2018 June Internationals - Tier 2 & 3

[Brigantine]

It looks like Wikipedia has the info on most of the tests for Tier 1 and Fiji / Japan / Georgia. Below that level, it's usually pretty late before we find out the details.

• Tier 1 to keep to themselves except for:
  • Scotland to tour the Americas - Canada and USA before Argentina
  • Italy to tour Japan (2 tests)
  • An exhibition match in USA (Wales vs South Africa)
• Fiji to host Georgia and Romania
• Japan to host Italy twice, and then Georgia
• Georgia to visit Fiji and Japan

Will be interesting to see what Japan's approach to these tests is, Will be interesting to see what Japan's approach to these tests is, whether they use many of the non-Sunwolves players. They need to build depth and these are the only caps Japan has to give out this year other than vs the All Blacks and England in November. (or is the Pacific 6 Nations happening this year?)

Anyone know anything about what Tonga / Samoa / Romania / Uruguay etc. will be doing?

 

[amz]

Romania will travel in Fiji and rumor is will play Tonga too, in fact I think Georgia will go to Tonga as well.

Also as a rumor which circulate here is that Oaks will play a match in Australia. Could be a match vs Tonga or vs an Aussie franchise. I find hard to believe that WR would send us down there and grant us only two matches...as they did in November 2017 (albeit was home).

 

[Brigantine]

Oaks will play a match in Australia. Could be a match vs Tonga or vs an Aussie franchise.

WR doesn't hold matches in Tonga, even before this latest cyclone. So it makes a lot of sense that a game in Australia would be vs Tonga.

The Europe 2 vs Samoa play-offs (RWC qualifying) are on 2 June (in Europe) and 16 June (in Samoa), so I guess until the ERC is over WR can't confirm a 3rd Romania fixture.

Hong Kong & Korea have ARC fixtures until June 2, and if they win that will have a play-off in Tahiti on June 30 and at home on July 7. The Nations Cup should be in that window, so is a possibility. (was June 10-18 last year)

Namibia has Africa Gold Cup fixtures from June 16 onwards, and Kenya from June 23 onwards.

The Rugby Nations Cup will be in Uruguay again, but I haven't seen any info on dates or teams. Spain and Russia were there last year, but they also need to save the dates for the Samoa play-offs. I think Russia will fail RWC qualification and go to the Nations Cup again. Kenya could be an option, but Namibia has a June 16 fixture already. Hong Kong is another possibility for 2018.

So my best guess is the Nations Cup will be June 9-17 with Uruguay, Russia, Kenya and Hong Kong.

I doubt Germany will have any tests, given their funding issues.

I wouldn't be too surprised if Portugal went to Brazil.

Switzerland already hosted Ivory Coast on Feb 3. (Switzerland won 30 - 27)

The only countries who should have tests but haven't been mentioned here are Chile and Belgium.

 

[amz]

after last November one can consider every possibility

 

[Brigantine]

A quick look at how *continents* have been performing relative to each other, in terms of net WR Rankings Points gained/lost since 2017-01-02:

Africa: -7.91 RP lost in intercontinental matches

• Kenya down -5.04, Namibia down -3.85, Senegal down -2.94
  
• Uganda bucks the trend and is up +2.95
• One team was penalized -6.00 RP (Cameroon)
• One new team joined the rankings at +30.00 (Ghana)
• Net +16.09 overall.

Americas: +9.80 RP won in international matches

• Uruguay up +6.26, Brazil up +6.14
• Canada down -3.80
• One new team joined the rankings at +30.00 (Costa Rica)
• Net +39.80 overall

Asia: +2.43 RP won in intercontinental matches

• Hong Kong up +3.16
• Three teams were penalized -6.00 RP (Kazakhstan, China, Pakistan) - but all 3 are registered for tournaments in 2018
  
• Net -14.84 RP overall

Europe: -1.86 RP lost in intercontinental matches

• Moldova down -4.10, France down -2.70
• Lithuania up +3.19, Spain up +3.09
• Two teams were penalized -6.00 RP (Monaco, Greece)
• Net -13.86 RP overall

Oceania: -2.47 RP lost in intercontinental matches

• No teams gained or lost more than 2.5 RP, but the biggest winner was Tahiti (+2.00 - from one match vs Cook Islands) and the biggest loser was Samoa (-2.22)
• Four teams were penalized -6.00 RP (Niue, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, American Samoa)
• Net -26.47 RP overall

Basically South America is a shining beacon, Africa is losing ground, and tumbleweed is rolling through Oceania.

The total number of RP in the world is the same, because the 10 teams penalized -6.00 RP each (inactive for 2 years) perfectly balances the new +30.00 RP each awarded to Ghana and Costa Rica. (new full members of World Rugby)

 

[Car]

I doubt Germany will have any tests, given their funding issues.

We were supposed to travel to the US and Canada (funded by WR), but after what happened against Chile, that was cancelled AFAIK.

 

[Brigantine]

This Wednesday, a tournament starts between Kazakhstan (hosts), Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia and Pakistan.

None of these countries have a very good attendance record. You think they'll all show up?

Not technically June internationals, but Tier 3 seem to have most of their competitions just before / just after. Like the Bronze Cup underway in Africa, 2 other Asian comps, the Rugby Americas North championship, and then the Rugby Europe Development which just finished.