hungry IRB overlook a ready cash-cow, but they have by not scheduling a Grand Slam every year.
It adds spice and meaning to the end of year tours by southern hemisphere nations New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa. And Argentina must be included now they are in the Rugby Championship.
Since 1905-06 there have only been 26 Grand Slam tours against England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, with just nine Slams.
The Boks have won four (1912-13, 1931-32, 1951-52, and 1960-61), the All Blacks four (1978, 2005, 2008, and 2010), the Wallabies just one in 1984.
That’s small pickings from the Boks and All Blacks, having played nine Slams each, the Wallabies eight.
So instead of rare Slams, make it a feature every year with one southern hemisphere nation on duty.
The other three nations play against France and Italy that year, and two of the four Home Unions.
So there would be a four-year Slam cycle shared individually in turn by the All Blacks, Boks, Wallabies, and Pumas: a financial bonanza, and a huge interest factor among the rugby hungry fans of England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales.
And in the process, it would give added incentives to the Home Unions to improve their standards.
A win-win situation.
By the way, there has only been one Grand Slam tour in 26 where the touring nation has lost all four – the 1957-58 Wallabies.
Coached by Dave Cowper, and led by Bob Davidson, the side included Terry Curley, Rod Phelps, Jim Lenehan, straight out of St Ignatius, Arthur Summons, Kevin Ryan, John Thornett, Nick Shehadie, and Tony Miller.
But every international was closely fought, losing 9-3 to Wales, 9-6 to Ireland, 9-6 to England, and 12-8 to Scotland.
Which further undelines how difficult it is to win a Grand Slam when so many class Wallabies couldn’t win a game in 57-58,
So let’s have one every year.
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- Grand slam, Rugby Union
October 12th 2012 @ 3:43am
Gpc said | October 12th 2012 @ 3:43am | Report comment
Yeh sounds good.
October 12th 2012 @ 9:26pm
Sid said | October 12th 2012 @ 9:26pm | Report comment
Would like to see a Super Slam tour of Europe. England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, France and Italy.
Same goes with Grand Slams, but they should only be staged every 4 seasons and breaks of no tours over the Spring other people get bored of it.
October 12th 2012 @ 6:16am
The Grafter said | October 12th 2012 @ 6:16am | Report comment
Smaller pickings from Australia I would think with 1 slam from 8.
Good concept David.
October 12th 2012 @ 6:17am
wMc said | October 12th 2012 @ 6:17am | Report comment
Too good – that’s why it’ll probably never happen sadly. Home nations are morons when it comes to progressing the game.
October 12th 2012 @ 7:40am
Ben.S said | October 12th 2012 @ 7:40am | Report comment
Brilliant.
October 12th 2012 @ 6:21am
Red Kev said | October 12th 2012 @ 6:21am | Report comment
I am astonished Grand Slam tours are that rare. Like the Grafter I am also surprised by the Wallaby results – although it does also explain why Alan Jones is always referred to as “Grand-Slam winning former Wallaby coach Alan Jones” – I didn’t realise it was such an achievement.
Great idea Mr Lord.
October 12th 2012 @ 6:23am
mania said | October 12th 2012 @ 6:23am | Report comment
nah you dont want to over do it. it’ll just get thrashed and lose its charm. theres already too much rugby as is and u want more?
October 12th 2012 @ 6:26am
Red Kev said | October 12th 2012 @ 6:26am | Report comment
The tours already happen, it isn’t anymore games, I think it is just a case of ensuring one of the tours is a grand slam.
October 12th 2012 @ 6:33am
David Lord said | October 12th 2012 @ 6:33am | Report comment
Mania, that’s so damn negative. There are always four internationals during end of year tours anyway. The Wallabies would have a Grand Slam tour only every four years, just like the Rugby World Cup, the FIFA World Cup, the Olympic Games, and the Commonwealth Games. And those events lose their charm? Ace it up.
