Expanding the Six Nations to Eight Nations

Brian Capture

What would people think of a proposal to extend the Six Nations to Eight Nations - by adding Romania and Georgia?

Extra games, increased revenue and a more competitive tournament.

Hopefully it will become a reality sooner rather than later.

Diamondmaker

I have heard many valid arguements to expand to 7 with Argentina, which I agree with, but expanding to 8 with those 2 teams is nonsense.

Re extra revenue:
Who would pay to see Ire Georgia??No one What would it do for the big teams?
nothing, therefore it will not happen.

The development of the 2 temas mentioned is of no concern to the 6N organisers

mike65

Makes no real sense, Italy is still a minow (albeit one thats improving, just not today) and introducing a couple more makeweights simply means more games and no greater quality. Maybe the RFU could encourage the start of a mini league for second string nations in Europe (do the Dutch play much?).

Mike.

Funkstard

I think it would be a great idea to expand it to allow Argetina play, have them based somewhere in Europe for 6 weeks. Most of the players play in Europe anyway, they are a great team but don't have matches often enough to further themselves

mike65

mike65 wrote:

Makes no real sense, Italy is still a minow (albeit one thats improving, just not today) and introducing a couple more makeweights simply means more games and no greater quality. Maybe the RFU could encourage the start of a mini league for second string nations in Europe (do the Dutch play much?).

Mike.

And following that, the winner of the second sting league could enter the 6 nations

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

PeadarofAodh

If Romania and Georgia entered it would be a huge backward step for them - at least in the World Cup they can have a semi-decent run out against second-tier sides like Fiji and USA. Can you really imagine Georgia being able to stand toe-to-toe with Ireland/France/England even after 10 years of being in the tournament??

An Tarbh

It certainly wouldn't be more competitive, even Italy would comfortably win against Georgia and Romania and you certainly wouldn't be getting capacity crowds for the visit of Georgia and Romania, you'd be lucky to get 25000 and I can't see trips to Tiblisi or Bucharest being that popular with the fans. TV companies wouldn't be overly pleased either.

As for Argentina coming in, I think they should be given a tournament to play in but expanding the 3N for me is their only option, I know their players mostly play in Europe but if they get into the 3N they might get a club side into an expanded Super 14 which would keep and attract players back to Argentina

Guy:Incognito

Once you let in Argentina, Do you not thenbasically have the WC every year just without Aust, NZ and SA?

May as well let them in and hold the WC annually.

crosstownk

Stekelly wrote:

Once you let in Argentina, Do you not thenbasically have the WC every year just without Aust, NZ and SA?

May as well let them in and hold the WC annually.

Valid point. Maybe it's just me, but I reckon the 6N (or xN) should be limited to European teams - otherwise we end up with the scenario that Stekelly suggests.

davyjose

The bottom line is that a 7 Nations is only being proposed because it is obvious that the Argies need to be involved somewhere, but the Tri-Nation countries are too mean to accept them. It's something I don't understand - if they believe they aren't good enough, then what the hell are Australia doing in it?

Redundo

It's all about money with Argentina. As far as i know the game is still totally amateur there, so the Argentinian RFU doesn't have the money to wave under the noses of the Tri-Nations teams. And without being able to bring money to the game, the tri-nations teams just aren't interested.

The 6-Nations don't want the Argentines involved in Europe because it does make sense for them to play in an expanded Tri-Nations. Including the Argentines would have the 7-Nations tournament drag on for too long and established Nations like France are already concerned over fixture congestion. If it were expanded beyond a 6 Nation tournament I can bet you would see the end of the HEC.

EdgarAllenPoo

Leave it at six and sub Argentina for Italy. With the exception of money there really isn't any need for them to be there anymore. They are and will always be the wooden spoon brigade at least Argentina have a fighting chance based on there current form.

Redundo

Thats complete kack. If you are going by that rationale then Ireland would have been turfed out of the tournament long ago. It wasn't even 10 years back that we were seen as perennial Wooden Spooners.

davyjose

Yeah, I don't agree with that at all - kicking a team out because they are not at some perceived level of performance, is ridiculous. They are of this hemisphere, and are European. And on yesterday's performance Scotland will push them to the wire for that wooden spoon.

Amazotheamazing

I dunno, in most ways Argentina have more in common with Europe than the SH, and could quite easily be based in a Spanish city, which would reduce travelling times, and would obviously be easier for the European based players.

The current 3n's already involves the teams travelling huge distances, adding Argentina just makes it that much tougher on the players.

Redundo

But like I said earlier expanding the North Hemisphere tournament to 7 Nations would place too much fixture congestion on every competing nation. It would add at least one extra week to the tournament if not two.
There is also the problem of fans. Who exactly is going to go to support Argentina at their 'Home' ground in Holland or Spain? I can't see the locals embracing them with open arms. At least if Arg join an expanded Tri-nations they can play their games in front of their own supporters.

dolidze

six nations should either expand to 7 nations or allow the ENC top team to switch places with six nations bottom team. this way other european countries besides endland, france , ireland, scotland, italy and wales will get chances to improve their game, before italy entered the elite group they lost to teams like georgia and romania quite often.
this would also help popularizing the sport. if everything depends on money for IRB, no wonder football is 10 times more popular than rugby. IRB needs to help emerging teams from all around the world, in order to become sucsessful itself.

CIARAN_BOYLE

dolidze wrote: »

six nations should either expand to 7 nations or allow the ENC top team to switch places with six nations bottom team. this way other european countries besides endland, france , ireland, scotland, italy and wales will get chances to improve their game, before italy entered the elite group they lost to teams like georgia and romania quite often.
this would also help popularizing the sport. if everything depends on money for IRB, no wonder football is 10 times more popular than rugby. IRB needs to help emerging teams from all around the world, in order to become sucsessful itself.

I wouldn't support the idea of relegation per se between the two competitions. That said I wouldn't mind a playoff between the wooden spoon team and the top ENC teams for the 6th spot in the 6Ns maybe

Judgement Day

Major Zombie thread - I found myself reading the posts with amazement and then I noticed the date. :rolleyes:

Cosmo Kramer

I have no idea why this thread has been dragged up after four years but it is interesting reading the dismissive posts abut Georgia from early 2007...