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June tests: What's the point?

TRF_Olyy

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After a dramatic end to what was another capitulating club season in the Northern Hemisphere we must now turn our attention to the June Tests. As all of witnesses each of our international teams coaches select the squad they deem suitable to embark upon the greatest challenges the Southern Hemisphere have to offer I began to think what is the point in these games? Don't get me wrong, in no way am I insinuating these games are worthless but rather I question which way they should be approached. After a just a wee bit of thought it was clear that these games have 2 purposes:1) To improve squad depth and experience2) To attempt to gain victory and in some cases make history in the back yard of the best international teams in the worldHowever these purposes clearly have a conflict, it is incredibly difficult to achieve both objectives in one tour. In this case international teams must have one (not both) clear purpose of their tour!

Starting with Ireland, this season has been something of an enigma. The provincial teams continue to capitulate Europe, however the international team fails to inspire let alone achieve a success experience by no other Ireland team by beating the All Blacks. Ireland have chosen to play 3 test games in 3 weeks, clearly showing the purpose of their tour is the latter, simply having 3 attempts to beat the All Blacks (the selection of only a 30 man squad supports this). This in my opinion is a huge mistake. Firstly after a long season to ask players to then challenge the World Champions is more than optimistic. The Leinster players, who will make up most of the first team may be forced to play 5 high intensity games in just 6 weeks, something that not only puts their body at risk but also seems unfair and quite frankly stupid! Selection policy continues to baffle myself and most people who have any interest in Irish rugby and this seems to continue. Firstly the omission of Craig Gilroy, who has been on great form ever since he burst onto the seen with two stunning tries on his debut v Cardiff back in 2010 is quite perplexing his now made to be rival Simon Zebo, also in good form himself is still in the majority of peoples books behind Gilroy. A coach any sense would have brought both players. Even more of a worry is the selection of only 2 fly halves. Ian Madigan who has been one of Leinster's greatest attacking threats this season should have been selected for the continued selection of just O'Gara and Sexton will come back to haunt Ireland who have only two fully experienced international fly halves, something no other top international team is burdened by. If Ireland's chances of beating New Zealand aren't bad enough, injuries to key players like O'Connel, Bowe and Ferris make the challenge near impossible. In fact something in the back of every Irish rugby mind at the moment is questioning whether this tour is really worth it? If I could have seen the state Ireland would be in now before the tour had been finalised, I would have been very content with the IRFU deciding not to go on a summer tour at all. However Ireland going into the tour as huge under dogs is something of a relief, maybe the impossible is closer to our reach that it may seem. In the short term this tour is a no lose situation, if Ireland lose all three games then expectations will just become reality but in the long term this tour could be catastrophic especially if Kidney plays anyone more than twice.

