Nations Championship?
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"Six Nations and SANZAAR will own and operate the elite competition, with World Rugby creating a newly formed second-tier competition to facilitate promotion and relegation matches."
This is the problem.. separate professional organisations trying to be included in a global sport.
So there's two distinct companies - "owning" certain competitions - and then trying to shoehorn that into a global sporting structure.
From my 10 seconds of learning about, thinking about, and writing about - this proposal - it seems a reasonable starting point.
The 2 "invitational unions" being the obvious "buffer" between the TRC+6N and 2nd-Tier.
Yes... it's going to get a little embarrassing when Japan, Georgia, Samoa and Fiji - are all consistently better than Italy... with one or two of them stuck in 2nd-Tier while Italy is forever preserved in "Tier 1".
But ... you have to be realistic about these things... and it seems a reasonable starting point.
Also... what's the likelihood of there being more than two of Japan,Georgia,Samoa,Fiji - ALL being ahead of Italy on rankings at any time soon?Edit: - re-reading the posts previous to mine... it seems there was a bit of wonder-ment whether the promotion/relegation would apply to 6N & TRC or not. My reading of that very simple quote was a very simple: NO. 6N and TRC are ring-fenced "companies". Everything else is working around that. For better or worse.
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Will it diminish the RWC?
I would have preferred this every 4 years. Ideally 2 years after the RWC with the lions tour shifting years
With a big club championship including Japan, SR teams, UK Ireland france etc every 4 years as well. say 50 teams in 10 pools. 16 team knockout
Maybe it's wanting too much though
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Lions isn’t moving anywhere
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'The death of Tier 2 rugby' - Fans slam new global rugby tournament
The reaction to SANZAAR and Six Nations Rugby's plans for a new international rugby tournament has been widely criticised by fans and media.
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Too much of the sane old, same old. No real incentive or opportunity for the Tier 2 countries save possibly Japan an Fiji/other PI.
Cash cow. Nothing more.
Embarrassing.
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Well I quite happy with idea of it. It pretty obvious from reading the press release RC will supply the 2 invitation teams, so Japan and Fiji probably. until 2030. The best thing is teams that travel in the July wondow etc will be coming with close to full strength teams etc.
I will add those that are aginst mandatory rest weeks for test players maybe disappointed, as teams will have to hit ground running early . Also see the likes of Tonga, Samoa becoming pretty poulay as warm up games for SH teams, so a bonus there for those countries?
And to those that say cash cow etc, probably, but would they prefer that rugby didn't try and get more money to develop game?
And reading the article posted above why would Georgia not play a top tier nation maore tha once every 4 years, surely they will be very poular warm up games for 6N teams as they are now, and after 2030 hopefully they maybe good enough to earn promotion. If WR get tier 2 comp going as proposed isn't that good? Georgia,US,Canade,Tonga, Samoa with comps that have reason. As I say it seems first thing to do is look for negatives, I will look at positives, and think it a good starting point. -
It adds structure, meaning, more money for unions.
Will be interesting if this competition becomes the way for WR to confirm qualification and seeding for future world cups.
I don’t mind the comp, although it will change TRC to a 6 team comp and mirror the home and away aspect of it in alternate years.
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Georgia are the obvious losers here if there is no relegation/promotion.
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@Dan54 said in Six Nations, SANZAAR New tournaments in 2026:
Well I quite happy with idea of it. It pretty obvious from reading the press release RC will supply the 2 invitation teams, so Japan and Fiji probably. until 2030. The best thing is teams that travel in the July wondow etc will be coming with close to full strength teams etc.
I will add those that are aginst mandatory rest weeks for test players maybe disappointed, as teams will have to hit ground running early . Also see the likes of Tonga, Samoa becoming pretty poulay as warm up games for SH teams, so a bonus there for those countries?
And to those that say cash cow etc, probably, but would they prefer that rugby didn't try and get more money to develop game?
And reading the article posted above why would Georgia not play a top tier nation maore tha once every 4 years, surely they will be very poular warm up games for 6N teams as they are now, and after 2030 hopefully they maybe good enough to earn promotion. If WR get tier 2 comp going as proposed isn't that good? Georgia,US,Canade,Tonga, Samoa with comps that have reason. As I say it seems first thing to do is look for negatives, I will look at positives, and think it a good starting point.Not guilty
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Hmmm
So, basically, taking the existing 2 x 3 week windows - and getting the 6 hosts from each respective 'hemispheres' to play the visiting 6.
