Nations Championship

@Dan54 said in Nations Championship:

I also see that Japan have to play Ireland in Newcastle , Aussie. Seems shit for Japan

This is the problem with rugby.
How the fuck can a shitty little country like Ireland force a move like this.
More 6N cocksucker BS.
Ireland as a country is little more than a f'n tax dodge.
I'd posit that Japan has a bigger rugby community than Ireland.
Both in playing numbers and finances.
But that is clearly not reflected in the "traditional" power structures of WR.
WR has to have a look at itself, or this comp is guna be a one off, which probably what some vested interests want.

Japan and Fiji should join SANZAR immediately.
That'd give Sanzar 6 members, and maybe stop those 6N c unts trying to f'n boss everything.

This comp is nothing to do with WR, it's the Six Nations and TRC.

@Mr-Fish said in Nations Championship:

This comp is nothing to do with WR, it's the Six Nations and TRC.

Aren't the 6N effectively the majority of the WR security council?

@Mr-Fish said in Nations Championship:

This comp is nothing to do with WR, it's the Six Nations and TRC.

6N and SANZAR organize it, and WR oversee it.
That's why the likes of Japan and Fiji should join SANZAR; so they dont get fucked over so easy.

WR organises the next tier down, the Cup (12 teams).
The 6N would be very unlikely to dirty their hands with that . . . ughhhh.

The Nations Championship will last until it looks like a 6N team is going to relegated to the second tier, then they wont want to play anymore.

WR should get its HQ the fuck out of Dublin.
Assuming that they are only there for the tax dodge.

Sorry, I can't see the 6 Nations sides taking this competition terribly seriously.

@sparky said in Nations Championship:

Sorry, I can't see the 6 Nations sides taking this competition terribly seriously.

I agree and I find that position completely understandable. The concept seems to me to be ill thought through, cobbled together in a hurry and detrimental to the idea of player welfare. We already have the 6N, TRC, Lions tours. RWC AIs and summer tours. Do we really need MORE international rugby?

I wouldn't be at all surprised to see this concept peter out as a failed experiment.

@Dan54 said in Nations Championship:

I also see that Japan have to play Ireland in Newcastle , Aussie. Seems shit for Japan

what, and the Irish love the Antipodean Geordies?

@nostrildamus said in Nations Championship:

@Dan54 said in Nations Championship:

I also see that Japan have to play Ireland in Newcastle , Aussie. Seems shit for Japan

what, and the Irish love the Antipodean Geordies?

It saves Ireland having to travel from Aus to Japan and then back to NZ. Sort of makes sense until you see that now Japan have to go from Japan to Australia and then back to Japan.

Shitty for them and bang out of order IMO.

"The ban will see the Australian miss four games, the final one being the Nations Championship opener against Italy in Tokyo on July 4."

Theo McFarland is unavailable, Scott Sio dropped, and Jacob Umaga is banned. Peter Umaga-Jensen is included. Waikato has two Samoan hookers now.

Tonga squad

Props: Phil Kite, Siegfried Fisi’ihoi, Aru Moli, Fatongia Paea, Paula Latu

Hookers: Sekope Lopeti-Moli, Sam Moli, Jay Fonokalafi

Locks: Adam Coleman, Leva Fitita, Veikoso Poloniati, Semisi Paea

Back-row: Lotu Inisi, Samu Tuitupou Junior, Jimmy Tupou, Otunuku Pauta

Scrum-halves: Sonatane Takulua, Augustine Pulu, Siaosi Nginingini

Fly-halves: Patrick Pellegrini, William Havili

Centres: Solomone Kata, Pita Ahki, Fetuli Paea, Fine Inisi

Outside backs: Otumaka Mausia, Taniela Filimone, Anzelo Tuitavuki, Telusa Veaniu

@Daffy-Jaffy said in Nations Championship:

Telusa Veaniu

Geez, blast from the past there.

@Daffy-Jaffy no Laumape, George, Fekitoa et al they obviously moved on from all the big name ex ABs.

Referee appointments:

Nations Championship

The ABs have Luke Pearce (v France), Luc Ramos (v Italy) and Nick Berry (v Ireland).

Nations Cup

France team: Jalibert, Lucu and Penaud among the 13 additional players called up for the Nations Championship https://share.google/60ITnk0ZEtKVONPVp

Shaun Stevenson has revealed he has switched his allegiance to Samoa and will become eligible in August when his three-year stand-down period is complete.

Expect some others to follow suit before the end of the year.

Interesting to read that the ticket sales for Springboks/England are very sluggish, with only 21,000 sold as of last week.

Toulouse players including Dupont and Ntamack will be joining the French squad, but won't be playing the ABs.