Lions’ Sponsors to the Rescue
It’s a curious twist that new funding for the four home Six Nations teams should come from the sponsors of the coming Lions’ 2007 tour to New Zealand.
£3 million is on offer to all four, though the statement outlines only what the three Celtic nations plan to use it for.
It’s another oddity that England are included in the offer, though the underlying strategy is to “level up” – to use a popular political term. There may be all sorts of caveats that are not mentioned in today’s statement; for example, will each union receive the same amount? If they do, then it flies in the face of that policy of equalising chances.
We can detect the underlying disparities in Wales’ plans to use the funding provided. One is to identify more talent from beyond Wales’ borders. This is a process that all three Celtic nations have had to follow, for both their men’s and women’s teams. It comes down to the simple matter of population size. Wales could be delighted to see Jenny Hesketh choosing to play for the country of her mother’s birth. She was at once selected to play full-back for them.
England may have felt a moment’s pang at losing their Under 20 captain, but it’s not as if they are short of outstanding No 15s themselves. Emma Sing still hasn’t appeared this season.
Scotland are planning more training matches for their age-group sides, but international matches would be even more useful.
The IRFU has its own variation in policy, foregrounding improved age-group structures.
Closing the Gap
It wasn’t one of Maggie Alphonsi’s most discerning statements when she said the 6N needed closer competition. We have known that from the very start in 2002.
What has been largely overlooked in the opening three rounds of the 2024 tournament is the lack of runaway scores that were commonplace in the recent past. No side has yet conceded 50 points.
Now the question is whether the moneys the unions will receive can tangibly narrow the gap further. That must be the pious hope. But it will depend not merely on the provision of more specialist coaches. Clear, productive pathways are needed in Ireland, Scotland and Wales. They are appearing in dribs and drabs; the crying need is for a fully-blown structure from beginner to test player.
There are rumours that an Under 20s Six Nations is about to burst upon an unexpecting world. That is a vital step towards preparing the most promising players for the rigours of the elite tournament. Its equivalent at Under 18 level operates at a less intense level, a festival spread out across three dates; probably the most sensible compromise.
Beyond them each nation needs to have academies (or equivalents) that can nurture the most promising talent.
We are left to guess how that sum of £3m was arrived at. Was it the maximum the sponsors were willing to offer, or the total deemed most sensible for assumed needs?
The Shape of the Tour
It is now expected that the Lions will play three tests against the Black Ferns; that helps to determine the size of the squad. But it is not yet known what other fixtures might be added. They should form part of the programme for two reasons:
1. It is a long-held tradition of Lions touring sides (dating back to 1888!).
2. The more games on offer, the larger the squad must be, thus enabling more players to be
involved. That in turn widens the selections across the four component nations.
So if, for example, each of the four Super Aupiki franchises were to be included on the fixture list, that could mean a seven-match tour, and a chance for every B&I Lions player to have a chance of wearing the famed scarlet shirt.
Identity Parade
The three rounds of the current 6N Championship have revealed plenty of players worthy of selection. That is heartening.
In the past I have invited you to jot down the names of players you expect to be selected. Then comes the question: how many Irish, Scottish and Welsh players are likely to feature in the three tests?
Patriotism apart, we must hope that this latest initiative bears fruit, so that English players cannot be certain of a place in the games that matter most.