In contrast to Ireland's situation, both England and Wales go into their tours confident on their ability and form on the current international stage. Wales will face Australia 3 times and also the ACT Brumbies three months after their impressive Grand Slam victory. The point of their tour may at first seem to be in order to increase squad depth with the game V the Brumbies giving the Welsh youth and reserve players a chance to stake their claim for a Welsh jersey in the future. However in reality, Wales want to win! The last time Wales won against any of the Southern Hemisphere big three was in November 2008 but now is their biggest and best opportunity to bring that figure up to date. Not only do they have a fit squad with no fear and a clear style of play, they are playing against the Southern Hemisphere team that teams from the north generally have the most success against. The plan will be simple but also effective for Wales..... attack the scrum. Australia barely have a scrum at all, in reality there a few and perhaps no other tier one nations with an inferior scrum. Contrast that with Wales' with two of the worlds greatest props, Jenkins and Jones. Wales will simply want to beat Australia up before dissecting them with their monster backs such as North and Roberts. Two questions still remaining for Wales however is whether Rob Howley can continue Gatland's work and the stability of their half backs. Priestland makes Wales tick brilliantly but individually is prone to the odd meltdown or so. While Phillips may be great when in form, if he fails to produce quick ball that connects the forwards and the backs maybe Wales success will be limited. England will also be heading to South Africa looking to prove a point. As a maturing team, England will be tested by the Springboks (who themselves will be wanting to prove that they are still up there with the best). To remember the last English victory against South Africa one must cast their mind back to November 2006. For England this tour has a range of purposes. Its the next step for Lancaster and his "New England", who successfully progressed through the 6 Nations. This time round there is an atmosphere of optimism combined with wariness. Just one win in South Africa would give England's young star a dramatic boost. England's midweek games against the SA Barbarians will give the likes of Wade, Joseph and Marler opportunities to pressurise their shirt competition. The tests will each present a different approach, the first will be about individuals such as Farrell and Robshaw getting use to the challange and game plan of South Africa, whilst adjusting to the climate and altitude. From there I can see a progressive path with improvement in each game (similar to the 6 nations) with a possibility of victory in the second or last test. Scotland's tour begins with Australia and finishes with Samoa, with a match against Fiji in between. With Lee Jones, David Denton and Kelly Brown out injured and Jim Hamilton suspended all eyes will be on the Flying Dutchman, now Flying Scotsman Tim Visser. Many see the winger as the answer to Scotland's problems, however I in no way see that as the case. Scotland already have dangerous back three players such as Stuart Hogg and Lee Jones (even though he's injured) but their problems are deeper than that. Scotland simply lack that final pass an unfortunately for Visser if he hasn't got the ball, he ain't going to score! Scotland will go into this tour looking for wins as thats the one thing they seemingly can't achieve, certainly on a consistent basis anyway. These games will be approached differently by every team but none the less will be exciting....... if worse comes to worse there's always November!

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Great read Olyy. Am I wrong that the IRB mandated the return to tours.
 
There is one reason for these tests and you have admirably, and perhaps romantically, forgotten to consider it. The answer is money. A large portion of the income of the unions of the southern hemisphere nations comes from revenue generated during the June tests. These unions wanted more money. So the IRB sanctioned the return to tours in the hope that it would increase attendance and in any case; more games = more money...
 
There is one reason for these tests and you have admirably, and perhaps romantically, forgotten to consider it. The answer is money. A large portion of the income of the unions of the southern hemisphere nations comes from revenue generated during the June tests. These unions wanted more money. So the IRB sanctioned the return to tours in the hope that it would increase attendance and in any case; more games = more money...

The blog is more questioning the approach to these matches by each nation rather than the actual reasons that the tours occur. Of course you are right, money is increasingly influential in the game but I don't think a blog about tour finances would be great interesting.
 
The blog is more questioning the approach to these matches by each nation rather than the actual reasons that the tours occur. Of course you are right, money is increasingly influential in the game but I don't think a blog about tour finances would be great interesting.

I think that he money issue was raised when Connor wrote that the IRU might not have decided to tour had hey known of the injuries to key players........they have no choice but to tour as if they did not, they would not get any return visits in October that they rely on to be able to finance provincial rugby in Ireland
 
I think that he money issue was raised when Connor wrote that the IRU might not have decided to tour had hey known of the injuries to key players........they have no choice but to tour as if they did not, they would not get any return visits in October that they rely on to be able to finance provincial rugby in Ireland

Thats was more of just an analogy to express the situation that Ireland are in rather than a plausible option but I see what you mean.
 
I think what also contributed to this was the 2009 B&I Lions tour to SA. the great atmosphere surrounding every game, the Stadiums packed, the coming together of people from around the World all for our magnificent game.

I remember at the second test at Loftus after the game, there were people asking fans if they'd like to see more of these types of tours and everyone unanimously agreed to it. I guess in a way that survey also aided in the IRB's decision.

It's also a great way of measurement to the end of year tour when the Southern team travel up North with the Roles reversed. Now the NH tournaments are finished and the SH tournament(s) halfway through, to see how the teams play. There was always the complaint that when the SH teams travel at the end of year that the guys are by then burnt out and won't play as well as expected, but now we can't say that as the NH teams are in the same boat with these winter tours.
 
