No November tests

In a RWC year, other than this weekend´s Barbarians match against Australia, there are no November tests. Next year they start up again earnest with England, for example, playing Fiji, Australia, SA and NZ in four successive weeks.

Meanwhile, Wales have a series programmed in against Australia. Ireland play 3 tests in NZ with some mid-week games. Anyone else agree with me that this seems a more meaningful use of allocating your test matches? I have no problem with teams going over to the NH but with Argentina, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, NZ, Australia and Tonga, there seems enough teams to make up a rotation of test series rather than an endless procession of one-off games that have the emotional draw of waiting in line to buy half-price jeans. The concept sounds fine enough but you quickly realise there just isn´t that much point. You can only stretch out a half-price jean conversation so far.

Kia, I can't wait for Irelands series to NZ. There's a remote remote chance I'll get to head down to it with work but its unlikely enough at the minute.

Even from a marketing point of view, the traditional tour is a better seller.

Well good luck with that mate. Your best chance of breaking the duck. To be honest I can´t remember the last 3-match series against Ireland which suggests it might have been in black and white, if indeed television was invented then.

That´s my view that as a financial money spinner as these November tests so obviously are, surely you can drum up some decent wedge for tv rights and selling tickets and merchandising for a traditional tour than these one-night stands that clutter up the test calendar all too often.

I like the AI's, i think that is plenty about them to make them a good event. I like series as well but with the top sides from the SH playing the top NH sides in 'one off's' in November is really good. Long may it continue.

I do think the whole old school feel of proper tours works in the marketing mans favour, some of the best remembered and most emotional games have been between club teams and International A teams. Just think of:

Munster v AB's
Leicester v SA
Saracens v SA

All brilliant games and long remembered.

Seeing Harlequins play any of the big three or even better the Maori would be an incredible experience. One can but hope.

I actually enjoy the AI's. Tis a large series of one offs but it does have a combined tournament feel to it. Perhaps they could put some wrappers around it and have some sort of winner at the end of it- perhaps with some ingenious new scoring format and not necessarily just winner take all. The number of 'big side' match ups probably outnumbered the world cup by some margen over a smaller period.

For boring Old farts like me,memories of theProper tours of yesteryear but
they have`nt been practiced for nearly 25 years.A squad of 30 and up to 36 games world wide,meant EVERYONE got at least some game time.
Travel by liner for several weeks each way,then being bashed[softened up]
by about 8 or 9 provincial sides before the First Test.No wonder the Home side won most series great days.
Never work now Clubs would be screaming wheres my players for several months.
Then Rugby was a winter game,you toured in the spring/summer,today it is
never mind the quality feel the width.
Buggins turn,at least in SH you need a minimum of X test matches a year to balance the Books.So Super rugby/NH Comps grow longer players now have to take longer breaks.
The Irish Tour is THE first as such,3 tests plus a couple of provincial Matches.
THE 1950-60`s format.
A formal Mini-tour on those lines July and November plus 4Ns would be ideal,plus a Maori or Junior All Blacks side to tour the Pacific islands would be nice.[or equivalent OZ and Bok sides]
Main problem is club fans screaming where are our stars,for example England 2012 play Fiji plus all the Sanzar countries.
A couple of mid week matches squeezed in too for the dirt trackers would be good too.Say Boks v Saracens,Wallabies v Leicester,Quins versus the All Blacks.