2026 Nations Championships

[Kiwiwomble]

Had a quick look online and think you fell one short in 13/14, because you didn't play Italy - England got lucky with the schedule in that Argentina tour into Trinations visit run

Does add just about the only bit of interest I can muster to the rugby championship though, be interesting to see if anyone else can manage it in the future

definately will be tough schedule wise for SH teams, we play the 3 RC teams each year but the November tests are a crap shoot, assume we 5 (sometimes its only 4) we'll need the one or two missing to be touring either the July before or after....plus beat them all

 

[Quel Carreleur]

Had a quick look online and think you fell one short in 13/14, because you didn't play Italy - England got lucky with the schedule in that Argentina tour into Trinations visit run

Does add just about the only bit of interest I can muster to the rugby championship though, be interesting to see if anyone else can manage it in the future

If it's going to be a nations championship thing, then SA doesn't count yet, as last year's AIs weren't (u less they were, but no-one had noticed).
Which would be a shame, as that's a hell of an achievement

 

[TRF_Olyy]

If it's going to be a nations championship thing, then SA doesn't count yet, as last year's AIs weren't (u less they were, but no-one had noticed).
Which would be a shame, as that's a hell of an achievement

I think the (completely hypothetical) award is for beating all of the teams in a rolling 12 month period rather than a singular season - Nations Cup just makes it a feasible goal as there's the possibility to be drawn against the opposite-hemisphere sides that you didn't play in the Autumn

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Thought we might have had it but beat everyone but Argentina in the 17 game win streak in 22 - 23.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

If it's going to be a nations championship thing, then SA doesn't count yet, as last year's AIs weren't (u less they were, but no-one had noticed).
Which would be a shame, as that's a hell of an achievement

yeah, dont think its reliant on the NC....but will be slightly easier to achieve now teams should play a wider variety of teams in the july internationals

 

[AlRums]

North v South - the battle for global supremacy is tighter than ever

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/articles/c20y58ndlgeo

 

[TRF_Olyy]

"battle for global supremacy"

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

"battle for global supremacy"

Oh go to the website and you can read all about colliding hemispheres, human roadblocks, the premium weapon of Welsh forward power etc etc etc

 

[Quel Carreleur]

Bloody hell Italy.
We know you're not the greatest, but you're loads better than Aus outscoring the clock!


ETA: Shows what I know - Italy really are that bad (today)

 

[big ginger 8]

Genius decision, that'll be a hefty ban.

 

[Quel Carreleur]

You can see why it kicked off
You can see why he got involved.
He really should have known better, and gave ref no option but a red card

 

[Demfad]

Red card but surely a yellow was warranted for the Australian no 17 who drags the Italian player into the technical area.
Dickson de facto telling Ridley not to punish another player is beyond his station.

 

[Quel Carreleur]

A] that would be harsh, but fair (harsh as in Aus would go down to 14, Italy would not)
B] yeah, he's being too authoritative there. Can give his recommendation and advice, but his job is to advise, not instruct

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

amazing start **** end

 

[spursincornwall]

Good win for Hong Kong

 

[dullonien]

Honestly, I've quite enjoyed the format of the Nations Cup, even if Wales have continued to be crap.

 

[mackerzz]

Honestly, I've quite enjoyed the format of the Nations Cup, even if Wales have continued to be crap.

I was coming here to say something similar. I thought initially it was a stupid idea that wouldn't work, but so far I have quite enjoyed it tbh.

 

[Saintjay]

I prefer to see it as the world rugby charity fund raiser.

Unequal fixtures. Dubious decisions on what is a home/away fixture. Unequal opportunities given to Japan and some degree Fiji.

Lovely to watch some rugby but as an equal competition and format it's flawed

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I'm not a massive eco-warrior, like to think I do my bit for the environment though and the tournament rubs me up the wrong way in that respect. Just too much needless air travel.

Some good games too although they loaded that first week to be tight and entertaining and I'd guess that was on purpose because there weren't any games afterwards that were as good as NZ v France or Australia v Ireland.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Yeah the game's have been good but the tournament itself I still think is completely pointless - would i have enjoyed three game tours more? Who knows

 

[saulan]

Yeah the game's have been good but the tournament itself I still think is completely pointless - would i have enjoyed three game tours more? Who knows

Yea I feel the same way. It's nice to get more variety of opposition in within the year... but I don't know if I specifically prefer it to maybe playing one of the NH teams in a three match series instead... Maybe not Wales atm because I feel like we play them quite frequently and that wouldn't be the greatest in terms of competitiveness for now... but the rest I think would all be interesting.

I'm enjoying it for what it is in that, a diverse set of internationals, but not particularly interested in the tournament overall itself. Although I am wondering about how this final weekend is going to play out. It's a weird/interesting concept of having six international test matches over three days at the same stadium. Potentially going to make for an interesting weekend trip of rugby, but still intrigued at how full it will be, with all matches likely to feature some gaps in the stadium given the double header nature of it.