Chances of the Boks joining an expanded Six Nations/replacing Italy?
Italy, Argentina and Japan are in a bit of a rough spot. Too good to be in the second tier but lacking the structures to truly settle in as a tier 1 nation.
The Springboks going North would break apart The Rugby Championship. I am still in the view that South America and North America should together establish a union/club competition. Both continents are showing improvements, the exception being the Canadians. It would be a good cultural mix, promoting union rugby (incl. sevens).
Super Rugby is now amended, with 12 teams (incl. two island teams, one being mixed). This is good. Should have happened a long time, but other expansions were prioritised, and we all know how that turned out, however, I would have thought it to be better to also include two mixed Japanese teams based in New Zealand and or Australia, Jamie Joseph having such a good relationship with the Highlanders… but no.
Japan is screwed. They haven’t played a properly prepared game since the Rugby World Cup, and the international games which they did play they were grossly unprepared due to their national pandemic mitigation measures. No real national camps, not much time with the head coach (or so I think, I read Joseph is spending more time in New Zealand). I do keep an eye on their rugby pundits… the club leagues aren’t all too healthy at the moment, again, pandemic regulations. This also halted the big competition plans they had in motion with some Australian rugby magnates, which I don’t believe will happen any more due to the Super Rugby amendment. So… Joseph has his work cut out, the 12 years it took Japan to where they are now is diminished. I am sure that the updated eligibility rule will be maximised in Japan, sadly. Who knows… In my view, I think the Far East and Eastern Europe should together start a club competition, and somehow Japan needs to get an annual international schedule with the islands, Australia and New Zealand, but the schedule is too tight, unless they get a Northern Hemisphere invitation to at least play two tier one teams once a season.
I don’t know, I think union rugby is going to be pretty shitty this and next year. Once World Rugby have the World Cup behind their backs, things might change to be more accommodative. Current competitions won’t change much, many new sponsors entered rugby union and many current sponsors renewed their agreements, ignoring broadcasting agreements, you look at another 3-5 years where things will remain pretty much the same, but sponsors are open to compromise, well, renegotiating the deal. It is the broadcasters who need to be convinced because it is they who sustain the pools.
