(20-09-2019 19:49 )babelover48 Wrote:  What do other members think on this issue? Should there be restructuring that encompasses tier two playing more regularly against Test sides & should the Home Nations ditch the Lions team in favour of a more fully representative team from each Home Nation touring abroad?

(20-09-2019 18:57 )hornball Wrote:  

(20-09-2019 18:46 )babelover48 Wrote:  What about maybe making the Six Nations & the Rugby Championship a two division competition with promotion/relegation between the two? I think Russia deserve to be in the Six Nations more than Italy do. Italy are good, but I don't think they bring as much to the Six Nations as Russia would or maybe Romania who were considered for a place in the old Five Nations for a number of years.

Some restructuring has to be done somehow in both Northern and Southern Hemisphere, to the point where the likes of Japan, Russia and possibly Fiji play regularly in the Southern Hemisphere and the likes of Russia Canada USA play regularly in thr Northern Hemisphere because sometimes I get the feeling there is often wide gaps in terms of quality of performance between some Test sides and those below them.

That is less the case than - say two tournaments ago! You are right though, there has to be a way of creating tournaments with a greater number of the nations involved! One way, is by ensuring the tier one's - instead of repeating tours to each others backyard - go to Japan, Russia, Uruguay etc instead. Not as a filler,, but as a series of matches that have as much meaning as the 6N and RC. It is also time to make all the nations (bar holders/hosts) seek qualification to the WC, and stop giving tier one's a 'right of passage' Were Eng Ire Sco Wal etc to not make it?? So be it!!