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Welcome to rugby’s latest controversial ruse. The next time World Rugby spouts that thing about player welfare being their No 1 priority, just say “Nations Championship” back at them. The next time the governing body goes on about the sanctity of the World Cup, do the same.
The Nations Championship begins this weekend, a coming together of six teams from the north against six from the “south” – well, five plus Japan (it’s just not working, is it).
Fiji are the other team from the south not involved in the Six Nations or Rugby Championship. From the south they may be, but they will be playing all their games in the north, the UK to be precise, giving rise to some of the most insane itineraries in sport over the next two or three weeks.
As if Wales’s players do not have enough on their plate already, given those employment terms, their wretched form and the prospect of one of their professional teams being struck off, they will go from this “away” match in their home city to San Juan for a Test against Argentina next weekend, thence to Durban to take on the Springboks. Buy the home team for that one.
After a frolic at Twickenham against the Barbarians, Wales are bolstered by the return of their players from English and French clubs, ineligible for last weekend’s non-cap international, that fell outside the Test window.
Louis Rees-Zammit will do most to fill Fiji’s coffers on the ticket-sales front, but Rhys Carré might not be far behind, in more ways than one, given his wonder try against Ireland in last season’s Six Nations. Tomos Williams, too, should set pulses racing, while Adam Beard is picked in the second row after his appearance in Montpellier’s defeat in last weekend’s Top 14 final.
His selection is all the more important given the absence of Exeter’s Dafydd Jenkins, who needs surgery on the shoulder injury he picked up in the Prem final. Beard and Ben Carter are the only locks in Wales’s matchday squad, with Taine Plumtree covering the second row from the bench.
Fiji field a powerful side, featuring Semi Radrada and Josua Tuisova in the centres, and the former All Black, Pita Gus Sowakula, in the back row.
If any team knows about insane itineraries it is Fiji. With this run of “home” games on the same landmass, they will likely cause more than a few problems in the coming weeks.
No matter the sketchiness of the tournament, the rugby world will always prick up its ears for a match between New Zealand and France.
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They will kick off proceedings with the Nations Championship’s opening Test at the new, space-age stadium in Christchurch. Dave Rennie’s first selection as All Blacks coach features plenty of familiar threats, most noticeably Will Jordan, who returns from injury to play on the right wing. Ardie Savea is captain and No 8, while Cam Roigard and Ruben Love are at half-back, having guided the Hurricanes to the Super Rugby title.
France are without their Toulouse contingent, who won the Top 14 last weekend, so they turn instead to players from Bordeaux-Bègles, who won the Champions Cup. Damien Penaud is recalled on the wing, and Maxine Lucu, star of that triumph in May, captains the side.
The focus will then shift to Sydney where Australia entertain Ireland. Sam Prendergast has earned a recall at fly-half for the Irish, following an impressive end of season in which he guided Leinster to the United Rugby Championship title. Dan Sheehan captains the visitors in the absence of Caelan Doris.
After the Cardiff match and England’s gentle limber-up in Johannesburg, the opening weekend will conclude in Córdoba, where Argentina host Scotland.
Finn Russell has not quite recovered from the calf injury that took him out of Bath’s run-in, so Tom Jordan plays at No 10. Santi Carreras, who stepped in for Russell as the Bath fly-half, returns to his more familiar position at full-back for the Pumas.
