Six Nations 2018. Love it.

[Boba Fret]

Before this year's championships there was actually talk from pundits that we should expect a stronger year from Italy - look how that turned out.

There's also been talk about replacing Italy with Georgia, however I feel that would simply be a sidewards step - if not backwards.

I would like to see either another team added or alternatively relegation and promotion with the division below. Sadly the money men won't let this happen and are therefore stifling the growth of rugby.

 

[PhilM]

I would like to see either another team added or alternatively relegation and promotion with the division below. Sadly the money men won't let this happen and are therefore stifling the growth of rugby.

Unfortunately however, Italy are the best of a pretty bad bunch if you ignore the southern hemisphere teams, so right now there's little options.

In the long term, I think such a plan may hold merit but right now, as it currently stands, the Six Nations is the best I think we can expect.

 

[thirdmantackle]

Italy will improve slowly

they have to get back to developing their own players and not dropping in 3rd rate NZ players

 

[Boba Fret]

Unfortunately however, Italy are the best of a pretty bad bunch if you ignore the southern hemisphere teams, so right now there's little options.

In the long term, I think such a plan may hold merit but right now, as it currently stands, the Six Nations is the best I think we can expect.

I think we should agree to disagree on this I feel Georgia, Russia and Romania would be ready to step up. Yes they would be weak at first but could only improve. Very much like Italy when they first joined.

 

[Caolam]

If you are going to introduce some way of dropping a team out of the six nations I feel you would have to give them a guarantee of 5 years. If it was a year to year thing I don't believe it would improve the standard of the lesser countries. They would treat their year in the six nations as a prize in itself. Maybe a ten nation set up with two leagues of five, one of the bigger teams would be dropping down and them playing regularly in the lower division might pull the standard up.
Can't see it happening.
Conor O Shea looks like he is doing the right things in Italy, it will take him a few more years but he will get there if he is given the right support.

 

[The binman chronicles]

I would like to see either another team added or alternatively relegation and promotion with the division below. Sadly the money men won't let this happen and are therefore stifling the growth of rugby.

At the moment it works as you get the home nation capitals plus Paris and Rome. I'm sure Bucharest and Tbilisi are lovely but they are not Rome.

 

[PhilM]

I think we should agree to disagree on this I feel Georgia, Russia and Romania would be ready to step up. Yes they would be weak at first but could only improve. Very much like Italy when they first joined.

Georgia are probably the closest in the northern hemisphere, however their record against even reasonably competent teams isn't glowing.

Argentina have rolled them over in recent years, they lost to Japan and they've been almost equally matched by the US, Samoa, Romania et al.

Admittedly, they did play well against a much changed Wales last year, but like I mentioned earlier I do believe it'd be a at most a side step.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not against the change of the Six Nations, but I feel that adding Georgia, or swapping them for Italy, isn't an option yet.

If we're talking about Italy being the fodder of the SN then it'll just add another factor where they'll each only compete for the wooden spoon.

 

[ToffeeTim]

Get the finger out Sexton

 

[PhilM]

Davies bamboozled the Irish defence with his quick, agile movement and they certainly didn't appear comfortable with the pressure.

 

[ToffeeTim]

Shambolic to be losing having dominated like that

 

[ToffeeTim]

Would be great if the ref stopped acting as an extra defender in the Welsh backline lol

 

[Boba Fret]

Please step it up Ireland.

 

[Boba Fret]

Ireland giving up too many silly penalties. Need to sort it out quickly.

 

[ToffeeTim]

There are a stack of indigenous irish players who are better than Aki. Utterly out of his depth.

 

[Boba Fret]

There are a stack of indigenous irish players who are better than Aki. Utterly out of his depth.

......and then he scores the try on half-time.