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2024 Guinness Six Nations
Italy?
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<blockquote data-quote="bushytop" data-source="post: 929241" data-attributes="member: 56738"><p>As rugby fans we really 'should' be prepared to have more meaningful fixtures against developing nations than not imho. That statement extends to Italy in the 6N, yes we all probably thought that they would be far more competitive by now than they are but that is probably more of a fault in our own short sightedness than in Italy's attempt at catch up. Italy joined at a time when both rugby hit professionalism and sport science blossomed... they were still trying to get to grips with the game as a whole... when the other nations were learning how to truly understand every facet that goes towards the whole (& how best to make that whole function too).</p><p></p><p>To dump Italy now would be a MASSIVE step backwards for rugby... I personally think that we should be aiming towards an eventual European championship (well aware I'm probably in the minority on this) but opening things up is how things grow not by closing things off (though I'm not for rushing things either... there's a time and a place).</p><p></p><p>As for Japan and Fiji possibly joining the Rugby championship... I'm obviously down. Yes they will get beat... and yes it might be 20 years before they can get any consistent positives to speak of (maybe more) but in a hundred years time rugby would be in a better place because of it! The more international teams playing elite rugby the better.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="bushytop, post: 929241, member: 56738"] As rugby fans we really ‘should’ be prepared to have more meaningful fixtures against developing nations than not imho. That statement extends to Italy in the 6N, yes we all probably thought that they would be far more competitive by now than they are but that is probably more of a fault in our own short sightedness than in Italy’s attempt at catch up. Italy joined at a time when both rugby hit professionalism and sport science blossomed... they were still trying to get to grips with the game as a whole... when the other nations were learning how to truly understand every facet that goes towards the whole (& how best to make that whole function too). To dump Italy now would be a MASSIVE step backwards for rugby... I personally think that we should be aiming towards an eventual European championship (well aware I’m probably in the minority on this) but opening things up is how things grow not by closing things off (though I’m not for rushing things either... there’s a time and a place). As for Japan and Fiji possibly joining the Rugby championship... I’m obviously down. Yes they will get beat... and yes it might be 20 years before they can get any consistent positives to speak of (maybe more) but in a hundred years time rugby would be in a better place because of it! The more international teams playing elite rugby the better. [/QUOTE]
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