Six Nations - but for how long?

Well we didn't have to wait thirty years did we. Ireland is playing Georgia in november

The 'system' you mention is inequitable and unfair. It's pretty simple. if we want to have an international game, than we can't have our cake and eat it. Every single division in Europe is promotion and relegation. So teams move between divisions based on results. The only exception to this rule is the 6 Nations. So the teams in the division below the 6 Nations have no where to go once they win their division. You may say boo hoo to Georgia, or Romania or whoever, but sooner or later these guys will respond in kind. Not sure about you but I want teams like Georgia playing rugby. Why shut them out? Why not reward their enthusiasm and great results? Are we in rugby so insular? Finally, Georgia beat Samoa - Samoa was ranked 8 in the world, hardly a team 'around their level'. But then again this is beside the point. As winner of ENC 1 they deserve a shot at the big boys outside of token world cups.

How are they supposed to do that when they never get the chance

The tier 2 nations in Europe have been getting constantly better for the past 5 seasons or more. In about 5 years time we could see big changes to the game. One team to watch out for is Belgium. They've big numbers playing underage rugby now and get many top 14 matches and now the 6 nations on their TV. They're French speaking, a wealthy country, next to France and near England and they've already hosted some big matches, getting big crowds.

I would say that anyone who thinks the respective unions of the country's that make up the six nations give a dam about the development of rugby in the minnows of Europe is a fool. The bottom line in Europe is that cash is king, and games against Georgia, Romania and perhaps Russia would not draw sufficient interest. European rugby is going through probably it's most turbulent time since it has turned professional, the welsh can't manage to keep their players, the scots have a lot of their big names playing abroad also , the English want a better tv deal, the irish are broke, the Italians are hopeless and the French are laughing all the way to the bank ! That's just the club/provincial game!!! So I doubt very many of the six nations would have much interest !

Just read your comment again and it says finals are not part of the European sporting culture too? WTF? Aviva, Top 14, Heineken, Amlin, LV and Pro 12 all have finals. The Six nations is the only championship in major European rugby that doesnt have a final and yet you say its "massively" outside the culture of the European sport? Im sorry but Im not with you on that one, Im not saying that the 6 nats will ever go that way but I think you neglected to think that comment through.

Pools are in Heineken Cup, Euopean champions league, Europa League, Amlin Challenge cup, Euopean Championship and many other comps and are not out of the culture of European sport at all, infact it is almost the norm when more than 1 country is involved.

Can't see that. Conferences and Grand Finals etc. are massively outside the culture of European sport. Like you say it will stop Grand Slams etc. and throw out quite a few traditions. Promotion and relegation to and from the 6N (in the medium term) is far more likely IMO. The European national divisions already have this all the way up to ENC level. Removing the ring-fencing of the 6Ns is a far smaller change than conferences and rugby is a pretty conservative sport.

No its probably right. However there arnt many others anyway are there? Cant see it becoming a 7 nations but perhaps an 8 nations with 2 pools, a semi and a final. Romania and Georgia being the most likely. Even then it would be at the expense of tradition. No more grand slams etc.

One thing I would say is that NZ fans probably hate to lose to England more than anyone else.

Sorry guys.I had read somewhere that 'the 6 nations tournament was the most successful...' but have no metrics from that article on which to base it on. I think it was in terms of the average numbers attending an annual international tournament (between countries) So happy for you to shoot me down on that statement. I think the other points in my piece are more valid though but cannot foresee one of the EN1 nations entering for a at least 10 years.

Sorry twizz but NZ loves to beat Australia, sees SA as its biggest rival and kinda expects to beat Eng.

you going to say a post for the rugby champinship aswell

@ JERRY : may be u just need to ask Little Brooklyn to explain his statement. " I understand that the Six Nations is the most successful annual sporting tournament in the world and this includes football. " success can be measured in both quantitative and qualitative terms. while an accountant will say IPL is the best becoz of all the profits it makes, a politician may say Sochi games is the best becoz of exposure. however, any person who says such should be aware that football is the game that attracts interest from all over the world. (we are talking games not sports). cannot think of any other game that has universal acceptance and fanbase. the issue with region-bases tournaments is, there would be less interest form those outside. very few people (rugger fans) know of asia cup or pacific nations cup :)