This means there is zero, nil, zip, space for e.g. Georgia to get a game as a warmup. Assuming they are left out of the invitation 2. Ditto for whoever the other unlucky 11 to 13ish ranked are. Samoa and Tonga, assuming Japan and Fiji are in.
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Wait. Actually, how does the comp work without adding the 2 'invitations' to the TRC?
It cant be an everyone plays everyone league.
Would have to be a 2 pools of 6. With a grand final.
That would mean a 6 v 6, in 3 out of the 6 international window weekends. Possibly leaving 3 weeks for others. Unless the grand final is one of those weeks. What would the other 10 teams do on grand final weekend? Play 3rd v 4th, 5th v 6th etc etc .
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@Rapido said in Six Nations, SANZAAR New tournaments in 2026:
Wait. Actually, how does the comp work without adding the 2 'invitations' to the TRC?
It cant be an everyone plays everyone league.
Would have to be a 2 pools of 6. With a grand final.
That would mean a 6 v 6, in 3 out of the 6 international window weekends. Possibly leaving 3 weeks for others. Unless the grand final is one of those weeks. What would the other 10 teams do on grand final weekend? Play 3rd v 4th, 5th v 6th etc etc .
Doesn't have to be a 6 v 6, as all SH teams would play in RC (one round) plus say Japan and Fiji, then NH teams would play 3 teams in july, and then alternate in Nov internationals? So baiscally you have to lots of 3 weeks outside the RC or 6Ns.
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@Dan54 said in Six Nations, SANZAAR New tournaments in 2026:
@Rapido said in Six Nations, SANZAAR New tournaments in 2026:
Wait. Actually, how does the comp work without adding the 2 'invitations' to the TRC?
It cant be an everyone plays everyone league.
Would have to be a 2 pools of 6. With a grand final.
That would mean a 6 v 6, in 3 out of the 6 international window weekends. Possibly leaving 3 weeks for others. Unless the grand final is one of those weeks. What would the other 10 teams do on grand final weekend? Play 3rd v 4th, 5th v 6th etc etc .
Doesn't have to be a 6 v 6, as all SH teams would play in RC (one round) plus say Japan and Fiji, then NH teams would play 3 teams in july, and then alternate in Nov internationals? So baiscally you have to lots of 3 weeks outside the RC or 6Ns.
Sorry, what?
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Scrap it now
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@Rapido said in Six Nations, SANZAAR New tournaments in 2026:
@Dan54 said in Six Nations, SANZAAR New tournaments in 2026:
@Rapido said in Six Nations, SANZAAR New tournaments in 2026:
Wait. Actually, how does the comp work without adding the 2 'invitations' to the TRC?
It cant be an everyone plays everyone league.
Would have to be a 2 pools of 6. With a grand final.
That would mean a 6 v 6, in 3 out of the 6 international window weekends. Possibly leaving 3 weeks for others. Unless the grand final is one of those weeks. What would the other 10 teams do on grand final weekend? Play 3rd v 4th, 5th v 6th etc etc .
Doesn't have to be a 6 v 6, as all SH teams would play in RC (one round) plus say Japan and Fiji, then NH teams would play 3 teams in july, and then alternate in Nov internationals? So baiscally you have to lots of 3 weeks outside the RC or 6Ns.
Sorry, what?
Lol I thought it was pretty simple mate, wasn't I clear enough in my explanation?
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So while it's run by Sanzaar and the Six Nations, the results of those competitions don't actually have anything to do with the new league.
Instead, over the two international windows, the 12 teams will be split into two pools, North and South, and the final ranking at the end of the year will be determined by how you perform in your six matches against the teams from the other pool.
It's a bit like the fool-proof system they used during Super Rugby Trans- Ta$man.
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Looking just at the 6 nations. Maybe they will play 5 teams in the 6 nations. The other 6 teams will be played in 2 lots of three. Three in the SH and three later in the yr in the NH. Maybe the top 4 teams will then play the semi and final after the NH games
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