At the moment Jones and his players have to battle with an illogically structured season. Jones’s comments about some of his Grand Slam players not putting their bodies on the line for their respective clubs since the Six Nations is a warning that coasting, of any sort, will not be tolerated.
Though this has to be correct, the unevenness of the club season, which forces players to alternate their concentration between international, Premiership and European games, is not conducive to consistent performance.
Some players are better than others at compartmentalising different challenges and it would be better for everyone if they had to do this as little as possible.
Playing domestic league games, followed by or concurrent with European games, before the Six Nations and the summer tour would make much more sense. This would allow the players, clubs and supporters to maintain a focus on one thing at a time; it would also build the momentum of each competition to a natural crescendo.
All this depends on taking the bold step of moving the Six Nations back to the end of the season and, without voices of the stature of Jones, this will not even be considered. The current conservatism and, frankly, pomposity of the Six Nations committee suggests that they do not feel they have any wider duty to the domestic game. Hitherto their only response to calls for any change to the format of the tournament has been: ‘Why change the world’s most successful rugby product?’
The answer to this is that it will not affect its popularity, might make it a better product because of preferable playing conditions and help domestic rugby generally. All too sensible, of course, but direct comment by the likes of Jones might at least ensure serious consideration was given to this important issue.