October 12th 2012 @ 6:45am
mania said | October 12th 2012 @ 6:45am | Report comment
David Lord – more is just more. yes pile on more rugby on an already busy schedule. just what australia need. have you not seen your injury toll? but then who cares, its not your body and at least you get entertained. now thats negative
and why solely concentrate on the UK teams? theres other teams out there, tier 2 teams that should get game time as well
October 12th 2012 @ 7:07am
David Lord said | October 12th 2012 @ 7:07am | Report comment
Mania, you still don’t get it, a Grand Slam tour is no more games than usual. The end of season Wallaby tour is only ever against the Six-Nations – the four Home Unions, France. and Italy – playing four of them. This years it’s France, England, Italy, and Wales. No different to a Grand Slam tour in number of games. Internationals against lower ranked nations can be played at home.
October 12th 2012 @ 7:15am
mania said | October 12th 2012 @ 7:15am | Report comment
my bad, thanx for clearing that up david
October 12th 2012 @ 8:20pm
Die hard said | October 12th 2012 @ 8:20pm | Report comment
Agree Mania. Money money money. Thats all that seems to count. Annother way to not go broke is by having a smaller and more reasonably paid administration. I would like to see the Bledisloe on the line every second year at the most. Just to restore the mystique. After a northern tour south, the RWC and EOY tours there are 14 tests pa. Thats 2 or 3 too many already. Bring back tours with mid-week games I say! Give the southern nations a rotation of an eight or ten week tour with 3 or 4 tests. Maybe a grand slam opertunity every 8-10 years each.
We have to make a point of difference and you don’t get that by becoming too familiar.
October 12th 2012 @ 6:46am
moaman said | October 12th 2012 @ 6:46am | Report comment
A Grand Slam was far more meaningful,imo,when it was included as part of a 30 (or more) match Tour….with all the trials and tribulations,injuries and fatigue that entailed.
October 13th 2012 @ 1:16am
abnutta said | October 13th 2012 @ 1:16am | Report comment
That echoes the opinion of Alan Jones re: the Bledisloe Cup.
October 12th 2012 @ 7:00am
Justin2 said | October 12th 2012 @ 7:00am | Report comment
I like the idea but how is it going to generate any more money? The crowds in the UK are usually packed anyway. It’s only a series for the SH team not for any of the Home Unions. Just standard one off tests like they have now.
October 12th 2012 @ 7:05am
Viscount Crouchback said | October 12th 2012 @ 7:05am | Report comment
It’s not remotely rare. There already is a Grand Slam tour in most years. It’s just that the South Africans and Australians don’t tend to be good enough to achieve it.
October 12th 2012 @ 7:18am
Jerry said | October 12th 2012 @ 7:18am | Report comment
There’s been 6 attempted since 2004. Bearing in mind that they obviously can’t be done in a RWC year, there’s really only two years (06 and this year) missed, so you’re pretty much bang on. They’ve become wayyyy more frequent in the last decade.
As far as missed opportunities, to be fair to Australia they’ve only attempted on in the professional era.
October 12th 2012 @ 7:35am
Rabbitz said | October 12th 2012 @ 7:35am | Report comment
Playing Devils Advocate for a minute, if the games are already being played anyway, other than some wishful marketing, exactly what would giving end of year tours Grand Slam status achieve?
I am not convinced that the “cost/benefit” would be there for the IRB and the home unions.
October 12th 2012 @ 8:13am
Uncle Argyle said | October 12th 2012 @ 8:13am | Report comment
So when do we tour France and Italy, or even Spain?
October 12th 2012 @ 8:29am
The Bush said | October 12th 2012 @ 8:29am | Report comment
In the three (3) years in between a Grand Slam.
David is suggesting a tour calendar like this;
2013: Australia Grand Slam
2014: Argentina Grand Slam
2015: World Cup – no tours
2016: New Zealand Grand Slam
2017: South Africa Grand Slam
It means each country would do one every five (5) years – a bit like a Lions Tour.
It’s actually one of David’s better ideas.
October 12th 2012 @ 9:14am
Uncle Argyle said | October 12th 2012 @ 9:14am | Report comment
Ah, I thought he was saying the Wallabies went every year. Thanks for clearing that up. It does sound like a good concept.