6 nations not moving

Six Nations unlikely to move from February start, says RFU chief - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/36888593

Intresting if brief read.

"McCafferty says that the clubs must be heavily involved in the decision making.

'They are big stakeholders in the game, particularly the English clubs and the French clubs,' he added.

'The scale of the business from Premiership Rugby's point of view is bigger than most unions around the world.' "

McCafferty is back on the horse again anyway.  The Unions should butt out of Club rugby but Club Rugby should have a big say in Union (World Rugby) International Rugby.  Oh sorry, I mean the 'Big Stakeholders', the English and French clubs, should have a major say.

Well as it's no longer a secret they want total control of the national team why shouldn't be be honest.
But looking at the new 8 year agreement they may be happy with just having a say.......for at least 4 years anyway

carpet baboon wrote:Well as it's no longer a secret they want total control of the national team why shouldn't be be honest.
But looking at the new 8 year agreement they may be happy with just having a say.......for at least 4 years anyway

Well, as I alluded to on the other thread dealing roughly with similar issues, I'm not really all that concerned who runs International rugby (the England National team) in England.  That's for them to work out between the RFU and PRL.  

My issue is that this Single Nation Entity, the PRL, actually seem to want to carve up all rugby, globally - both 'Club' level and International level.  They want to become Controllers of 'World Rugby' itself.  That's an immoral goal on so many levels that I hope such an ambition fails miserably.  They want to F1-ise Rugby - a Private club, controlled by Private billionaires, where entry is by special invitation and bountiful chequebook contributions only.

It's a scary thought

Headline is inaccurate.

Richie represents the view of one union, not the whole of the Northern Hemisphere.

Gerald Davies said the exact opposite about a week ago.

If I recall correctly, PRL want blocks of games mapped out into chunks. League games, then European Comps, then Internationals together. I wonder if that matches with the ERFU's thinking.

Pot Hale wrote:Headline is inaccurate.  

Richie represents the view of one union, not the whole of the Northern Hemisphere.

Gerald Davies said the exact opposite about a week ago.

If I recall correctly,  PRL want blocks of games mapped out into chunks.  League games, then European Comps, then Internationals together.  I wonder if that matches with the ERFU's thinking.  

Let's weigh the two to see how much of ye Olde Influence they have then:

First Ritchie: Jesus Ian, get off the scales! Get off them! You're brea............. For F**k's Sake! I told you to get off them! Get back up here now. Guy's get him a ladder or something, I think he's stuck in that hole

Gareth Davies: Oh there you go. Yis let him off the line too early. Up he goes quickly. The wind direction should mean we'll find him landed somewhere in Poland.

Davies was talking through his ass. He says the main reason for a change is for player welfare and that maybe moving the 6 Nations would fix that which total rubbish as the only way to help player welfare is to have fewer games. Moving the 6Ns to April/May isn't going to fix that when the Top 14 had its final at the 28 June and the Top 14 starts again on 20th August.

That leaves no time for a decent break for anyone who plays international rugby and not much of a preseason either. Watch Racing & Toulon next season and see how they fare in the early stages of the Top 14.

By the way, John Feehan, 6Ns CEO says there is no way the 6Ns is moving from its present slot. All to do with TV etc.

A friend of mine in Dublin recently referred to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in London as the EFCA. Leaving aside that it regulates the UK and only firms within it and hence inaccurate but now I have seen ERFU - is this a new irish trend ?

Ritchie is simply stating a commercial stance before a negotiation - most businessmen adopt this standard tactic to create value in position.
Beaumont would not have stated he intends to address the global seasonal issue if it was already dead in the water. NZ clearly want change to address their future financial predicament.

There is no news here. If no-one objected to moving the Six Nations, then it would already have been moved. Perhaps the RFU does end up as the last Six Nations hold-out, but I doubt any of the others are unconditionally in favour of a change.

Every party who argues in favour of keeping the Six Nations where it is, is issuing a challenge to those who want it shifted: "Tell us how we will benefit". That's the only discussion which really matters.

Recwatcher16 wrote:A friend of mine in Dublin recently referred to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in London as the EFCA. Leaving aside that it regulates the UK and only firms within it and hence inaccurate but now I have seen ERFU - is this a new irish trend ?

Ritchie is simply stating a commercial stance before a negotiation - most businessmen adopt this standard tactic to create value in position.
Beaumont would not have stated he intends to address the global seasonal issue if it was already dead in the water. NZ clearly want change to address their future financial predicament.

The Kiwis don't like the break in Super Rugby in June for NH tours. Thats is their issue.

It has got nothing to do with player protection which is what some are trying to claim.

Yes absolutely it has little to do with player protection, particularly as some Kiwis play more for the AB's than their franchise.
Ultimately they want more financial reward out of their AB fixtures- the away games in particular is the biggie. The S18 gap is an additional gripe for their domestic tv deal.

Recwatcher16 wrote:A friend of mine in Dublin recently referred to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in London as the EFCA. Leaving aside that it regulates the UK and only firms within it and hence inaccurate but now I have seen ERFU - is this a new irish trend ?

The FCA in Ireland would generally mean the Fórsa Cosanta Áitiúil set up in 1947 - the Local Defence Forces.

Call me a cynic, but could the 'sanctity' of the 6N in its current slot be overly stressed to use as a bargaining tool come the big discussions around the world season??

If we (as in NH) indicate that it's no big deal to move it around despite it being one of the most lucrative, most watched and attended annual rugby union competition in the world then the NH negotiators lose a huge advantage.

There has yet to be one good argument put forward for moving the 6N.

What is difficult to understand is why club competitions would want harmonisation between hemispheres - surely it is easier to sell a competition to the other hemisphere when they have no rugby of their own? Of course it would make sense if there was a World League so that the SH sides could tap into NH money directly.

It's also interesting that with all the talk of so-called player welfare none of these guys are calling for scrapping the Lions which is especially injurious to NH players.

TrailApe wrote:Call me a cynic, but could the 'sanctity' of the 6N in its current slot be overly stressed to use as a bargaining tool come the big discussions around the world season??

If we (as in NH) indicate that it's no big deal to move it around despite it being one of the most lucrative, most watched and attended annual rugby union competition in the world then the NH negotiators lose a huge advantage.

I'd agree with that. Although, the sanctity of the 6N would not be news to anyone in the rugby world. Clearly, there are other issues such as sharing in NH gates, (and SH gates), residency qualification period, increased tests for Tier 2 nations, etc.

Moving June tests to July is what SANZAAR want so they can use them as a warm-up for the 4N. And get the Super 18 finished. Moving the 6N to April is only a part of the jigsaw.

The eternally discontented Jigsaw, I might add, Pot - or EDJ, to go with the plethora of growing acronyms associated with Rugby.

Here's an idea, how about keeping things as they are for a while so that everyone can collect their breath after the European Trade War and watch some rugby uninterrupted by constant political moans, groans and endless Green f**king Papers about everything from 'needed' rule changes (always and ever a moan amongst the never happy masses) to genetic profiling of players to prove ancestry and prospective multi-faceted International eligibility.  

What Beamount should actually be doing now, in my opinion, is deciding on a 5 or 6 year moratorium on any and all administrative changes - at Club and International level.  That's a 5 or 6 year moratorium on discussions about changes.  Just close down the Negotiation boardrooms and go sit in the Elite seats around the world, and just watch rugby.. being played rather than being constantly talked about.  
Be a Mascot Billy, sit on your hands for your term.... tell the buggers you are out to dinner when they call looking for yet another  tropically located fully expenses-paid preliminary-structural-changes meeting.