Is this newish structure for the 6 Nations a good thing or not?
I accept that it might be hard on the players to have International games five weeks on the trot but this stop/start set up does rather spoil the excitement of the tournament, I feel - especially this year when the tournament is so wide open.
This is a problem with the whole rugby season and I know it has been looked at and recommendations made. Nothing changes, I gather, because television calls the tune, which is a great shame. There is a logical way of running all the tournaments in the Northern Hemisphere - as they do Down Under. We should start with the smaller, local competitions, move up to the Heineken Cup then have the 6 Nations as the finale to the season.
But that's not going to happen, is it? TV Rules, OK!!! What a crying shame. They are even introducing Friday night matches next year in hte 6 Nations just to suit the paymasters. Disgusting! I am fed up of very late kick offs in France but to get away on a Thursday in order to watch Wales on a Friday night in Paris is going to be very difficult for a lot of people. What a way to treat us paying fans!
But us supporters don't matter, do we? The fact that we pay very high prices for tickets these days doesn't count. We are taken for granted and have to 'pay up and shut up'.
Rugby is a great game but tinkering with the Laws and the timing or matches could back fire, big time. A lot of my friends Down Under hate the new experimental laws and say they are ruining the game. Having a piecemeal season may contribute to smaller crowds for some of the lesser tournaments too. OK, so the 6 Nations will survive but will it still have the same pulling power? Maybe not!!