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IRISH RUGBY PLAYERS SAY NO TO SIX NATIONS RESTRUCTURE

Rugby Players Ireland today announced the findings of a survey recently carried out on its members regarding the proposed rescheduling of the Six Nations. Players voted overwhelmingly in favour of maintaining the status quo, with 93% stating that they do not want the championship truncated to 5 weeks.

Commenting on the results of the survey, Irish captain Rory Best said: “The intensity of the Six Nations Championship is like no other competition I have ever played in. If it were to take place over a five or six-week period, players who pick up niggles during the tournament would struggle to return while those who take to the field every week would be fatigued to such an extent that it would undoubtedly impact on their involvement with their clubs once the tournament finishes.”

Currently in camp with the British & Irish Lions squad at Carton House, Best – who is a veteran of 12 Six Nations campaigns, added: “With the introduction of the bonus-point system, every game counts more than ever before. While we now have plenty of guys who can play their part, the bonus point system dictates that every game counts more than ever before. As one of the best supported competitions in the rugby calendar, every paying fan will expect to see the strongest sides week-in, week-out. It is important that the integrity of the Six Nations, from a spectator’s perspective, remains intact as far as possible.”

Simon Keogh, acting CEO at Rugby Players Ireland, the representative body for professional rugby players in the country, also provided comment. “As it is the players who are filling the stadiums and putting their bodies on the line, organisers of the tournament need to listen to them. Players on both sides of the water are saying the same thing: for the sake of their own welfare they do not want the period over which the Six Nations is played to be shortened.”