Next year’s fixtures have been published gratifyingly early.
The programme lasts from 22 March to 26 April. There’s a single rest week after Round Two. The first four rounds follow the pattern: two Saturday matches, one Sunday
As usual the final round finishes on a single day. How about calling it Super Saturday? That would be a novel touch.
The England-France match brings down the curtain in traditional fashion. Not everyone thinks that fair or sensible.
The nations to enjoy three home games are England, Italy and Scotland. That’s not favouritism, it’s alternation, but it does give those three a bit of a lift. And it means the other three have to choose their two venues carefully; hard to satisfy all their customers nationwide.
Under the new WXV regime gaining third place becomes all important.
This time round the extra target is the tenth World Cup in England. Selectors will be more intent than ever on taking a close look at all the contenders, refining their squads, checking over the best combinations.
Now the less certain elements
The constant worry: can the gap close between the top and bottom of the pile?
Optimists reckon it’s already happening; pessimists laugh in their face. In their view England are quick-marching over the horizon. But that leaves us wondering whether France can regain momentum and confirm their superiority over the Celtic nations. Last year’s scores were 38-17 (H) v Ireland, 40-0 v Wales (A) and 15-5 (A) v Scotland – hardly the stuff of future champions.
Can Scotland continue their recent advance? We’ll see how they deal with Fiji this Saturday. By rights they ought to see them off with something to spare. Then comes the excitement of WXV2. Results there will cast a light on likely results in the 6N.
Ireland have the biggest challenge. They don’t have an easy ride, facing France first. Likewise Italy; they have to travel to York. That proves that the fixture-makers work on quite different principles from the rest of us. If the Azzurre had been given a game to warm up before taking on the champions, their chances of a first ever win might have increased by 1 per cent.
Venues
The one shame in the announcement is the uncertainty about venues. This is due to the clearest distinction between the men’s and women’s 6N; the first all take place at national stadiums, the second rarely.
So we have only seven locations confirmed out of fifteen. Scotland play their three home games at The Hive Edinburgh; England at the LNER York Community Stadium, Mattioli Woods Welford Road, Leicester and the London version of the Allianz Stadium (for the French game of course).
The trip to York serves two purposes: it proves the RFU knows there are distant lands north of the Watford Gap (it’s in Northamptonshire, not Hertfordshire) and the Community Stadium is a chosen venue for next year’s RWC. It is also the smallest by a distance. So the RFU is not expecting vast hordes to turn up.
Even France, the race leaders in attracting large gates, offer only the Stade Marcel Deflandre, La Rochelle, for the second round against Scotland.
In recent years Italy have been sticking to one stadium, the Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi in Parma. Does this year mark a change in policy? Likewise Wales; the Arms Park Cardiff has been the main choice with the odd visit up north to the Stadiwm CSM at Colwyn Bay.
Unions have to negotiate with clubs for the use of their grounds, but it would be a great benefit for fans to be able to make their travel plans at one time. Can the 6N board still not encourage the six unions to fix all these arrangements in time for a single notification? If it’s possible for the men, why not the women?
A pious hope
The big leap would be for national teams to be offered the national stadium for at least one game. It’s happened with England, Wales and Scotland. The FFR won’t touch the Stade de France with a barge-pole because of the fees demanded. I hope I can be proved wrong.