WRU WON’T BACK ENGLAND PLANS FOR SIX NATIONS
WELSH Rugby Union chairman Gareth Davies has insisted his governing body will oppose English plans to reduce future Six Nations Championship tournaments from seven to six weeks.
The RFU want the removal of one of the two-week breaks in the tournament to create space for the new global season coming into play after the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.
“We think it would improve it,” said RFU chief executive Ian Ritchie, who also has support from England’s Premier Rugby for the proposal.
“It would narrow the ‘off’ periods and help with the broader narrative.”
The plans will be discussed at this month’s Six Nations review meeting when Ritchie will be lobbying for its implementation.
“It’s absolutely right to always be thinking about what to do to enhance, improve and make the Six Nations better,” added Ritchie. “We think it is a good route. “It may well be that others agree or disagree.”
But the Welsh Rugby Union has become the latest body to voice serious concerns over player welfare should the Six Nations become condensed over a six-week period.
Scottish Rugby Union chief executive Mark Dodson and Rugby Players Association (RPA) chairman Christian Day have also raised concerns over the RFU plans.
And former Wales and Lions flyhalf Davies said: “‘We will not be supporting the reduction to the Six Nations weeks.
“We have consulted with players – they are key in all this with player welfare meant to be a key priority – and the general feeling is that this will place greater pressure on them.”
The current seven-week format was introduced in 2003, reducing the length of the tournament from 10 weeks.
Earlier this year, Premiership rugby clubs called on the Six Nations to be played over five weeks, rather than seven.