Sanzaar miss chance to inject new blood

The 2024 Six Nations has been lauded in the southern hemisphere for its sensational quality and entertainment – which has not always been the case.

Part of the explanation stems from misgivings that the Rugby Championship is stale by comparison.

The Rugby Championship may feature world champion monopolists South Africa and New Zealand but, with Australia and Argentina as perpetual also-rans, there is a weary recognition that it only hits the high points when the All Blacks are playing the Springboks.

Yet, despite the 2023 World Cup demonstrating the importance of giving teams like Fiji and Japan a bigger stage, the chance to inject new blood by expanding to a six-team Rugby Championship in 2024 has been canned.

Instead of incorporating Fiji and Japan – and introducing a five-match fixture structure like the Six Nations to create a much-needed new dynamic – the Sanzaar alliance has gone ostrich, sticking its head in the sand, with no change expected until at least 2026.