Rugby's Nations Championship Kicks Off: First North vs South Global Tournament
The inaugural Nations Championship, rugby union's first inter-hemisphere global tournament, begins next weekend across venues including Christchurch, Tokyo, Sydney, Cardiff, Johannesburg and Córdoba. The competition launches in direct conflict with the football World Cup, Wimbledon, the Open and Formula One. Critics have raised concerns about the environmental cost of increased long-haul flights and the absence of some top players.
For better or worse, the inaugural edition of the inter-hemisphere tournament launches with even more long-haul flights in a drive to attract greater interestBrave is one word for it. Let’s launch a must-see global rugby tournament in direct opposition to the football World Cup, Wimbledon, the Open and Formula One. Necessitating even more long-haul flights and an enlarged carbon footprint in an era of soaring jet-fuel prices and climate-change concerns. And with some of the world’s most box-office players unavailable. Right-ho.Welcome, for better or worse, to the inaugural Nations Championship, which kicks off in Christchurch, Tokyo, Sydney, Cardiff, Johannesburg and Córdoba next weekend. Spot the odd ones out, by the way. Yes, contrary to the atlas, Cardiff and Tokyo are now southern hemisphere venues. For various reasons Fiji are “hosting” Wales beside the swaying palms of Tiger Bay while Japan, for the sake of numerical convenience, are in with the traditional southern powerhouses. Continue reading...
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