Italy’s future in 6N

[Bada-Bing!]

The Breakdown | Is turning Six Nations into Seven the solution to dilemma over Italy?

A play-off final involving the winner of the Rugby Europe Championship could help to bring new fans to the sport

www.theguardian.com

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

The Breakdown | Is turning Six Nations into Seven the solution to dilemma over Italy?

A play-off final involving the winner of the Rugby Europe Championship could help to bring new fans to the sport

www.theguardian.com

Reasonable points (except the crowd was limited in Georgia due to Covid). Fair play to Warburton with coming out with that opinion that the closed shop status quo would be unacceptable in any other business or sport. I hope any move to incorporate SA is used as an opportunity to embrace the REC. If SA are parachuted in and European neighbours are ignored I think that will only raise hostility.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Warburton is coming out with a opinion that gets stated by 10 pundits every six nations.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Warburton is coming out with a opinion that gets stated by 10 pundits every six nations.

i've not personally heard anyone on terrestrial TV involved in 6N coverage be quite so direct in criticising the 'closed shop'. 'Thou shalt not bite the hand that feeds' is the usual mantra of those in the TV business.

But I dont listen to many of the pundits these days. If others are calling it out then bravissimo!

 

[AlRums]

Having just seen the end of the Eng v ITA U20 the situation could well changes over the next few years making Italy more competitive

 

[McTallshort]

Having just seen the end of the Eng v ITA U20 the situation could well changes over the next few years making Italy more competitive

Let's hope so. Too many false dawns with Italy

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

South Africa reportedly committing to the Rugby Championship until at least 2025. So keeps the pressure off Italy for a couple more years.

'Global champion every two years': World rugby revolution gathers pace as Six Nations ready to make leap

Rugby chiefs from the 10 big Test-playing nations will meet in London next month as they continue plans to overhaul global competition and crown…

www.theroar.com.au

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

And a little more context. SA likely investigating involvement in 6N or RC being moved in the calendar.

Stuff

www.stuff.co.nz

 

[ChicagoKid]

South Africa reportedly committing to the Rugby Championship until at least 2025. So keeps the pressure off Italy for a couple more years.

'Global champion every two years': World rugby revolution gathers pace as Six Nations ready to make leap

Rugby chiefs from the 10 big Test-playing nations will meet in London next month as they continue plans to overhaul global competition and crown…

www.theroar.com.au

SARU will join the six nations in 2024. This doesn't change anything. They will play in both competitions for a few years and then exit the TRC.

 

[die_mole]

SARU has wanted to join the 6N since at least 2018. At this point I think it's the six nations feeling it is in their best financial interests to keep things the same.

 

[Which Tyler]

SARU has wanted to join the 6N since at least 2018. At this point I think it's the six nations feeling it is in their best financial interests to keep things the same.

Way longer than that, I think

 

[die_mole]

Way longer than that, I think

probably, 2018 is just when I heard confirmation from #sources

 

[Which Tyler]

probably, 2018 is just when I heard confirmation from #sources

This was the earliest one I could find in a 3-minute-google

Australia warns South Africa not to split SANZAR

South Africa will end up as the big losers if the southern hemisphere's SANZAR alliance breaks up, Australian Rugby Union (ARU) Chief Executive John O'Neill said on Wednesday.

www.reuters.com

May 2009

My memory suggests that basically every time the SANZAR TV deals were up for renewal, the Saffers threw their weight around and started talks with the 6N and ERC/EPRC

 

[die_mole]

wasn't their also a rainbow cup thing with the premiership bandied about at one point? From my point of view it's less a negotiation tactic and more they want to leave but they don't want to pay for breaching their contracts with Sanzaar. They feel they fit much better with European rugby ecosystem. Timezones are better, their schools already have relationships with French and English clubs, and their referees get to compete with the lolURC refs for premier matches.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

More noise in the papers this morning about the Boks wanting to join.

Irrespective of how Ita are performing I cannot begin to say how much I dislike that prospect in itself and what it may subsequently lead to. The 6N works as it is (although we'd all like to see Ita improve) precisely because it's a local dust up with a splash of history. It's not really about quality of rugby or rankings or global calendars.

But money will talk, it always does although they should be very wary of changing a winning formula. I can just about cope with seeing Tik Tok emblazoned on match balls if the trade off is retaining the status quo.

 

[Geordie]

Meh....Italy are getting their ground roots sorted....looks like they have a few crackers coming through in the U20.

Id rather bring Georgia in and make a 7n than bring SA in.

 

[ncurd]

Timezones are better for SA but what does European rugby get out of it?

Better competition, and?

SA will bring in more money but they'll want a larger slice of the pie than Italy does. Does that mean actual less money for the other 5 nations?
Flight time in terms of logistics is bad for the teams and nature of the 6 Nations you switching out a Scottish flight of 3 hours to Rome to 11-14 hours to Cape Town.
There's less chance they'd win.
The different hemisphere makes a difference on playing conditions.

As noted this keeps on coming up I doubt the 6 nations will ever let non-European team in and its probably already getting its maximum money whilst remaining on FTA television.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

7 nations for me doesn't work.

The only way I would take SA in the comp is if the extra funding goes into pumping up the infrastructure of countries like Germany, Netherlands etc with the aim of in the end getting a big European competition like the Euros.

 

[Geordie]

7 nations for me doesn't work.

The only way I would take SA in the comp is if the extra funding goes into pumping up the infrastructure of countries like Germany, Netherlands etc with the aim of in the end getting a big European competition like the Euros.

Exactly!

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Give me two of Spain, Georgia, Romania, USA or Portugal first.

I don't want 7 and I don't want an even more luck of the draw reliant tournament that SA would bring (they'd win it every year they have three home fixtures realistically)