Pichot Backs Expanding Six Nations

World Rugby Vice President Agustín Pichot backs expanding the Six Nations. The former Pumas captain wants Georgia and other Tier 2 countries to have the opportunity of playing in the Six Nations.

At present the European competition is restricted to six competitors – England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. There is no danger of relegation for the bottom placed side. Pichot deems this set up to be flawed and that the decision makers need to give other countries the opportunity to participate in order to help rugby grow.

Pichot told British media “I am sure that it will touch a lot of nerves, but I would urge the Six Nations to give a chance to other countries. They don’t want to threaten the status quo. It has been this way for years.”

“No we have more opportunities for the two countries (Georgia and Romania), but it is not sufficient, it would be ideal to have promotion and relegation. If we don’t challenge the status quo, rugby will not grow and will stay stuck in the Anglo-Saxon ideology”.

Both Georgia and Romania are regulars in Rugby World Cups but in European rugby they fail to have opportunities. Both sides won matches in 2015 and have tours outside of Europe but remain entirely excluded from the Six Nations.

Outside of Rugby World Cups Tier One opponents are close to nil for both countries. Georgia will play away to Argentina tis coming June. It follows on from a test in San Juan in 2013. Matches way to Ireland and Scotland were played in between in 2014 and 2016. No Tier 1 side has played in Tbilisi.

Pichot’s responsibility is to the global game. He points out that the global order is in grave need to alteration.”there are not only 10 teams in the world: the Six Nations and Rugby Championship. It is not good”.

“It would be best for rugby to give countries like Georgia an opportunity. World Rugby supports them. The Six Nations is very conservative. It is a similar situation to that of Argentina. Countries must realize that we must grow the game.”