It would be great if this were to happen but it will take a whole lot of wrangling and a mother-lode of good will.
Ever since rugby went professional, back in 1995, there has been a call for world rugby to have a set season for both southern and northern hemispheres.
Money talks, however, and clubs on both side of the Equator have not budged. Several unions are content with the status quo, too.
One of the biggest frustrations, from a personal perspective, has been the fact that northern-southern hemisphere Test matches are usually played out between nations at the start and ends of their seasons. For example, Ireland travel to play South Africa this June after 11 months on the go.
Tommy Bowe ruled out of Ireland's tour to South Africa https://t.co/FUQ5hAawjd
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) May 10, 2016
Change may be closer than we think, however, as World Rugby’s new chairman is keen for a change.
Bill Beaumont, former England international and RFU chairman, told reporters he would love to see a dedicated rugby season across the globe. His idea to shift the Six Nations to later this summer is one that makes a lot of sense. Beaumont, who takes up the role on July 1, said:
“If it was that easy, then everyone would have thought of it.
“You have got tournaments that are played in the traditional time of year, the Six Nations in February and March. For me, personally, it would be around the June, July time.
“That would be the area that you could probably look at without tearing everything up. The calendar is a challenge but it is one that I think everybody realises [it needs to be sorted] now because 2019 is looming rapidly.”
Beaumont is not expecting the moon and stars immediately but says such proposals will be discussed at a World Rugby council meeting in November.
The next step may see Six Nations organisers pressed to move the tournament to March and April.
The posturing has begun.
We can’t wait for flowing, expansive Six Nations rugby played out on bone dry pitches in Dublin, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Paris, London and Rome in 2021.
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