Time to expand the 6N?

[Which Tyler]

Japan have made a better case for inclusion than Georgia ever have (less consistently), but we could always grab them both with an expansion to 8.

Or do we seen it as the SH's job to take on a Pacific team?

Or should we all be happy to see them stay in their box, playing in the PNC every year?

[Danno]

I'd have both of them in a heartbeat. Japan games would be so much more entertaining than France and Georgia would show how well your pack is doing. They'd be scary with a decent set of backs. Can't see the Prem clubs ever agreeing to expand it and lengthen the window that their internationals are away for.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

If Argentina get to play in the rugby Championship why can't Japan? Scary how much better they could be by testing themselves against those 4 giants of the game though...

Georgia didn't step up this RWC though.

[Renniks]

Get Fiji and Japan into the RC… Two 6N championships

[Oakboy]

On commentary, there was the remark that the Japanese squad had been together for over 200 days in the year running up to the RWC. If true, that would test other countries' application somewhat, looking ahead.

As for expanding the 6N, logistically it would have to become two-tier, would it not? Two divisions of four would be great theoretically but I can't see it happening.

[Mellsblue]

SA into the 6(7)N and Fiji and Japan into Rugby Champ. Or, SA and Georgia into the 8N with two pools of four. Play-offs of 1st v 1st, 2nd v 2nd etc. Four AI’s each year to keep the coffers topped up.

[Which Tyler]

Get Fiji and Japan into the RC… Two 6N championships

That'd be my preference, with (play off) promotion/relegation with their respective tier 2 nations cups. Essentially a Europe league and RotW league
6N & ENC
4N+Fiji&Japan & PNC+Uruguay&Namibia.

Travel would be a bitch though.the alternative would be to divide by the equator, so Japan, US and Can invited into the ENC, Uruguay, Namibia and Brazil(?) Taking their places in the PNC.

Geech is right though, a QF spot makes too strong a case to simply be ignored.

[Oakboy]

Scrap the 6N, the RC and the Lions. Have the RWC every year. Simple.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Just have promotion and relaxation of the bottom / top teams.
Ideally the Rugby Championship would be six teams, if they deserved it, one competition aside, but logistically its not like driving to Cardiff.

[Which Tyler]

relaxation of the bottom.

Something on your mind?

[Epaminondas Pules]

relaxation of the bottom.

Something on your mind?

Nerves mostly.

[UKHamlet]

Just have promotion and relaxation of the bottom / top teams.
Ideally the Rugby Championship would be six teams, if they deserved it, one competition aside, but logistically its not like driving to Cardiff.

Tokyo is as far from Wellington as it is from London, give or take a couple of hundred kilometers and Cape Town is much further away. Japan is in the NH.

I'd like to see them play a mini tournament against three of the current six in Europe and then the other three in Japan. Alternatively, base them in Portugal and play home and away from their base.

Sent from my Pixel 3a XL using Tapatalk

[Puja]

Just have promotion and relaxation of the bottom / top teams.
Ideally the Rugby Championship would be six teams, if they deserved it, one competition aside, but logistically its not like driving to Cardiff.

Tokyo is as far from Wellington as it is from London, give or take a couple of hundred kilometers and Cape Town is much further away. Japan is in the NH.

I'd like to see them play a mini tournament against three of the current six in Europe and then the other three in Japan. Alternatively, base them in Portugal and play home and away from their base.

Sent from my Pixel 3a XL using Tapatalk

Japan is in the right time zone for Australia and New Zealand though, which matters more than actual distance. Trips to South Africa would be trying though.

Puja

[UKHamlet]

Just have promotion and relaxation of the bottom / top teams.
Ideally the Rugby Championship would be six teams, if they deserved it, one competition aside, but logistically its not like driving to Cardiff.

Tokyo is as far from Wellington as it is from London, give or take a couple of hundred kilometers and Cape Town is much further away. Japan is in the NH.

I'd like to see them play a mini tournament against three of the current six in Europe and then the other three in Japan. Alternatively, base them in Portugal and play home and away from their base.

Sent from my Pixel 3a XL using Tapatalk

Japan is in the right time zone for Australia and New Zealand though, which matters more than actual distance. Trips to South Africa would be trying though.

Puja

Tell that to the Saffers

Sent from my Pixel 3a XL using Tapatalk

[Mellsblue]

Just have promotion and relaxation of the bottom / top teams.
Ideally the Rugby Championship would be six teams, if they deserved it, one competition aside, but logistically its not like driving to Cardiff.

Tokyo is as far from Wellington as it is from London, give or take a couple of hundred kilometers and Cape Town is much further away. Japan is in the NH.

I'd like to see them play a mini tournament against three of the current six in Europe and then the other three in Japan. Alternatively, base them in Portugal and play home and away from their base.

Sent from my Pixel 3a XL using Tapatalk

Japan is in the right time zone for Australia and New Zealand though, which matters more than actual distance. Trips to South Africa would be trying though.

Puja

There’s also an existing relationship. Shove SA in with Europe for the same reason you state - time zone. TV is where the £££££ is which means time zones are important.

