Northern Hemisphere Rugby

[Highlander35]

It's not excruciatingly difficult to go back to a variation on the Pro14 model. schedule.

Retain the existing shields, and add "Conferences" with 2 RSA, 2 IRE, 1 SCO, 1 ITA each. Double ups against 7 teams (the 3 teams in your shield, plus the other 4 in your conference) for 14 games, one offs against the remaining four teams for a total of 18. Fixturing is a touch more unfair than it is currently, and does mean the European teams play an extra game in South Africa, but it's not a death knell from a financial perspective.

 

[Wilson]

It's not excruciatingly difficult to go back to a variation on the Pro14 model. schedule.

Retain the existing shields, and add "Conferences" with 2 RSA, 2 IRE, 1 SCO, 1 ITA each. Double ups against 7 teams (the 3 teams in your shield, plus the other 4 in your conference) for 14 games, one offs against the remaining four teams for a total of 18. Fixturing is a touch more unfair than it is currently, and does mean the European teams play an extra game in South Africa, but it's not a death knell from a financial perspective.

I'd expect they'd look at adding a few more teams to make up the difference, which probably involves looking at the Georgian Black Lions and maybe teams from Spain, Portugal, Germany or even the Netherlands if there is the backing. Not sure adding teams would be the right decision though, but I'm not sure they'd want to go backwards. The risk is that South Africa would see the Welsh leaving as an opportunity to get more teams in and push to see the Cheetahs and Kings return. I wonder how committed the Irish and Scottish would be then be long term, particularly if the balance shifts to much towards South Africa. The Scottish particularly, who I don't think have a big margin to play with and might see an Anglo-Welsh league as a real changing tide and something they should jump on. It's a short hop from there to full UK league, which does have plenty of appeal as a product.