New Women's Six Nations format could be trial run for male equivalent
In a women’s rugby column, it would be easy this week to just discuss the horrific sexist, racist, homophobic and misogynistic abuse experienced by the pundits and commentators of Saturday’s Six Nations coverage. I’ve spoken before about how sexism is alive and well in rugby union, and how disappointing it is that we still endure it. It would be depressing to focus the whole column on the topic, but it needs addressing before I move on to talking about the exciting new format of the Women’s Six Nations.
One thing I will say on the topic is that I wholly disagree with the “it’s not real rugby fans” narrative. I don’t understand why anyone believes that ‘true’ fans of rugby are therefore not capable of discrimination. They absolutely are. It’s boring and ignorant to suggest that rugby fans have some kind of moral and intellectual superiority over fans of other sports. We don’t. Yes, players respect the referee and teams drink together after the game. Two players will have scuffles during the game and then shake hands after the game, but in doing so they will invite hundreds of cliché “this is rugby” posts on social media. I really think rugby needs to move on from this.
A good afternoon in the studio for ITAvFRA. As expected tho, many sexist comments about women working on men’s rugby. Those who comment are not worthy a response. Rugby is not a gender, it’s a sport and my accolades far out way what any of those sexist individuals have achieved!! pic.twitter.com/HkoJXD6HMv
— Maggie Alphonsi MBE (@MaggieAlphonsi) February 6, 2021
The sexist, racist and homophobic abuse is also not ‘just what happens when anyone with a platform speaks out.’ Targeted abuse about a person’s characteristics is not the same as somebody disagreeing with a pundit or spokesperson, nor is it comparable with general abuse aimed at those with a platform. I’ve been told by so many white, straight men that this abuse happens to everyone. It doesn’t. They may well receive abuse, and it is never OK and it’s not a competition, but it is not the same as the abuse received by women, people of colour, or members of the LGTBQ+ community who are often made to feel unwelcome in rugby.
So before I talk about the new format of the Women’s Six Nations, I want to say well done to Maggie Alphonsi, Danielle Waterman, Gareth Thomas and Jill Douglas for their fantastic coverage on Saturday. I really hope they don’t have to face more discrimination in the future.
Right, so on to the Women’s Six Nations. Last week, the new format of this year’s tournament was announced. It will take place in a three-week window, from 3-25 April, following a format similar to the Autumn Nations Cup, with two pools of three teams competing to rank first, second and third. Each team will play two games, one home and one away, to decide their pool ranking. Like the Autumn tournament, the final weekend will see the teams the groups’ first places play each other, and second, and third. Pool A consists of England, Italy and Scotland, and Pool B is France, Ireland and Wales.
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— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) December 14, 2020
As divisive as the Autumn Nations Cup was, the new format of this year’s condensed Women’s Six Nations might make it a bit more exciting for fans as it is different from the men’s tournament. There will be men’s fans watching just to see how the new tournament works and if a similar format could work long-term in the men’s game. There are issues in the men’s rugby calendar, with many arguing that the men’s international periods take too long and are too frequent in the year. If that means more people watch the women, then that’s a great thing. I think we just need to get women’s rugby in front of a bigger audience almost by any means possible. It’s a great product now, and as I’ve been saying for months, is not just about supporting women anymore, but about exciting, explosive rugby. The more people that watch this tournament, the more are likely to tune in for the Rugby World Cup in September, attend games when possible, and support the women’s game.
The shorter tournament means two fewer games for each team, which isn’t great news for the teams who have had few matches in the last year due to coronavirus and match cancellations. Three of the 2020 Women’s Six Nations games were cancelled last year and many players have not had domestic rugby during that time. Unlike the men’s game, the women’s teams need as many international fixtures as possible to help grow the game. There’s also the important point that Ireland, Italy and Scotland still need to play World Cup qualifiers. World Rugby is yet to confirm if the Women’s Six Nations tournament will double-up as World Cup qualifiers, but the shorter tournament leaves more room for these fixtures to be played outside of the tournament if needed.
Before the pandemic cancelled so many fixtures, World Rugby was working on a new calendar for the women’s game, to encourage more game time and a more competitive international environment. The two fewer games in the tournament takes away crucial opportunities for teams to play together. That’s why I hope this tournament is a one-off, or that World Rugby supplement the shorter tournament with additional games in another international window. At the moment, Six Nations Rugby has not confirmed if they will keep the tournament in April – or if they will keep the new format – but I am relieved that Six Nations Rugby is trying something new. Rugby has the ability to be insular and reluctant to change but trialling these new tournaments and windows is crucial in the growth of the game.
The Women’s Six Nations isn’t a perfect tournament, and it still struggles to be truly competitive. Even with this year’s pool system, England v France is likely to be the battle for first place. But that really isn’t everything. I’m most excited to watch Wales Women, who I think will shock many rugby fans who have watched them in recent years. Many players in the Wales squad have been playing in the Premier 15s this season, and their new coaching staff (led by Warren Abrahams) is exciting. The Wales players have had more domestic game time this year than in any other season, and I expect this will serve them well in the tournament.
Above all, I hope that the exciting new tournament convinces somebody to become a title sponsor of the Women’s Six Nations. Six Nations chief executive Ben Morel said that Six Nations Rugby has had “several positive discussions” with potential sponsors, but they were yet to find the right partner. The women’s tournament should have a new sponsor by April, with the help of a consultant hired by Six Nations Rugby tasked with finding a sponsor.
It’s a great opportunity for women’s rugby to stand on its own two feet and provide us with some fair-weather rugby this Spring. This weekend has shown how unpredictable Six Nations rugby can be, and I look forward to the storylines which will unfold in the women’s game.
