England are still planning for rugby Tests against southern hemisphere opposition in November, with a first-ever home-and-away Six Nations among the back-up options.
The international rugby calendar has been turned on its head by the coronavirus outbreak, with this year’s Six Nations yet to finish.
The Rugby Championship is unlikely to start on schedule in August – if it does at all – and the fate of the lucrative November Test fixtures is still up in the air.
“The preference of both the north and south is that the original program will go ahead,” Bill Sweeney, chief executive of England’s Rugby Football Union, said on Thursday of the autumn internationals.
“But, of course, that is driven a lot by international travel restrictions and guidelines. Both of us are developing our own backup and contingency plans for that.”
England, who are scheduled to play New Zealand, Tonga, Australia and Argentina on successive weekends at Twickenham in November, has the highest official daily death rate of any country in Europe at present.
Lockdown restrictions are being gradually eased, but there are still social-distancing guidelines in place and air passengers arriving in Britain from Monday face a mandatory two-week quarantine period.
Although some sports have started up, there is no imminent prospect of rugby being played in the country.
The countries that make up the Six Nations – England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, and Wales – have been looking at alternative ideas if southern hemisphere countries do not visit this November.
One of them is expanding the Six Nations schedule, so that the 2021 edition starts this autumn and teams play each other home and away for the first time in the competition’s history.
The proposal was raised by Italian rugby leaders in a media call on Wednesday, and Sweeney confirmed it was one of the options being evaluated.
“It is possible,” Sweeney said.
“Our plans are for an autumn series to go ahead – who it is against, at the moment, we cannot give 100 per cent certainty. But we are planning on autumn internationals taking place.”
The Neutral View From Sweden
Roar Guru
Looks like there is a chance you will get as you want, FB. At least almost. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/article-8393563/Plans-drawn-Autumn-Festival-Rugby-Six-Nations-sides-plus-Japan-South-Africa.html Looking forward to the comments from the Kiwi fanboys when they are gonna explain why the AB's are not invited. :laughing:
The Neutral View From Sweden
Roar Guru
Now you sound like an English version of Jacko, mate :silly:
FunBus
Roar Rookie
That match will be the first England match since COVID. Given that, I doubt there’d be much difference in the money the RFU would make whether it’s the ABs or Japan. Particularly, as the NZRU seem deeply offended if their opponents don’t immediately agree to hand over all their profits to the ABs. I think people want the first game back to be a joyous celebration of rugby. That won’t happen if it’s the ABs. It will all be about RWC ‘revenge’ and the usual, tired English ‘colonialism’ and ‘arrogance’ stuff. It’s never a pleasant atmosphere when the ABs are in town and this game should be special. It would be quite nice for our own national anthem, in our own stadium to be the last act before kick-off in this game as well.
FunBus
Roar Rookie
That match will be the first international for England after COVID with a public starved of rugby. I very much doubt there’ll be any difference in the money the RFU will make whether it’s ABs or Japan. Particularly, as the NZRU seem deeply offended that all their opponents don’t immediately handover all their match profits to them and will whine incessantly if they don’t get their way I think many people will want the first match to be a joyous celebration of rugby being back. That won’t be the case if it’s the ABs. It all be about RWC revenge, and the usual drivel about English ‘colonialism’ and ‘arrogance’ etc etc etc.
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
True, you probably would. I’d personally agree it would likely be a more joyful experience for both teams and the fans if England played Japan rather than NZ after how wonderful the WC was. However, I would hazard a guess that that the RFU probably has slightly different priorities to you, Funbus.
FunBus
Roar Rookie
Compared to, say, Argentina, maybe. Compared to a big 6 Nations match, I doubt it. Then you’ve got the strutting sense of entitlement of the ABs and their media groupies to factor in. I’d rather play Japan. Better for the game as a whole and a poison-free weekend into the bargain.
Jacko
Guest
Yep Funbus thats the point....NH cant tour the SH this year so if its do-able for a Nov start then share the revenue.....
Waitemata
Roar Rookie
Have a word with the RFU: they are the ones that have repeatedly stated that they make more money hosting the ABs. Something to do with being able to charge a lot more for the corporate hospitality.
FunBus
Roar Rookie
As I said to Jacko, personally I’d be happy not to play any of the SH sides until RWC 2023, and mothball the Lions concept as well, so you’ll get no argument from me.
FunBus
Roar Rookie
Why would a match at Twickenham against the ABs pull in more money than a 6 Nations match against, say, Wales?
FunBus
Roar Rookie
Simply replace the scheduled November games with the SH side’s with a 6 Nations instead - easy.
Waitemata
Roar Rookie
Back to back 6 Nations sounds much more interesting to me :stoked: Added to the three games a week the English club owners have got in store for their players.
Waitemata
Roar Rookie
You do know that when the NH goes south you keep all the money, don’t you? Yes I do. But how many NH sides toured SH this year? None, because of the pandemic. The reciprocal tours system has been derailed. So the idea that SH teams would sacrifice a delayed Rugby Championship just to bankroll the NH unions is laughable. The only reason SH unions would play in Europe this year would be if revenue was shared...something NH have refused to do.
FunBus
Roar Rookie
Classy...
FunBus
Roar Rookie
Back to back 6 Nations sounds much more interesting to me than the scheduled SH 4. I’d be happy not playing the SH again until RWC 2023, and I’m also sick of screwing up the following season for England so that the Lions can go and put millions into SH bank accounts.
FunBus
Roar Rookie
You do know that when the NH goes south you keep all the money, don’t you? Not to mention all the money from the Lions tours. Personally, home and away 6 Nations matches sounds much more interesting to me, an England fan, than NZ, Tonga, Argentina and Australia. And it will certainly make much more money for the English RFU. The extra game can be made up by Tonga, and you can play a best of 6 Bledisloe.
Busted Fullback
Roar Rookie
It may be the "game they play in heaven", but who wants to be playing "there" sooner than necessary?
Waitemata
Roar Rookie
No need for the ABs or Wallabies to tour at all if they can organise games where they make proper money from a delayed RC... Nail on the head. Does Bill Sweeney think that NZ, Au, Tonga or Arg will turn up and play for nothing just to get the RFU out of a deep hole? A few months ago he was telling the SH unions to get f###ed for even mentioning revenue sharing. With 85% of the RFU's revenue coming from hosting test matches I wonder if he's changed his mind.
allblackfan
Guest
Based on SH planning, not a chance this will happen. The RFU are desperate for a rematch with the ABs because of the extra money involved but the UK coronavirus situation is an absolute mess!
AndyS
Guest
Uncharitable perhaps, but my first thought too. A moot point though, as I really can't see international travel anytime soon. Perhaps not even next year, until everyone is confident it has run its course.