Maybe something modelled on the 7's, with a cup, plate & dish to give some incentive to the minnows, or perhaps with relegation to keep the 1st tier teams honest. It may not change the rankings much for a while but the little guys will get regular experience & game time, it would allow the top tier teams to chance their hand & blood younger players & hopefully gain popularity & exposure in the way 7's has. Just a thought.

you forget one thing everyone wants to beat england its what everyone the world over lives for

I suppose it's potentially the biggest "International Annual Sports Tournament" (if you limit international to meaning 'between countries' rather than between clubs from different countries). In real terms, the only category it could claim to be biggest in is something like Largest Average Attendance, cause there's no way it gets a bigger TV audience (overall and average) than something like the NBA, NFL or IPL and obviously it's not gonna match them in overall attendance. I suppose some might argue those are Leagues rather than Tournaments (though I'd argue the 6N is essentially a League) but regardless, there'd be many annual football tournaments (European Cup, Copa Libertadores and even the FA Cup) that would have larger attendance and TV figures.

In slightly related news. -Botha broke his arm against Brive. -Yarde and the Chiefs Tikoirotuma are said to have signed with Quins for next season. -Tales out of six nats. -Irish Wolfhounds down England Saxons. -Sheehan to sign with London Irish. -Tuilagi (Manu) aiming for mid Feb return, could feature late in 6 nats.

First of all we (I mean humans as a species here) are good at offering criticism (hopefully constructive) but we're pretty useless at giving credit where it's due. So I want to congratulate the IRB on the multi-division competitions in Europe, Asia and Africa that have their pinnacle in the ENC, Asian 5N and Africa Div 1A. Together with using these comps for RWC qualification in these continents they have done more to spread international rugby union than any other initiative in the last 130 or so years. Also the "international window" has led to a great many meaningful international matches all around the world including this year all the ENC countries playing internationals against the likes of Samoa, Tonga, Japan, USA and Canada. So well done to the IRB. I don't think that any ENC nation, even Georgia, would be competitive now in the 6Ns but I also don't want to shut the door on them forever. I also think that a "top-down" solution of helping the national team whilst ignoring ways of improving the domestic leagues in the ENC countries as well as their school / development pathways. So here are my ideas: 1.) Announce now that from the 2020 season the last placed nation in the 6Ns will play the winners of the ENC in a home-and-away tie. The winners will play in the next year's 6N and the losers in the ENC. The reason I've chosen 2020 is that it's the year after a RWC so it won't compromise RWC qualification and it's also the 20th anniversary of Italy joining the 6Ns so a good time for another change. 2.) The new European club competition must be a three-tiered, 20 teams in each tier, competition including at least 2 clubs from each of the ENC nations. This will help to develop domestic rugby in these nations. 3.) Set up a new Federation of European Rugby Unions to run the competitions above and basically be a rugby union version of UEFA. It would need to be a brand new organisation as FIRA, who currently run the ENC and divisions below it and the French want to run the European Cup will never be accepted by the Home Unions. This is because it is essentially seen as the FFR by another name, its history (it was set up by France after being thrown out of the old 5Ns in the late 20s due to "shamateurism" and didn't recognise the IRB until the 90s) as well as it's dodgy political history (it was closely associated with the Vichy regime, was seen as pro-Nazi in the 30s, many claims of corruption etc.etc.) I would like to see Africa, Asia, the Pacific, N America and S America all set up similar Federations to run comps in their area and encourage grass-roots development so that the IRB can concentrate on the laws of the game, strategic development and running the RWC. However I realise that SANZAR (or is it SANZAAR or SAANZAR now that Argentina are in the RC?) will never give up its power so those 4 nations will never join their local Federation. 4.) A fully structured global season to include the 6N, ENC, RC so that the 2nd and 3rd tier nations always have their strongest team available. But generally European rugby is strong and will get stronger. Maybe those who fret about development and spreading the game should look closer to home. There is no ENC equivalent to the RC and the Wallabies and All Blacks play each other three times every year leaving few slots in the year to play a variety of teams.

I started writing something cheeky but then realised that there are very few international tourneys that are held every year. If you dont mean international level then what about the champions league football? And if you mean domestic included wouldnt NBA, NFL, NHL, Premier League football and IPL give it a run for its money?