Southern vs Northern Hemisphere Rugby - How does it categorised?

[SouthBedfordshireFan]

Rugby union landscape tends to split the rugby world into hemispheres: Northern and Southern.

How does this work with regards to the Tier 2/3 nations? Brazil, Uganda and Kenya are relatively strong rugby nations being split by the Equator which is the marker that splits the world into the aforementioned hemispheres.

Not only that but you also have Japan which is firmly in the Northern hemisphere being a part of the Southern section of the Nations Championship.

Is there not a better geographic way to categorise the rugby union world?

 

[Kiwiwomble]

those categories are pretty loosely applied, they generally dont actually effect who you play, we had the sun wolves in super rugby before covid, the SA teams play in the NH club comp

 

[Ddanno]

NH vs SH only really seems to apply when you're talking about "Tier 1" rugby which is a whole extra can of worms to open.

Like most of rugby, it's a blahddeh mess.

 

[SouthBedfordshireFan]

NH vs SH only really seems to apply when you're talking about "Tier 1" rugby which is a whole extra can of worms to open.

Like most of rugby, it's a blahddeh mess.

Basically.

Though the Pacific Nations Cup teams could be split on a NH/SH basis.

And Africa if we kind of ignore Uganda and Kenya or assign one to each hemisphere

The Americas could be too. Most of Brazil is in SH.

 

[Brown Bottle]

I think you're overthinking this hemisphere business. It's largely just about weather and seasons.

The NH and SH play their big tournaments, 6N and RC, in their winter, roughly. Because rugby is traditionally played in winter.

Japan have been added to the SH section of the NC because there are 7 top 12 teams in the NH and it makes more sense to reallocate them than one of the 6N teams, especially as the SH grouping is officially the SANZAAR and Pacific Conference.

It's not like which hemisphere you're located in actually matters, apart from the weather. Everyone can choose what time of the year to play but doing so unilaterally doesn't make sense.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

I think you're overthinking this hemisphere business. It's largely just about weather and seasons.

The NH and SH play their big tournaments, 6N and RC, in their winter, roughly. Because rugby is traditionally played in winter.

Japan have been added to the SH section of the NC because there are 7 top 12 teams in the NH and it makes more sense to reallocate them than one of the 6N teams, especially as the SH grouping is officially the SANZAAR and Pacific Conference.

It's not like which hemisphere you're located in actually matters, apart from the weather. Everyone can choose what time of the year to play but doing so unilaterally doesn't make sense.

exactly

im not sure what we're actually discussing other than confirming there are groupings.....largely based on location....but with exceptions....