Proposed Nations Championship

[Omar Comin']

If NZ and SA are intent on going off and doing their own thing every 4 years it will force RA to at least be a little creative. In those years we could hold a state of origin match/series or do something with Japan (or both) to fill the gap. It probably makes sense to hitch our wagon to Japan. Their domestic league is doing really well, getting some good crowds, and obviously featuring some of the best players in the world. And the Brave Blossoms are competitive and entertaining. I could imagine a 2 or 3 game home and away series with Japan in 2026 doing pretty well, especially if Eddie is still at the helm.

And as a left field suggestion, it'd be worth considering what more we could do in the US. World Rugby have such a vested interest in growing the game there and getting their national team to be stronger. They also have some decent foreign players in their MLR. A Wallabies tour to the US with say 1 or 2 tests against the US Eagles, and a match with an MLR All Stars team could be cool.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Hopefully we can get that government funding for Ballymore, Leichardt Oval, Bruce and boutique ones in Perth and Melbourne.

If we are hosting regular test match tours with Japan, Argentina, Fiji and USA we are going to need smaller stadiums than the ones we play in currently.

 

[Brumby Runner]

^ what's stopping RA following SA & NZ down the reciprocal tour route? Would that not generate at least as much revenue as TRC? Which I think most would agree has become a little stale.

WOB, from my POV and I think many Aussies, the TRC is not as stale as SRP (Super Rugby Pacific). And yet when we, on this side of the ditch, raise the issue of having a domestic comp in preference to SRP (Super Rugby Pacific), there are usually wails (at least many complaints) from over the ditch about terminating a competition that NZ gets a lot of development from.

 

[Dan54]

WOB, from my POV and I think many Aussies, the TRC is not as stale as SRP (Super Rugby Pacific) (Super Rugby Pacific). And yet when we, on this side of the ditch, raise the issue of having a domestic comp in preference to SRP (Super Rugby Pacific) (Super Rugby Pacific), there are usually wails (at least many complaints) from over the ditch about terminating a competition that NZ gets a lot of development from.

I have never seen any saying Aus pulling out of super will terminate NZ's development, but more what the hell Aus will do to keep going.for their game (well any discussions I have seen anyway). But the point still stands anyway, we are moving into new landscape with what this thread is about with the proposed Rugby Championship and there will be quite a few changes coming up. Lat's face it if anything comes up that makes it so we will play less than 3 Bled games a year we should all celebrate, it really is overkill at moment.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Dan, the wails of protest are always couched in terms of "we need a strong Australia", as though appealing to our emotions will kill off the idea of pulling out of SRP (Super Rugby Pacific). However, I take your point that the proposed Nations Championship will see changes coming up for various competitions around the world, and I for one will not be sad if that means one Bledisloe per year in place of what we have now.

 

[Dan54]

Dan, the wails of protest are always couched in terms of "we need a strong Australia", as though appealing to our emotions will kill off the idea of pulling out of SRP (Super Rugby Pacific) (Super Rugby Pacific). However, I take your point that the proposed Nations Championship will see changes coming up for various competitions around the world, and I for one will not be sad if that means one Bledisloe per year in place of what we have now.

Yep , but the we need a strong Aussie has nothing to do with the development of ABs though. It's more that Rugby needs as many strong nations as possible.

 

[Derpus]

Dan, the wails of protest are always couched in terms of "we need a strong Australia", as though appealing to our emotions will kill off the idea of pulling out of SRP (Super Rugby Pacific) (Super Rugby Pacific). However, I take your point that the proposed Nations Championship will see changes coming up for various competitions around the world, and I for one will not be sad if that means one Bledisloe per year in place of what we have now.

Honestly the Bledisloe could just be a once in quarter century event and I'd be happy.

 

[Dan54]

Honestly the Bledisloe could just be a once in quarter century event and I'd be happy.

Me too Derpus, but suspect we in a small minority.

 

[Joe King]

I have never seen any saying Aus pulling out of super will terminate NZ's development, but more what the hell Aus will do to keep going.for their game (well any discussions I have seen anyway). But the point still stands anyway, we are moving into new landscape with what this thread is about with the proposed Rugby Championship and there will be quite a few changes coming up. Lat's face it if anything comes up that makes it so we will play less than 3 Bled games a year we should all celebrate, it really is overkill at moment.

It is just so obvious that the very strong emotional resistance from Kiwis to AUS pulling out of Super Rugby has to do with how it will significantly impact NZR and the ABs. No doubt at all, despite all the very good reasons that are put forward by Kiwis not to do it.

 

[Dan54]

It is just so obvious that the very strong emotional resistance from Kiwis to AUS pulling out of Super Rugby has to do with how it will significantly impact NZR and the ABs. No doubt at all, despite all the very good reasons that are put forward by Kiwis not to do it.

Lol there is no more strong emotional resistance to to Aus pulling out of Super in NZ than Aus. Take my word for it I live here in NZ after years in Aus, and there are a few here like in Aus who prefer that we went another way. I still have a lot of mates in Aus who are rugby men, members at Reds etc, and not one of them wants anything but for Aus to stay in super.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

PlanetRugby reporting that the Finals series won't be played in Qatar, initially at least, due to concerns wrt their human rights record & the ability of fans to get there. Other bidders now being considered incl USA.

