Regular North Vs South test/series

Do you think there would be a desire in the rugby world to see a north vs south test series? Something similar to the lions but involving the whole rugby playing world?

Imagine a game where the best of the north played the best of the south (or a variation of)

I would suggest this is played in between the WC year and the lions year (leaving the year before the WC for individual countires to do whatever prep they feel is best for them)

Candians, Americans, Russians, Georgians etc along with the 6N's countries up against the Rugby Championship teams, namibia, the PI counties, etc.

Played every four years either as a one off match or a 3 test series?

Who would be in the line ups? Which team would win? Would you buy the strip? (if it was not a monstrocity) Would you go to the match?

I think the revenue (merchindise,advertising rights, tv rights, etc) of a regular match up like this could be put to use to develop rugby in the "lower" tier nations.

No, even George North would need some other players to compete against the whole Southern Hemisphere

you would have to restrict the number of players from each country or else the georgias, romanians, namibias etc would hardly get a look in.

Agree with TJ... if it's the 'best' of NH against the 'best' of SH - then it would be mostly French and New Zealanders....!

But if they were the best... Where do we stop? There are more than 22 European Countries so how would we get representation from each?

Same for SH. Do they have to include players just to make up the numbers, e.g. From Equatorial Guinea???

It is a nice idea, but if you want this to be the best against the best, you cannot take too many countries. How will you measure quality?

If you are just going to do it on invitation then it will really be more a barbarian type event to celebrate rugby.

If you want the series to be more, then you will have to select the best from a few of the top countries.

Biltong wrote:It is a nice idea, but if you want this to be the best against the best, you cannot take too many countries. How will you measure quality?

If you are just going to do it on invitation then it will really be more a barbarian type event to celebrate rugby.

If you want the series to be more, then you will have to select the best from a few of the top countries.

Hmmm...I can feel a PRL BT Vision argument about to take centre stage

The problem with this would be when to play it.

One side is going to be rusty the other side is going to be tired. We'd never agree

I don't really care about the Lions so this is just more of the same. Not really interested. Who really cares about north/south hemisphere thing? Isn't it just are relatively easy shorthand for the old 3N and the 6N? I mean people usually stick Japan in SH. A lot also considered Argentina more NH.

HammerofThunor wrote:I don't really care about the Lions so this is just more of the same. Not really interested. Who really cares about north/south hemisphere thing? Isn't it just are relatively easy shorthand for the old 3N and the 6N? I mean people usually stick Japan in SH. A lot also considered Argentina more NH.

I agree Hammer. I'm not overly fussed about the Lions. But it appears that it's a player-driven thing that somehow survived the onset of professionalism.
But I'm not sure how.

I'm not talking about north vs south bragigng rights or forming a new tradition. I'm talking about a rugby spectacle to raise funds for rugby development and increase the supporter base

tigertattie wrote:I'm not talking about north vs south bragigng rights or forming a new tradition. I'm talking about a rugby spectacle to raise funds for rugby development and increase the supporter base

Isnt that what 7's is for......