Ideal rugby calendar schedule outside of RWC years

The NH season is reaching the end of its calendar season and the SH season is getting under away. We have a 3 test Lions series in Oz and a 3 test France series in NZ to look forward to in the coming months.

But what would be your ideal calendar year outside of RWC year? Let's imagine that the 6N or the RC didn't exist. You can choose any test schedule over the block months of February - March, June and November in the NH and June, August - September and November in the SH. There can be a maximum of three tests against one particular nation and a maximum number of 12 tests in any given season.

So first up in June I'd like to see 3 tests in SA, to me the greatest tour any AB player can embark on and sadly with the 3 or 4N one we don't get to see any more. The first test to be in Cape Town, then moving to Loftus and finally in J'Burg. If that doesn't get the blood pumping as a Kiwi, then you're either dead or not worth talking to!

Then in August - September I'd like to see a 3 test series against England. We get to play them pretty much every year in one off tests and the French seem to be regular tourists to NZ but I couldn't tell you the last 3 test series in NZ against England and I'm too lazy to look it up. But I'd be very surprised if it ever happened in my lifetime as I certainly don't recall 3 tests being played there when I grew up there for 21 years but then again the memory isn't what it used to be!

After that, I'd like a Bledisloe Cup take it or leave it match putting it on the line (it's much easier to keep it than to get it) so long as the match wasn't played in Brisbane. Make it Sydney or Melbourne and you have a deal!

7 tests down and then something that should've been done by now but sadly hasn't, on the way to Europe in November a mini tour of Western Samoa and Tonga. Sorry Fiji but you can wait another year because you're having a military coup and we all know sport and politics don't mix.

Then on to France for a 3 test series in the cities of Biarritz, Toulouse and Perpignan. Naturally I would go to these games and mix with the locals before and after the matches and take in the atmosphere in those places which is sadly not seen when it comes to playing tests in France. I don't have anything against the big cities of Lyon, Paris and Marseille but when it comes to rugby atmosphere the three venues I would like to have would pee all over those last three.

12 tests in one year. The Lions and a three test series in Argentina (can't remember one of those) sprang to mind and frankly a 3 match tour of Wales or Ireland would also be a good experience. But that's my bucket list NZRFU so pull finger and make it happen. I'm not getting any younger!

That's my ideal calendar year for rugby tests. What would yours be?

I love the idea of a 3 test series in SA. It's the pinnacle. Plus I'd like to see there be another team apart from the magnificent 96 side with the spoils from such a series. That team will be looked on like the 1937 Springboks as amongst the very best sides of all time. Would tempt me to head to Africa to catch it too. The Saffas are the best hosts I've ever come across and regardless of rugby banter and results it'd be a guaranteed great time.

Am over the Bledisloe-a one test job might be the go. Loving the French series coming up. I reckon that's enough to get the full spectrum of the French psyche. I definitely don't predict three hidings and we could very well drop a test or two. France and logic are mutually exclusive so the form book means feck all.

Rather have the 6N and RC every two years and a WC and Lions tour in between those. Would love to play countries like Samoa away to give something back. Either or, save a WC year I'd like to see ten tests a year max. Quality not quantity-and keep team changes to a bare mininum-ideally only injury or loss of form. I understand you need depth in tournaments but I hate the idea of the All Blacks being managed like the Yankees.

The separation of club and country fixtures is my dream.

I'd love to see proper club/franchise leagues played on a home and away basis just as I'd like to see promotion/relegation through Northern and Southern international competitions.

I would like the RC to be contested every four years just like the RWC, the reason is simple.

The less frequent you compete in any given tournament the more important it becomes, we have seen over the last two world cup years where coaches would sacrafice a Rugby Championship for a world cup chance.

I agree on twelve tests per year, but as much as I love us playing against the old foe, again familiariyt breeds contempt, or in this case, too much of a good thing....

I want to see 3 test tours two at home, and two away from home, if you take the two years without a RWC and RC, that leaves 4 away tours and 4 home tours, add another 4 tours during RWC and RC years and your ave in total 12 test series, 6 at home and 6 away.

Again, in those 4 years we must play as many different teams as possible.

I love the old days where you play the all Blacks once every 4 years in a test series, that is what legends are made of, where a guy in his rugby career, might notch up 12 tets in his whole career against a typical opponent

And the myths tha continue to form, imagine you pplay Wales at Cardiff once ever 8 years for three tests.

Isn;t that what tests are supposed to be about?

Having a system similar to cricket would be ideal. 4 3 match series with warm up games against club or composite sides would give a better reflection of the rankings.

Could you do the same thing you're proposing with club or provincial teams? Keep the regions in the same area 1 year and then traveling overseas in a set block the rest of the time and not having them clash with the test schedule. Hard on players who have families but great from a spectator point of view.

To be honest, no.

No matter how much I enjoy Super XV, I am a traditionalist, I love the idea of testing our best against your best every few years, if you think back to the old days, not knowing the oppositions players by name and only by reputaion produced a mythical aura around those teams, it is a feeling hard to describe, I think back to when I was a youngster and we would sit in front of the radio or TV listening with anticipation.

I would love to have those days back where test rugby was a myth.

If they look at Super XV and maybe did that on a bi annual basis with fewer teams (condence the quality) and hosted it in one country similar to a RWC, then definitely.

Must confess that I agree familiarity breeds contempt.I remember the anticipation of SH teams coming up here.Now they are two a penny.The gloss has gone and now it is getting humdrum.
A little of what you fancy does you good.

Agree Taff-I can imagine BOD being feted in such a way if he only played NZ a couple of times. Stuff like that might actually help a NZ test get sold out. Doesn't happen much these days sadly.

If this was easy then it would of already been sorted out.

Rugby Union is supposed to be a winter sport, and obviously when it's summer in the Northern Hemisphere it's winter down south.

Due to the lack of serious competition of summer sports in the Northern Hemisphere it would be a lot better all round if the Northern Hemisphere moved to summer rugby. The reason I say this is because British winters are colder than Southern Hemisphere ones. While the warmer weather would no doubt attract more players and fans. The only issue that stands out is many clubs share grounds with cricket teams, so that might cause clashes.
A lot of clubs grounds are also owned by councils and it's unlikely that many clubs would be allowed to play games on their grounds outside their normal season. I know Kenfig Hill RFC were refused permission to play a game on their ground in the last week of August by their council as their only allowed to use it from the start of September!

A World season might work by going from the start of March to the second week of December. So 4 weeks in January an February, and the final 2 weeks in December as the off season.
The 6 Nations and 4 Nations could be played during May, before the 6 week school summer holiday, while the club season could end at the end of September.
November and the first 2 weeks of December could be for home and away fixtures between countries. The first 3 weeks could be home games, as its easier for the 4 Nations sides to travel around the 6 nations teams as the distances are much shorter, while the final 3 weeks could be a tour to a 4 nations team.