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and would unquestionably be detrimental to the long-term future of the game in Wales. Messrs Davies and Phillips must be keenly aware of public disquiet over this issue and should resist pressure from the RFU and Sir Bill to sell out.

It is, however, invidious of the traditional southern hemisphere nations, in particular New Zealand and Australia, to complain about the current structure of the game. They’ve led most of the significant changes in rugby union for decades. Sometimes for the better though always in what they consider to be their own interests. Players have begun to drift northwards to Europe, and now Japan, because that’s where the money is. You can understand that New Zealand and Australia wish to reverse this trend as soon as possible and would like to tap into this market by expanding international competition.

But the Six Nations is unique, not least because of the ability of large numbers of supporters to travel to away matches. This currently can’t be replicated in the southern hemisphere, however much the international season is tinkered with.

It is also utterly hypocritical of New Zealand in particular to be crying crocodile tears over international rugby’s treatment of the Pacific Islanders. Certainly some of the All Blacks of island descent have parents or grandparents who migrated to New Zealand and have not been “poached” under residency rules. Yet while the national team has benefited enormously from these outstanding players very little has been done by New Zealand rugby to support the countries from which they or their forebears came.

I Seaton Mumbles, Swansea