'Consideration must surely be given' - Should the Six Nations be moved?
With reports this weekend suggesting that the British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa hangs in the balance, a radical Six Nations alternative is being suggested that could see fans back in stadiums and watching rugby – in the northern hemisphere at least.
The Daily Mail report that the series could be officially cancelled by organisers within a month, with Covid-19 running rampant in the Rainbow Nation. Added to this, it has been suggested the vaccines now being rolled out in Europe may not be available in SA until significantly later in the year, leaving faint hope that fans will be able to attend matches.
It’s a near unfathomable scenery for rugby fans in the UK, Ireland and South Africa, but there may be a possible silver lining if the series was scrapped.
Many are now suggesting moving the upcoming Guinness Six Nations to the summer and delaying the Lions tour until 2022. This would allow fans to attend Six Nations games, which seems highly unlikely given the current schedule which sees the first match played the weekend of February 6th.
Former England flyhalf and rugby pundit Andy Goode wrote: “The Lions tour is obviously under threat due to the pandemic, wouldn’t it be sensible to push back the Six Nations Rugby until the Summer and postpone the Lions tour to the Summer of 22? The clubs then get some weekends spare & fans might watch the 6 Nations in the grounds?
The @lionsofficial tour is obviously under threat due to the pandemic, wouldn’t it be sensible to push back the @SixNationsRugby until the Summer & postpone the Lions tour to the Summer of 22? The clubs then get some weekends spare & fans might watch the 6 Nations in the grounds?
— Andy Goode (@AndyGoode10) January 2, 2021
It’s not as whacky as it might sound, and Goode wasn’t the only one suggesting it. “Consideration must surely be given to moving the Six Nations to the summer when fans can hopefully return, meaning the Lions tour to South Africa being put back a year despite being so close to next World Cup. 6N and Lions tour without fans inconceivable,” wrote Welsh journalist Robin Dewey.
Consideration must surely be given to moving the Six Nations to the summer when fans can hopefully return, meaning the Lions tour to South Africa being put back a year despite being so close to next World Cup. 6N and Lions tour without fans inconceivable
— Robin Davey (@robindavey01) January 2, 2021
“Speaking to a few friends based in South Africa and they don’t think they’ll start vaccinating until June. If true how can the Lions tour go ahead? Surely postpone until 2022 and move the Six Nations to the summer where there’s a better chance of crowds?”
Speaking to a few friends based in South Africa and they don’t think they’ll start vaccinating until June.
If true how can the Lions tour go ahead?
Surely postpone until 2022 and move the Six Nations to the summer where there’s a better chance of crowds?
— Steffan Thomas (@Steffan_Thomas1) December 20, 2020
There are number of stumbling blocks for such a plan of course.
Most of the home nations have major tours booked for 2022 and will be expected to fulfill those tours with full-strength squads. However, maybe the most significant problem, as Sonja McLaughlan points out, is the broadcasting of the Summer Olympics in Toyko, which was itself bumped into 2021 due to the virus.
“TV on the scale of 6N or Olympics takes huge amount of planning. Then you’ve got to staff it. Majority of talent, producers, editors, camera operators etc who do 6N will be working on Olympics. I’m not inventing a problem just pointing out realities,” wrote McLaughlan.
Lions clashes with Olympics. BBC won’t have air time to show 6N during that window
— Sonja McLaughlan (@Sonjamclaughlan) January 2, 2021
You’ve worked on tv Andy so sure you appreciate the production effort. Talent, producers, editors etc who normally do 6N will be working on Olympics.
— Sonja McLaughlan (@Sonjamclaughlan) January 2, 2021
Steve, tv on the scale of 6N or Olympics takes huge amount of planning.Then you’ve got to staff it. Majority of talent, producers, editors, camera operators etc who do 6N will be working on Olympics. I’m not inventing a problem just pointing out realities.
— Sonja McLaughlan (@Sonjamclaughlan) January 2, 2021
In the mad times we’re living through, with rugby games and entire tournaments being juggled in a manner which would have here-to-fore have been unimaginable, one might be shy to bet against such a radical course of action.
