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I'm certainly going to be trying to watch this for the first time next year. Hopefully the fixtures don't clash so much with the 6N. Georgia are the best team at the moment due to all their forwards playing a high level in France; but Romania, Spain, Germany and Russia can all play pretty entertaining stuff, have a lot of young talent playing modern flowing rugby and in my opinion are all moving in the right direction either domestically, internationally or both.
I am hoping the Czech Republic join them. They are two divisions below the ENC this year, but two weeks ago had around 9,000 fans at a match against the Barbarians which shows the potential for rugby in that country.
I've always followed Italian rugby, but if there was promotion and relegation I would be quite excited at the thought of Italy playing infront of 50,000 Georgians and a return leg in Italy infront of 60,000+. I don't think relegation would hurt the development of Italian rugby one bit if they could be guaranteed fixtures against 6N teams in the June and November international windows as compensation. Unfortunately, Georgia losing to Japan last week (and in a dogfight with Samoa today) reduces the pressure to introduce relegation and promotion (compared to say if they were in the top 10 rankings).
But if in a few years, the big markets like Spain or Germany get bigger crowds and look like getting near the top of the ENC, you can be sure that promotion and relegation will miraculously very quickly appear on the agenda for the 6N. Swapping Italy for Germany or Spain would be nowhere near the economic hit of swapping them for Romania or Georgia. It shouldn't be like that and it is unfair, but I think that's the reality.
I am hoping the Czech Republic join them. They are two divisions below the ENC this year, but two weeks ago had around 9,000 fans at a match against the Barbarians which shows the potential for rugby in that country.
I've always followed Italian rugby, but if there was promotion and relegation I would be quite excited at the thought of Italy playing infront of 50,000 Georgians and a return leg in Italy infront of 60,000+. I don't think relegation would hurt the development of Italian rugby one bit if they could be guaranteed fixtures against 6N teams in the June and November international windows as compensation. Unfortunately, Georgia losing to Japan last week (and in a dogfight with Samoa today) reduces the pressure to introduce relegation and promotion (compared to say if they were in the top 10 rankings).
But if in a few years, the big markets like Spain or Germany get bigger crowds and look like getting near the top of the ENC, you can be sure that promotion and relegation will miraculously very quickly appear on the agenda for the 6N. Swapping Italy for Germany or Spain would be nowhere near the economic hit of swapping them for Romania or Georgia. It shouldn't be like that and it is unfair, but I think that's the reality.