THE RFU IS reportedly ‘considering’ a plan submitted by Premiership Rugby to reduce the impact of the Six Nations on club competitions in England and France.
The Times’ Owen Slot today reports that the proposal would see England and France sit out week one of the Six Nations and instead face each other in week three of the competition so the Championship could be run off in six weeks rather than the current seven.
Last year, after suggestions of a shortened international window were mooted by Premiership Rugby and the Top 14′s controlling body Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR), Rugby Players Ireland openly opposed the prospect of cutting rest weeks out of the Six Nations, citing the importance of recovery time in an increasingly physical sport.
Under the plan submitted to the RFU’s professional game board, from 2020 Ireland, Wales, Scotland and Italy would feature in a two-game opening weekend of the tournament with the full three-match schedule coming in week two before England and France played their ‘game in hand’ against eachother in week three while the other four nations rested.
Premiership Rugby and the LNR have previously shown they are capable of forcibly altering the European Rugby landscape as they were the chief drivers of the lengthy move from a 24-team Heineken Cup to a 20-team European Rugby Champions Cup which included a new agreement for clubs around the distribution of funds.
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