Comments on RugbyPass
It was a pleasure to watch those guys playing with such confidence. That trio can all be infuriating for different reasons and I can see why Jones might have decided against them. No way to justify leaving Ikitau out though. Jorgensen and him were both scheduled to return at the same time. Only one of them plays for Randwick and has a dad who is great mates with the national coach though.
53 Go to commentsBrayden Iose and Peter Lakai are very exciting Super Rugby players but are too short and too light to ever be a Test 8 vs South Africa, France, Ireland, and England, Lakai could potentially be a Test player at 7 if he is allowed to focus on 7 for Hurricanes.
5 Go to commentsPencils “Thomas du Toit” into possible 2027 Bok squad.
1 Go to commentsDon’t see why Harrison makes the bench. Jones can play at 10 if needed, and there is a good case for starting her there to begin with if testing combinations. That would leave room for Sing on the bench
1 Go to commentsWhat a load of old bull!
1 Go to commentsOf the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.
29 Go to commentsIrish Rugby CEO be texting Andy Farrell “Andy, i found our next Kiwi Irishman”
5 Go to commentsI certainly don’t miss drinking beers at 8am in the morning watching rugby games being played in NZ.
1 Go to commentsThis looks like a damage limitation exercise for Wales, keeping back some of their more effective players for the last 20/25 minutes to try and counter England’s fresh legs so the Red Roses don’t rack up a big score.
1 Go to commentsVery unlikely the Bulls will beat Leinster in Dublin. It would be different in Pretoria.
1 Go to commentsI think it is a dangerous path to go down to ban a player for the same period that a player they injured takes to recover. Players would be afraid to tackle anyone. I once tackled my best friend at school in a practice match and sprained his ankle. I paid for it by having to play fly-half instead of full-back for the rest of that season’s fixtures.
5 Go to commentsJust such a genuine good bloke…and probably the best all round player in his generation. Good guys do come first sometimes and he handled the W.Cup loss with great attitude.
2 Go to commentsWord in France is that he’s on the radar of a few Top14 clubs.
5 Go to commentsGet blocking Travis, this guy has styles and he’s gonna make a swift impact…!
1 Go to commentsWhat remorse? She claimed that her dangerous tackle wasn’t worthy of a red! She should be compensating the injured player for loss of earnings at the minimum. Her ban should include the recovery time of the injured player as well as the paltry 3 match ban.
5 Go to commentsArdie is a legend. Finished and klaar. Two things: “Yeah, yeah, I have had a few conversations with Razor just around feedback on my game and what I am doing well, what I need to improve on or work-ons. It’s kind of been minimal, mate, but it’s all that I need over here in terms of how to be better, how to get better and what I am doing well.” I hope he’s downplaying it - and that it’s not that “minimal”. The amount of communication and behind the scenes preparation the Bok coaches put into players - Rassie and co would be all over Ardie and being clear on what is expected of him. This stands out for me as something teams should really be looking at in terms of the boks success from a coaching point of view. And was surprised by the comment - “minimal”. In terms of the “debate” around Ireland and South Africa. Nice one Ardie. Indeed. There’s no debate.
2 Go to commentsThere’s a bit of depth there but realistically Australian players have a long way to go to now catch up. The game is moving on fast and Australia are falling behind. Australian sides still don’t priories the breakdown like they should, it’s a non-negotiable if you want to compete on the international stage. That goes for forwards and backs. The Australian team could have a back row that could make a difference but the problem is they don’t have a tight five that can do the business. Tupou is limited in defence, overweight and unfit and the locks are a long way from international standard. Frost is soft and Salakai-Loto is too small so that means they need a Valentini at 8 who has to do the hard graft so limits the effectiveness of the backrow. Schmidt really needs to get a hard working, tough tight 5 if he wants to get this team firing.
3 Go to commentsSorry Morgan you must have been the “go to for a quote” ex player this week. Its rnd 6 and there is plenty of time to cement a starting 15 and finishing 8 so I have no such concerns.
2 Go to commentsGreat read. I wish you had done this article on the ROAR.
2 Go to commentsThe current AB coaching team is basically the Crusaders so it smacks of wanting their familiar leaders around. This is not a good look for the future of the ABs or the younger players in Super working their way up the player ladder. Razor is touted as innovative, forward looking but his early moves look like insecurity and insular, provincial thinking. He is the AB's coach not the Golden Oldies.
10 Go to comments