[Puja]

Tokyo is as far from Wellington as it is from London, give or take a couple of hundred kilometers and Cape Town is much further away. Japan is in the NH.

I'd like to see them play a mini tournament against three of the current six in Europe and then the other three in Japan. Alternatively, base them in Portugal and play home and away from their base.

Sent from my Pixel 3a XL using Tapatalk

Japan is in the right time zone for Australia and New Zealand though, which matters more than actual distance. Trips to South Africa would be trying though.

Puja

Tell that to the Saffers

Sent from my Pixel 3a XL using Tapatalk

I've always thought the RC would make a great deal more sense ig it was played in one country on a rotating hosting basis.

Puja

[fivepointer]

Dont see an expanded 6Ns as an option.
Much better to ensure Japan are regulars in the autumn and that a tour there is part of all the home union schedules, something which has happened with Argentina.
All tier 1 teams need to do more to encourage the tier 2 nations.
It shouldnt be beyond the home union sides to take it in turns to travel to Georgia for a game, and I cannot see why at least 2 out of the 4 autumn internationals shouldnt be against tier 2 teams (well i can its money, but the tier 1 sides simply have to give something back)

[Oakboy]

Dont see an expanded 6Ns as an option.
Much better to ensure Japan are regulars in the autumn and that a tour there is part of all the home union schedules, something which has happened with Argentina.
All tier 1 teams need to do more to encourage the tier 2 nations.
It shouldnt be beyond the home union sides to take it in turns to travel to Georgia for a game, and I cannot see why at least 2 out of the 4 autumn internationals shouldnt be against tier 2 teams (well i can its money, but the tier 1 sides simply have to give something back)

Agreed. The alternative, which Japan is demonstrating, is for T2 countries to win matches against T1. Of course, where it all breaks down is money. Japan can afford the commitment. Fiji, etc. can't.

[cashead]

On commentary, there was the remark that the Japanese squad had been together for over 200 days in the year running up to the RWC. If true, that would test other countries' application somewhat, looking ahead.

The majority of the players were put in to the Sunwolves B team, which Jamie Joseph appointed himself the coach of. When he felt that they needed it, he'd send the odd player up to the Sunwolves team to get some Super Rugby game time.

[canta_brian]

Japan is in the right time zone for Australia and New Zealand though, which matters more than actual distance. Trips to South Africa would be trying though.

Puja

Tell that to the Saffers

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I've always thought the RC would make a great deal more sense ig it was played in one country on a rotating hosting basis.

Puja

Ideal for watching in the UK

Maybe less good if you want to watch your home team live more than every few years.

Maybe The 6 nations could go the same way, next year all matches are in Italy.

[Mellsblue]

Tell that to the Saffers

Sent from my Pixel 3a XL using Tapatalk

I've always thought the RC would make a great deal more sense ig it was played in one country on a rotating hosting basis.

Puja

Ideal for watching in the UK

Maybe less good if you want to watch your home team live more than every few years.

Maybe The 6 nations could go the same way, next year all matches are in Italy.

Count me in. Can we have it in the south of France the following year?

[canta_brian]

I've always thought the RC would make a great deal more sense ig it was played in one country on a rotating hosting basis.

Puja

Ideal for watching in the UK

Maybe less good if you want to watch your home team live more than every few years.

Maybe The 6 nations could go the same way, next year all matches are in Italy.

Count me in. Can we have it in the south of France the following year?

European loving liberal elite.

[Mellsblue]

Ideal for watching in the UK

Maybe less good if you want to watch your home team live more than every few years.

Maybe The 6 nations could go the same way, next year all matches are in Italy.

Count me in. Can we have it in the south of France the following year?

European loving liberal elite.

Ha. That made lol.

[Stom]

I made a comment elsewhere, but why not have a World Rugby Championship to go alongside the world cup.

Two groups of 8, equally split by rankings after the last WC. So 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15.

They play matches every European Autumn to replace the Autumn internationals. 3 matches a year for 3 years, with a semi final and final. Leaves us with 1 extra match every autumn, which should be used against a team outside the top 16.

So, for instance, on current rankings, you'd have groups of:

New Zealand
England
South Africa
Japan
Scotland
Fiji
Tonga
Samoa

And

Wales
Ireland
Australia
France
Argentina
Italy
Georgia
Spain

Taking England's fixtures, they could play:

Japan, Fiji, South Africa, Romania
Scotland, Tonga, New Zealand, Uruguay
Samoa, SF1, F, USA

Would be a big boon to teams like the PIs, Georgia and Japan, plus would guarantee fixtures for the likes of Romania, Russia, Uruguay, USA, Canada, Namibia, etc.

Although that 2nd group with 4 6N teams is a little...lop sided.

[Cameo]

The most appealing of those options to me is the 8 team two tier six Nations but not sure how I feel about playing the same three teams twice. An advantage of the 6N over the RC is its variety.

Would make a lot more sense than just promotion relegation from the current 6N though and I feel the time difference in Japan could be overcome for TV viewership if they just played all their home games as late as possible on a Saturday evening.

It would be some Super Saturday. For instance:

Japan v Scotland - 10:30am
Georgia v Italy - 1pm
Wales v France - 3:30pm
England v Ireland - 6pm