Eight nations tournament too much too soon for UK
WITH my usual proviso that we should all be concentrating at this juncture on preserving lives and the NHS, sport is coming back and the fact is that when I first heard of rugby’s new eight-nations tournament I have to confess I wasn’t listening properly and thought the Six Nations was being scrapped and Georgia and either Spain, Romania or Russia were being allowed in to the Championship.
It was not such a crazy thought – Georgia are currently ranked 12th in the World Rugby ratings, ahead of Italy in 14th place and four places behind Scotland. Spain, Romania and Russia are 18th, 19th and 20th respectively but Russia is moving up places hand over fist. Maybe Vladimir Putin has taken up the game…
Sadly, however, it was a mishearing on my part and the new tournament is about World Rugby allowing a temporary fix to the disastrous effects of the coronavirus pandemic. Make no mistake this is all about pieces of eight, filthy lucre, the spondulicks, the moolah, the wonga, the readies and putting Mammon ahead of Panacea (originally the Greek goddess of medicinal cures, in case you didn’t know).
Just wait until you see the rugby unions piling pressure on the various governments to allow spectators in – I’ve seen estimates varying from 1,000 to 40,000 being promulgated by the vested interests who desperately need bums on seats to raise cash.
The 40,000 figure is being touted by the RFU, funnily enough – that’s the Union based in the country in the UK with by far the worst record on dealing with the pandemic. There is no one of any sense among health experts who thinks this pandemic will be over across Britain by the end of October, and we know where the worst-hit areas will continue to be.
The fact is that a second wave might just erupt in the UK at the very time we are all supposed to trot along to Murrayfield or Twickers and risk our lives to watch a game of rugby. It’s total and utter madness to even contemplate huge crowds being allowed, never mind encouraged, to travel and mingle until there is a vaccine and a cure for Covic-19.
Sorry to be a spoilsport, especially as I count myself among those who think professional sport without spectators is bunkum, but the only way this tournament should go ahead is behind closed doors with television cameras in attendance. Just think of the reality of a rugby tournament – fans with tickets head for bars and clubs before the matches, those without tickets head for their watering holes, and all the evidence shows that once drink is taken, social distancing and other precautions are oot the windae. Let’s watch the matches, by all means, but in the safety of our own homes or neighbourly bubbles – and no, a rugby clubhouse is not a bubble,