Length of season and Tri-Nations

[Bomber]

Just a little brainfart which occured to me.

A lot of players are complaining about the length of the season and the length of the consequental Tri-Nations tour.

The clubs are adamant that the season will not be shortened (in the short term).

What is wrong with stretching the Tri-Nations over the whole season and making it a home-and-away concept?

Australia could host New Zealand in the first match on Australian soil for the Anzac Test.

In July-August, Great Britain could play tests against Australia and New Zealand in the southern hemisphere.

New Zealand hosts Australia the week after the grand final

Both NZ and Australia then go to Britain to round off the series, with a test against France as well.

The Tri-Nations final would then follow.

This would reduce the length of the post-season tour from seven weeks to three and the players would be home in the first week of November.

Thoughts?

 

[legend]

I think the players have asked for exactly what you have suggested Bomber.

 

[Bomber]

Another thought, if one wanted to include France in the concept and create a four-nations.

The Australia/New Zealand tests against France would count towards the final tally, and Great Britain would also play France at some stage during the year.

However, these matches would count for double points, since I can't really see France travelling down to play Australia and New Zealand. Effectively, a win would be worth 4 points, a draw 2 points.

The precedent - when Western Australia joined the Sheffield Shield in 1948, the team only played each other state once and had their matches worth twice the points. The reason they only played once was the prohibitive cost of train/sea transport to the eastern coast. They remain the only 'new state' to win the Shield in their first season.

 

[JK]

Wait until France have had a full season in the ESL before adding them in.

That would mean 2007.

 

[Tidus_Raider]

Wait until France have had a full season in the ESL before adding them in.

That would mean 2007.

I agree. But I still think they should be playing Aus, NZ and GB every year.

They need to be there about by the time the next world cup rolls around.