Now the Welsh oppose six-week Six Nations
The proposal to fit the Six Nations into a six-week window appears to be dead in the water, after the Welsh Rugby Union joined its Scottish counterpart in voicing opposition.
As part of the reorganisation to the global calendar that could extend the English domestic season to 10 months, the Rugby Football Union – backed by Premiership Rugby – had wanted to scrap one of the two fallow weeks in the Six Nations schedule. However, any changes would require unanimous approval and it is already clear that will not be achieved.
Last week, Mark Dodson, the Scottish Rugby chief executive, said he would fight shortening of the tournament on player welfare grounds, seeing any such move as invoking “a huge gamble with player safety”. Gareth Davies, the WRU chief executive, has echoed that, arguing that the proposal would hit the nations with smaller playing resources. Indications are that Italy and Ireland harbour similar views.
It means that the RFU and Premiership Rugby will have to go back to the drawing board to find a way of shaking up the global calendar.
Currently, every stakeholder wants to preserve or expand their domain without compromising. The losers, as ever, are the players, with England internationals poised to engage in a potential 11-month season. Even if assurances have been given that there will be rest periods during the season, the Rugby Players’ Association, which is due to meet Premiership Rugby this week, insists more must be done. Christian Day, the chairman, even raised the prospect of strike action last weekend. Meanwhile, Saracens have re-signed Will Skelton for next season. The Australian lock will return at the end of the Super Rugby season with Waratahs. The New Zealand Rugby Union is in talks to stage a Test against Samoa as a warm-up for the Lions series in June.