Steve Hansen - Rugby Championship winner should play Six Nations winner

[TheOvalBall]

http://sh.st/33vem

New Zealand coach Steve Hansen has proposed an annual match between the Six Nations and Rugby Championship winners as part of a global shake-up.
Officials have held talks about the scheduling of the sport after the next World Cup, with proposals to align the northern and southern hemisphere playing calendars.
Six Nations chiefs are reluctant to move from the February-March slot, but Hansen told Sportsmail that an historic agreement of dates between officials would send the game 'through the roof'.


'It's a no-brainer,' said the double World Cup winner. 'You've got to say, "What's best for our product so we can keep attracting people to come and watch it?"
'First, our players need a decent pre-season. You'd play club competitions simultaneously. We could have the European Cup winners play the Super Rugby winners and the Six Nations winners play the Rugby Championship winners. We need some goodwill to sort it out.'


Summer tours are likely to be scrapped in World Cup years, but the future of British and Irish Lions tours is secure despite concerns over player welfare.
They face the All Blacks next summer and Hansen is targeting a clean sweep.
'We'll want to win 3-0,' said Hansen. 'If the northern nations keep playing well they'll provide a headache for the selectors.'

Great idea this!

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I thought the whole global season was to encourage less games for players?

Thought Super rugby has a good preseason period anyway

Don't get me wrong I love the idea of having the 6N's winners v the rugby championship winners say 3 test 2 at the home stadium and a 3rd in a neutral preferably a tier 2 or 3 with a large stadium and maybe economy like Spain, USA, Canada, Japan or even Germany.

 

[smartcooky]

Since the beginning of the 6N in 2000, this has actually happened eight times during the Autumn Internationals...

2000 - England v Australia
2001 - England v Australia
2002 - France v New Zealand
2005 - Wales v New Zealand
2006 - France v New Zealnad
2008 - Wales v New Zealand
2009 - Ireland v South Africa
2012 - Wales v New Zealand

When you account for the fact that there are No AI's in World Cup years (2003, 2007, 2011 & 2015) that leaves only four of the last 15 years in which a RC/3N v 6N playoff match could have been scheduled and wasn't. IMO, the IRB/WR have missed eight huge promotional and marketing opportunities on this in the last 15 years.

 

[ncurd]

Have to say I agree this should be a yearly fixture not sure how you decide where/when it should be played. It's incredibly frustrating it looks like we won't see the fixture this year (I think a minor miracle will see Australia crowned champions?).

I can't think of many fans who don't want to see the best of the NH and the best of the SH play it out.

By all means scrap it in world cup years no point in it.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I guess a one off test game in a neautral venue (like Spain, USA, Japan, Canada etc etc) and split the gate but the trouble would be interest might be small.

(Unless you go with the high stadium capacity low price market but then the earnings might not be what they want).

But the calender is packed as is and I doubt a global season would create the space for having a 6N's winner v Rugby Championship winner and a European champion v Super rugby champion. As I said if you want to do them properly it needs to be done as a 3 game series thing IMO.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Not interested.

Less not more please.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Not interested.

Less not more please.

This is it I mean I thought one of the main things for global season was player welfare, but from what I have heard it doesn't sound like player welfare is really on the front of there minds.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Its a great idea....if it replaces the AIs. Otherwise its pants.

 

[The Jones Boy]

All of his ideas are excellent
Bring them on

 

[smartcooky]

Have to say I agree this should be a yearly fixture not sure how you decide where/when it should be played. It's incredibly frustrating it looks like we won't see the fixture this year (I think a minor miracle will see Australia crowned champions?)

I can't think of many fans who don't want to see the best of the NH and the best of the SH play it out.

By all means scrap it in world cup years no point in it.

It will be a major miracle, of biblical proportions..... New Zealand have already won it!

How hard would it be to simply not announce who is playing who in the last weekend in the AI's until after the RC has been decided. The 6N champions WILL be playing the last weekend, just schedule their opposition as TBA

Not interested.

Less not more please.

If its organised properly, no extra matches are required. As I pointed out earlier, it has already happened accidentally in eight of the last sixteen years

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

I'd rather see this than that 1 off England vs Wales game we got.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I'd rather see this than that 1 off England vs Wales game we got.

Huge difference.