SO, what would you rather have....no international rugby at all between World Cups? Oh well, there goes the global expansion of the game, because you can't achieve this with European Club rugby. No-one outside of Europe (other than rugby tragics like me) really gives fig about Harlequins winning the Premiership, or Leinster winning the Heineken Cup.. they just don't care.

Perhaps you would like the June tests dumped, and just have the SH teams come to the NH, and fill your coffers up, while we are left to scrap over the leftovers?
 
To paraphrase the ***le to my way of thinking: June tests, what's the point in not having more?
 
It's not ideal - right now the Irish have as much chance of beating the All Blacks as the Taranaki Girls U11s - but it's better than no international rugby at all. A lot of people want to see it scaled back, I don't.

Part of me is toying with the idea that the tours should be moved to be either prior or straight after the Six Nations - but that means messing around with the domestic season, and it becomes difficult to fit in the long Lions tours.
 
It's not ideal - right now the Irish have as much chance of beating the All Blacks as the Taranaki Girls U11s - but it's better than no international rugby at all. A lot of people want to see it scaled back, I don't.

Part of me is toying with the idea that the tours should be moved to be either prior or straight after the Six Nations - but that means messing around with the domestic season, and it becomes difficult to fit in the long Lions tours.

But that is once again only beneficial to the NH.

And why is it difficult to fit the Lions tour? It happens only once every four years and you only play a SH team only once every 12 years... To us SH guys, we'd love it if there were more tests vs. NH teams as we can become quite sick and tired of playing against the other SH teams, which we do every year.

Whenever a NH team visits us down here, there are always good things being said by everyone involved, the stadiums are always packed and the rugby is usually of good quality. I think this time is the best suited for both SH and NH teams:

1. It's now winter in the SH and our climate is at most times better than the NH.
2. Both NH and SH either just finished their premier season or are on the home straight (so both teams players has had a good couple of games in the bag)
3. More International Rugby!!
4. NH people love visiting SA, as we are very cheap.
 
SO, what would you rather have....no international rugby at all between World Cups? Oh well, there goes the global expansion of the game, because you can't achieve this with European Club rugby. No-one outside of Europe (other than rugby tragics like me) really gives fig about Harlequins winning the Premiership, or Leinster winning the Heineken Cup.. they just don't care.

Perhaps you would like the June tests dumped, and just have the SH teams come to the NH, and fill your coffers up, while we are left to scrap over the leftovers?

Right for the last time, I didn't write this blog to argue that these tests are worthless! I wrote it to analyse the approaches to the tours by each Home Nation inline with the situation they are in.
 
Right for the last time, I didn't write this blog to argue that these tests are worthless! I wrote it to analyse the approaches to the tours by each Home Nation inline with the situation they are in.

I guess that's my failure to understand what you wrote. Sorry.

But for the record, I think the June tours ARE a waste of time. I would far rather see Super Rugby continue (while NH players have their break) which then runs straight into the Rugby Championship, and then have a combined six week window in October/November where some NH teams come south while some SH go north at the same time. The SH players get their break from mid November through to the beginning of Super Rugby in February.

This would allow the teams to have proper six week tours with NH teams playing development matches against ITM Cup, Shute Shield and Currie Cup sides, while SH teams can do the same with matches against Pro12, Premiership, and Top 14 sides.
 
The simple reason that tours don't work at the moment is due to the fact that the NH & SH seasons don't run concurrent. Since that's not going to chance any time soon my solution would be to have NH teams tour down south one year and the SH teams tour up here the next. Easy.
 
Far too much common sense in the last 2 posts for the old farts to take notice.

Sad fact is test rugby is not special any more, the sane fixtures played over and over on an annual basis to the point of tedium. (i.e. 6N/4N, June tour, autumn ints featuring all the 4n or 3 and a rltoken pacific islander side thrown in for good measure). Typically 10 sides play each other through the year, every year.
 

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