Tuesday 19 February 2019

UNNECESSARY INJURIES DEVALUE SIX NATIONS

Yes I am angry, and I have not even forked out for a ticket for any of the games this weekend. I do not understand how, rugby, as a sport, allows first pick international players, to play in the rest week between Six Nations games. This tournament is the biggest showcase for the game globally outside the RWC, so you want the best players competing against each other, not journeymen making games a foregone conclusion. Not only does it short change the armchair fans, many of whom prefer football, but always love joining in the patriotism of a Six Nations weekend, it is devaluing the proposition for the passionate travelling fan, who nowadays will fork out over £100 for a match ticket, plus travel, food and beverage (multiple).

Injuries are playing an increasingly important factor in match outcomes
And to add injury to insult, two of those players hurt playing for their clubs last weekend, Finn Russell (Scotland) and Dan Biggar (Wales) were playing against nationals from their international opposition this weekend. Yes, call it a conspiracy theory, but is it not a coincidence that two of the best fly halves the game has ever seen, did not get through their matches unscathed when playing French and English clubs respectively. Even, if these players escaped undamaged, the highly flaunted "player welfare" policy is thrown out of the window, expecting them to play two "Test" matches in less than a week. Fans want to see these players perform on the biggest stage, not an understudy. Scotland was especially impacted, with Greg Laidlaw, the captain of his country, also playing for his club, Clermont Auvergne, last weekend. as were Gary Graham, John Hardie (both Newcastle) and Josh Strauss, Byron McGuigan (both Sale). If Scotland fade in the last 20 minutes of the France game on Saturday, you will know why.

Finn Russell before his head injury last weekend
Yes, I am grumpy, but the game will not expand its global footprint, or penetrate new fans from other sports, if it does not do everything it can to look after its superstars, and ensure they participate in the big games. To progress, rugby needs more countries ranking outside the Top 4 to be able to compete with (and beat) the moneyed elite. As has been shown, injuries can affect even England, with 12 Premiership teams (and the biggest playing base of all), who only finished 5th in last year's Six Nations, but the other major Northern Hemisphere countries, Ireland & Wales (4 teams each) and Scotland & Italy (only 2 teams each) really feel the impact from the loss of key players in crucial positions.

With France in disarray, and with Russell pulling the strings at 10, Scotland had a real chance on Saturday of beating them away for the first time since 1999 - without him it will probably be business as usual. Disagree? Just think how England would cope without Farrell away from home, or Ireland without Sexton? And what of Wales? If Biggar is not fit to come off the bench against England to help close out a tight game, it could cost them a Grand Slam.

Rugby should wise up, and, like all great businesses, focus more on satisfying the needs of the supporter or fan, otherwise it will remain a minority sport for the rich, egotistical English or French club owner.


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