International Rugby

[Drummond]

If you stopped England v virtually any other side, you'd immediately lose masses of TV revenue and interest and the competition would die. The fact every team plays every other is what makes it special, so the two division nonsense would scupper it.

Most of the nations want to play and beat England and if they didn't have that opportunity it would devalue it for them too.

As for Italy, every team goes through good spells and bad spells, they'll get better again. Georgia could make a case for expansion to 7 Nations but the clubs would be frustrated at yet another International weekend. I wouldn't add the likes of Japan etc as the distances involved would make it unreasonable.

The tournament is interesting and most teams have a chance of beating anyone else.

[nigel]

If you stopped England v virtually any other side, you'd immediately lose masses of TV revenue and interest and the competition would die. The fact every team plays every other is what makes it special, so the two division nonsense would scupper it.

Most of the nations want to play and beat England and if they didn't have that opportunity it would devalue it for them too.

As for Italy, every team goes through good spells and bad spells, they'll get better again. Georgia could make a case for expansion to 7 Nations but the clubs would be frustrated at yet another International weekend. I wouldn't add the likes of Japan etc as the distances involved would make it unreasonable.

The tournament is interesting and most teams have a chance of beating anyone else.

Distance isn't an issue for the Southern Hemisphere teams.
Argentina to NZ and Australia must be some trip.

[peter w]

The rock and hard place is that the 5Nations/6Nations is such a good tournament it would be a shame to see it go or being watered down through promotion and relegation. But the reality is that the international game needs to be opened up to encourage more countries to pay and to play at a better level. I don't mean immediately but that needs to be the aim. But that may come at the expense of the 6nations.

[AV82EC]

The rock and hard place is that the 5Nations/6Nations is such a good tournament it would be a shame to see it go or being watered down through promotion and relegation. But the reality is that the international game needs to be opened up to encourage more countries to pay and to play at a better level. I don't mean immediately but that needs to be the aim. But that may come at the expense of the 6nations.

How about a European Championship every 4 years like the football where it replaces the Six Nations just for that season or would that clash with the Lions?

[paul_e]

The rock and hard place is that the 5Nations/6Nations is such a good tournament it would be a shame to see it go or being watered down through promotion and relegation. But the reality is that the international game needs to be opened up to encourage more countries to pay and to play at a better level. I don't mean immediately but that needs to be the aim. But that may come at the expense of the 6nations.

How about a European Championship every 4 years like the football where it replaces the Six Nations just for that season or would that clash with the Lions?

So have it the year after the world cup, that'd be my choice regardless of the lions because it stops the 'surprise people at the world cup and then get forgotten' that I mentioned.

[peter w]

And to ensure that the RFU and their European counterparts do not lose their cash cow there could still be tests in the spring between the 4 other big European nations and the autumn tests. A European Championship to overlap by two years with the World Cup. Lions tours can be in one of the years without a European Championship or a World Cup. In the 'friendly' years there could be a game thrown in against Georgia rather than Italy and rotate it amongst other smaller teams.

[nigel]

The rock and hard place is that the 5Nations/6Nations is such a good tournament it would be a shame to see it go or being watered down through promotion and relegation. But the reality is that the international game needs to be opened up to encourage more countries to pay and to play at a better level. I don't mean immediately but that needs to be the aim. But that may come at the expense of the 6nations.

How about a European Championship every 4 years like the football where it replaces the Six Nations just for that season or would that clash with the Lions?

That's,  actually,  quite a good idea.
The Lions tours could easily fit in around tournaments.

If, as you suggest, it replaces the 6 nations for that year, England would need to arrange a fixture vrs Scotland for the Calcutta Cup.

[aev]

Denny Solomona commits to England.

[paul_e]

Denny Solomona commits to England.

Came on to post this, I think this now has to signal the end of Mike Brown so Daly and/or Watson can move to 15 and we'll have the other one and Nowell competing with Solomona on the wings.

[nigel]

Denny Solomona commits to England.

Came on to post this, I think this now has to signal the end of Mike Brown so Daly and/or Watson can move to 15 and we'll have the other one and Nowell competing with Solomona on the wings.

Wondered about this a few pages back. Certainly looks the part in the clips I've seen on Rugby Aviva Prem.
He's only 23 so has plenty of time to acclimatise to Union, too.
Another Jason Robinson?

[PaulWinch again]

Not seen much of him. What's his style?

[paul_e]

Denny Solomona commits to England.

Came on to post this, I think this now has to signal the end of Mike Brown so Daly and/or Watson can move to 15 and we'll have the other one and Nowell competing with Solomona on the wings.

Wondered about this a few pages back. Certainly looks the part in the clips I've seen on Rugby Aviva Prem.
He's only 23 so has plenty of time to acclimatise to Union, too.
Another Jason Robinson?

Very good finisher, loads of pace and good with the ball in hand but I've not seen teams target him defensively yet.  I suspect he'll go to Argentina now.

[paul_e]

Not seen much of him. What's his style?

He can finish - http://sport.bt.com/video/solomona-scores-classy-try-on-premiership-debut-91364124047366

He can really finish - http://sport.bt.com/video/solomona-sizzles-in-sales-victory-over-leaders-wasps-91364157567009

and he's got gas - http://sport.bt.com/video/solomona-pounces-for-superb-intercept-score-91364168125864

That'll do I reckon.  As Above, very quick, very sharp to spot gaps and a superb finisher (probably the best in the league right now).  My question marks are over his defence because he had a few problems in league and I'm not sure the change of codes will have done much to solve them just yet.

[nigel]

Denny Solomona commits to England.

Came on to post this, I think this now has to signal the end of Mike Brown so Daly and/or Watson can move to 15 and we'll have the other one and Nowell competing with Solomona on the wings.

Wondered about this a few pages back. Certainly looks the part in the clips I've seen on Rugby Aviva Prem.
He's only 23 so has plenty of time to acclimatise to Union, too.
Another Jason Robinson?

Very good finisher, loads of pace and good with the ball in hand but I've not seen teams target him defensively yet.  I suspect he'll go to Argentina now.

He certainly will.
I agree regarding targeted defensively, but, being a League convert I'd have thought he would be pretty solid.
If he turns out half as good ar Jason Robinson he'll be one heck of a player.

[cheltenhamlion]

Declared for us? Interesting. He would be a fine recruit. And a kick ln the balls for NZ.