Six Nations could move to coincide with Rugby Championship

Following its indefinite postponement as a result of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the Six Nations could move to coincide with the southern hemisphere’s Rugby Championship.

According to a report from the Daily Telegraph, the organisers of the Six Nations are receptive to the idea of moving the tournament from its long standing February-March schedule to be played from March-April with the Rugby Championship – the southern hemisphere equivalent to the Six Nations – being similarly moved forward from August.

The report adds that this would also result in the current July Test matches moving to October with the return matches taking place in November. This latter move comes after the Premiership Rugby and Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR) wrote to World Rugby requesting consultation on plans to shift the Test calendar.

The prospective move of the northern and southern hemisphere’s premier international rugby tournaments is part of the fallout of a failed attempt to combine both into a single tournament.

This mega tournament that would have seen the regional winners compete for an overall crown at the end of an extended Test window in October-November were shut down after the top international unions raised concerns about player welfare and the introduction of regulations.

Looking forward, July’s coming internationals have been cancelled, with World Rugby granting Rugby Australia AUS$14.2 million (€8.5 million) in emergency funding.