Six Nations and SANZAAR make final decision on Qatar’s controversial £800m ‘Super Bowl of rugby’ bid – report

The upcoming Nations Championship will not take place in Qatar after rugby chiefs decided against playing the finals in the Middle East, according to a report.

www.planetrugby.com

 

[Omar Comin']

PlanetRugby reporting that the Finals series won't be played in Qatar, initially at least, due to concerns wrt their human rights record & the ability of fans to get there. Other bidders now being considered incl USA.

Six Nations and SANZAAR make final decision on Qatar’s controversial £800m ‘Super Bowl of rugby’ bid – report

The upcoming Nations Championship will not take place in Qatar after rugby chiefs decided against playing the finals in the Middle East, according to a report.

www.planetrugby.com

Good and brave decision. If this is to be a success long term you need the first few events to have full stadiums and good atmospheres, and ideally plenty of supporters willing to travel to it. Even without considering other factors, Qatar would have been a flop.

 

[Adam84]

Massive decision.. there must be some pretty strong alternatives on the table; that's a lot of money to ignore

 

[Wilson]

Good and brave decision. If this is to be a success long term you need the first few events to have full stadiums and good atmospheres, and ideally plenty of supporters willing to travel to it. Even without considering other factors, Qatar would have been a flop.

Yeah, as much as they'll take the plaudits from turning Qatar down over human rights concerns I think this decision was all about fans in stands. They'll need them packed out in the early years to sell the promise of the comp (and future editions of it to countries as an event worth bidding for) and I have a feeling the large touring contingents of fans from the home nations would've seen some of their unions wanting somewhere else.

USA seems to be the likely alternative now, hopefully if they go that way it's part of a really considered effort to build profile and set them up for a successful world cup in 2031.

 

[Adam84]

Personally, I'm not too fond of a US option, either...
However, I am much more likely to travel to the US than Qatar for a series... Not that i can afford either, but eh.

I have heard Spain is also on the table, which is an interesting proposition. The stadiums are potentially first-class (depending on which ones football clubs allow) and likely to get good crowds from neighbouring European countries, although the current wave of anti-tourism protests across Spain wouldn't support the Government throwing money at a tourism-generating event.

 

[Wilson]

Personally, I'm not too fond of a US option, either...
However, I am more likely to travel to the US than Qatar for a series... Not that i can afford either, but eh.

I have heard Spain is also on the table, which is an interesting proposition. The stadiums are potentially first-class (depending on which ones football clubs allow) and likely to get good crowds from European countries, although the current wave of anti-tourism protests across Spain wouldn't support the Government throwing money at a tourism-generating event.

Yeah, Spain would be a great party but they would probably be more reliant on the ticketing and marketable timezone for broadcast delivering the profit there. Singapore/Hong Kong are the other destinations I'd like to see looked at, though that is partially for selfish reasons as they're just that bit easier (and cheaper) to get to and a better timezone for broadcast here. I think they're probably about as close to Australia/New Zealand as it has any chance of getting, though maybe Japan could also be contender.

 

[Omar Comin']

Yeah, Spain would be a great party but they would probably be more reliant on the ticketing and marketable timezone for broadcast delivering the profit there. Singapore/Hong Kong are the other destinations I'd like to see looked at, though that is partially for selfish reasons as they're just that bit easier (and cheaper) to get to and a better timezone for broadcast here. I think they're probably about as close to Australia/New Zealand as it has any chance of getting, though maybe Japan could also be contender.

Tokyo definitely and probably before Singapore or HK, especially given Japan will themselves be involved, and it's a great tourist destination.

Maybe it could be played in Australia and NZ at some point, but they'd have to flip where the July and November windows are played so probably wouldn't happen anytime soon.

 

[Wilson]

Looks like the 2026 final will be in London with Abu Dabi and Doha being considered for 2028:

Info Midol. Coupe des Nations : Nord et Sud sont enfin tombés d’accord, la finale à Doha ou Abou Dabi en 2028 ?

La Sanzaar et le comité des 6 Nations étant enfin tombés d’accord quant à la répartition des recettes du nouveau super tournoi, la Coupe des Nations est désormais libre de voir le jour en 2026. Si la première édition...

www.rugbyrama.fr

Funds are set to to be split 58% to the six nations, 42% to SANZAAR with no word on what Fiji or Japan will be given for their participation. Interesting that the article bills that split as favouring the North, when a per team split (from the 10 that 'own' it) would be 60/40 in favour of the North. Could be that Japan gets a Northern Share and Fiji a Southern one though, as a 7/5 split works out to about 58/42.

 

[Derpus]

Looks like the 2026 final will be in London with Abu Dabi and Doha being considered for 2028:

Info Midol. Coupe des Nations : Nord et Sud sont enfin tombés d’accord, la finale à Doha ou Abou Dabi en 2028 ?

La Sanzaar et le comité des 6 Nations étant enfin tombés d’accord quant à la répartition des recettes du nouveau super tournoi, la Coupe des Nations est désormais libre de voir le jour en 2026. Si la première édition...

www.rugbyrama.fr

Funds are set to to be split 58% to the six nations, 42% to SANZAAR with no word on what Fiji or Japan will be given for their participation. Interesting that the article bills that split as favouring the North, when a per team split (from the 10 that 'own' it) would be 60/40 in favour of the North. Could be that Japan gets a Northern Share and Fiji a Southern one though, as a 7/5 split works out to about 58/42.

Anything other than an even split between all participating teams seems crazy to me.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Anything other than an even split between all participating teams seems crazy to me.

I'd say there's zero chance of that, given SANZAAR and Six Nations are selling the concept.

The two "invitational" teams from outside the camp will get paid something, but it won't be a revenue share