Brendan Gallagher

Brendan Gallagher: Nations Championship proves the big boys are still not playing nice

Brendan Gallagher believes the Nations Championship is reinforcing rugby’s old hierarchy, with the sport’s biggest nations continuing to protect their own interests at the expense of everyone else.

by
Brendan Gallagher
19 July 2026

Taira Main scoring for Japan against Ireland last week

While conceding there has been some very decent rugby in some of the Nations Championship rugby thus far, I am still far from sold on the idea.

It remains a commercial closed shop enterprise owned and run by the Tier 1 nations – just like the Six Nations and the Rugby Championship – and set up entirely for their benefit at the expense of all others.
Nothing else matters.
World Rugby is not involved in any way other than to provide the referees from their pool and give the big boys a free pass to organise their summer earners how they want, a decision that has played havoc with the rest of the...

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Related TopicsEngland France Japan Leicester New Zealand Premium Scotland Six Nations South Africa Wales World Rugby

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