Pool C - Wales, Australia, Fiji, Georgia, Portugal

[Jarquis]

I'd love it to happen but it would just be too much of a risk for the other 6N countries to willingly take on. IIRC Scotland, Wales, and France have all finished last since it went to 6, and a whole year out of the tournament feels like a big price to pay given that none of them were too far off being competitive again.

I'd support it anyway, I just prefer open competition with promotion and relegation on principle, but I can see why they don't do it.

That only happens if they lost the play off though...

 

[Ali TT]

Rugby not really interested in expanding beyond the core 8 nations though. The problem is with rugby in potential permanent decline in Australia and maybe even England, it makes the reach narrower and narrower.

 

[ripper868]

I understand the reluctance of the 'home' (+France) nations to implement a relegation system, but if there was indeed a playoff with the '#1 contender' then there could really be no argument made about it - guess the issue would be where and when is that play-off match held? Neutral Venue? Tough thing to schedule if the teams aren't known until after the last round etc.

Course, just pinning a venue and date like the Champions/Europa/Conference comps do would also work.

Now, Imagine the unthinkable happens, and Scot/Wales/England get relegated (i.e. lost the playoff) and then have a playoff to get back in to 6N v Scotland/England/Wales...now that's a tasty fixture.

 

[Ali TT]

Tbh as a spectator I love the 6N for each year being able to see the home nations and France play each other. I'm still less invested in the games v Italy though, except when it involves England, and would be even less so if it was against Georgia or Portugal. I'd encourage more tests against these sides, perhaps as the "warm-up" games ahead of the summer SH tours. Those countries could also feature in the u19/u21 tournament that runs parallel to the 6N (can't remember what the age bracket is).

 

[Molehill]

Tbh as a spectator I love the 6N for each year being able to see the home nations and France play each other. I'm still less invested in the games v Italy though, except when it involves England, and would be even less so if it was against Georgia or Portugal. I'd encourage more tests against these sides, perhaps as the "warm-up" games ahead of the summer SH tours. Those countries could also feature in the u19/u21 tournament that runs parallel to the 6N (can't remember what the age bracket is).

But that's mainly because Italy have never really become competitive. The games against them are more about avoiding embarrassment and picking up the bonus point. They get their fixtures every year and have zero encouragement to actually improve. Give them some competition for that final spot in the 6 Nations and we might see them up their game. But basically every year is largely the same, especially more recently in the post Parisse era.

 

[Furball]

Part of the attraction of the Six Nations is the competition between the Home Nations. Relegating one of them would be commercial suicide for the competition.

 

[Niall]

Part of the attraction of the Six Nations is the competition between the Home Nations. Relegating one of them would be commercial suicide for the competition.

Yeah its pointless to even discuss the merits of it because its a total non runner as nobody would agree to it.

Maybe make it 7 nations? But I doubt you could find room in the schedule unfortunately.

 

[Furball]

Yeah its pointless to even discuss the merits of it because its a total non runner as nobody would agree to it.

Maybe make it 7 nations? But I doubt you could find room in the schedule unfortunately.

Italy have been such an abject failure that adding more teams should be a non-starter.

 

[Ali TT]

But that's mainly because Italy have never really become competitive. The games against them are more about avoiding embarrassment and picking up the bonus point. They get their fixtures every year and have zero encouragement to actually improve. Give them some competition for that final spot in the 6 Nations and we might see them up their game. But basically every year is largely the same, especially more recently in the post Parisse era.

Part of the attraction of the Six Nations is the competition between the Home Nations. Relegating one of them would be commercial suicide for the competition.

I wouldn't mind if Italy had to justify their place every year but playing off against 1 or 2 of the others but that's only an acceptable option if they are then the worst side in the 6N every year. It'd devalue the competition if we didn't have one of the other five nations though.

 

[ripper868]

So anyway, this was the team for the wallabies at the 2015 World cup:


Tbh, I'd back that team, at current age, to beat the current XV that took the field v Wales.

 

[Tom Flint]

What's Israel up to these days

 

[BoyBrumby]

What's Israel up to these days

Bombing the feck out of the Gaza Strip.

Too soon, sorry. He was in contention for the Tonga squad but got left out with a bung knee.