2021 Women’s Six Nations
Pool A : England – Italy – Scotland
Pool B : France – Ireland – Wales
Round 1
3rd/4th April
England v Scotland
France v Wales
Round 2
10th/11th April
Italy v England
Wales v Ireland
Round 3
17th/18th April
Scotland v Italy
Ireland v France
Finals
Winner A v Winner B
Second place A v Second place B
Third place A v Third place B
Comments on RugbyPass
I knew who wrote this article from the first few words in the headline…lol. The red card actually did the ABs a favour. It galvanized them, only then did they step up a gear. Before that there was zero momentum.
102 Go to commentsFirstly the foul on Bongi was a planned move just like the NZ master plan with Bryce Lawrence you kiwis are filthy fux perhaps try to play a cleaner game next time I doubt that’s possible tho but don’t worry world rugby is on yr side they trying to take away all the BOKS strengths to help all you weakling as Jeremy Clarkson would say LA OO ZA ERR..🤣
102 Go to commentsAbsolutely spot on Ben. I certainly wouldn't gloat over a win like that. Frustrating as it is it's done and dusted and history will forever show the result.
102 Go to commentsHo hum.
102 Go to commentsNo question they were the better team. But that is the beauty of sport isn’t it!
102 Go to commentsEveryone is into Hurling in Ireland according to Porter, but only 11 of Ireland's 32 counties enter a team into the national competition. Same old blarney.
1 Go to commentsLet’s be honest. The draw and scheduling in the World Cup was a joke but South Africa found a way after having to go the hard (nearly impossible) way to the Cup Final via France and England. NZ had a hard game against France (lost) and had 5 weeks to prepare for the Quarter, 3 weeks knowing it was Ireland. NZ theerfore had to win one big game against an Irish team who played SA and then Scotland 7 days before. They won and it was de facto a semi final because they were playing a relatively weak Argentina team and it was a walk over. In the final a very rested NZ team was playing a very tired SA team and still lost. They couldn’t score more than 11 points. Put another way SA had to find a way to win while tired and they achieved that. NZ should thank their lucky stars that they fixed the scheduling in 2015 otherwise they would be dealing with a Bok treble.
102 Go to commentsPerhaps if Bongi wasn’t targeted and removed from the game in the first 3 minutes it would have been quite a different game. Maybe if NZ also faced the same competition the Boks faced to their win NZ would have looked quite different. The final score shows who outplayed who.
102 Go to commentsRubbish article! Abuladze played most of Exeters matches when fit. He got injured against Glasgow a while ago and is out for the rest of the season, thats why he hasnt played for Exeter and Georgia recently. Do some proper research next time!
1 Go to commentsGotta love it when kids throw their toys out the pram and can’t hack it with the grown ups debate. Here’s looking at you turlough! 😉🤣
148 Go to commentsThey lost the game period move on
102 Go to commentsSpringboks won! Stop winging. You can change the game however much you and your rugby colonizing IRB want to and the Springboks will win you at that too. Your mind is colonized my friend get a life
102 Go to commentsBen, nobody gets fooled anymore by selective and biased data to support an hypothesis. Games are decided on such small margins these days that you win some and lose some, and dominance is a thing of the rugby past. Look at the RWC circle of fortune…. Ireland beats SA who beat France who beat NZ who beat Ireland. And so it goes on. Match officials help to eliminate real indiscretions. If they had been with us years before, no doubt results would have been different. Remember Andy Haden’s dive from a lineout in 1978 for which a match-wining penalty was awarded? Wales should have beaten the ABs that day. They took the loss like the gentlemen they were.
102 Go to commentsWith all the analysis and how good the all blacks were.The fundamental mistake with the ABs is that this is a test match and not an exhibition.There is no better team(country) in world rugby than the Boks that knows how to win a test match(we are post masters at this).We know our rules, we have the discipline, we tackle like beasts, we take our points and we never give up.I now have educated the ABs supporters(at least say thank you).Please stop “bitching” , accept what the outcome is and move along swiftly.
102 Go to commentsAnd they came from behind to win two big games before the final. No one can say what would have happened. Had the boks gone behind the game plan changes and the result may changes. Ifs and ands are irrelevant. The boks won. Neutral critics enjoyed the games they played. Its not a popularity contest. Get over it and move on.
102 Go to commentsI'm happy for the people of SA to get a second WC. And I mean that. I was very disappointed with this man's “stand on the hand” incident with Josh Van Der Flyer (Ireland). Ireland's downfall in the last WC was they did not rotate their first 15 as the head coach probably should have. That said, I'm happy for SA and genuinely hope it lifts the mood in their country. Ireland did beat them in the first match of the tournament. And before the trolls start trolling ….. please don't bother. Etzbeth said recently that the Irish players said after the match “see you in the final”…..this was actually wishing the SA team the best of luck in the rest, the Irish team were not dismissing the AB’s. This is what Etzbeth was implying. But he was wrong. I no longer live in Ireland. But I hope to see them lift that cup before I pass. Anyway, congratulations SA. 👍
12 Go to commentsMore bloody click bait. Dan Carter has said absolutely nothing. As he should do. Poor journalism again from a site that should know better
9 Go to commentsOh god please help these loosers get over it!!!! You lost. Doesn't matter how many times you dummies are gonna analyse the game, you still lost and we are still Rygby World Champions….get over it, you lost.
102 Go to commentsThe next Willie le Roux. SA are made not to use him.
3 Go to commentsDan has always been as controversial as tea with milk so we were never going to get any definitive answer. So DMac for the win.
9 Go to comments