Bring Back Touring Rugby Again

It just looks like we haven't really learned over the past 25 years of SAMZAR super / Tricky-Nations / Championship rugby. 

We are getting a lot of hype about the British and Irish Lions but for a very long time we just felt that the home nations should always play as the British and Irish Lions as their times weren't good enough. Although, the lions have turned a bit of a corner with a Win in Aus and then another draw in New Zealand. Wales and Ireland have stepped up. Only Ireland and England have been able to win matches against the All Blacks. But there are still questions around Scotland. 

In general, the Welsh, Irish and English teams have a really good professional setup and it has definitely help both Wales and Ireland to adopt franchise teams 

That said, this whole tournament thing in Australia just smells off. They should have just gone for tour matches, given the players time to settle in one country. 

Imagine the Springboks were to tour New Zealand for 6 week (8 include quarantine). Take your A team with you too. With some mid week games and as a warm up some games against their Franchises. I would so love to watch. And when I say franchises. Teams with their All Blacks, none of this B grade provincial teams stripped of all of their all blacks. 

On Return, SA could Host Australia. 

The only Odd team is the Pumas. They don't seem to draw the same crowd. They can be very competitive but never beaten the Kiwis. So for now I just don't put them up there as worthy to capture a full 6 weeks tour. 

But it doesn't mean that they should be ignored, SA can always go play 2 games in Argentina while NZ and Aus have their Kissing Cousin cup. Or doesn't stop SA from hosting Ireland, France, England etc. 

But what I really would like to see. Is some decent tours. 

It is a bit different when Touring the UK as they are all close in proximity and there is nothing better than a Grand slam tour, which also have faded away. 

But for the Southern Hemisphere I would want to promote tours and scrapped this stupid flying all over the world nonsense. 

For me a season would be. 

Super 12 (Post Covid)

Currie Cup Starts

Warm Up In / Out tour (Arg)

Southern Hemisphere 

In coming tours 6 weeks (3 Test) - NZ

Out going tours 6 weeks  (3 Test) - Aus

Currie Cup Final

Grand Slam or Continental Tours Fra+Ita   (4 Test)

But the point I'm trying to make is with Covid and All. Go back to tours. Play the best teams every year whether home or abroad and make room for some of the smaller teams to participate. 

Maintain a ranking system and drop tours or reduce the fixture list if any of the European teams start pulling stunts by sending their weaker teams. 

But we should always maintain our traditions and for me it has always been the following 

Yearly, with home 1 year and away the other

NZ  

Aus

Every 2 Years Away (Travel every year to Europe, 1 year Grand Slam, The other Year away to France and Italy)

Grand Slam UK

France 3 Test + Italy 1 test

Every Four Years

British and Irish Lions

Also, we just have to ask ourselves how many test matches would we want the Boks to play and who would be worth for the Boks to play against. 

Ideally the Boks would have 2 incoming tours with 6 test matches

Play 3 Test away either against Aus or NZ 

End of year tour to Europe 4/5 Max Test matches

But I just think how great it would be for local rugby to the All Blacks, Lions, France, Aus, Eng etc coming for tour matches and playing against our teams. Bringing their best players along. 

I think like a team for France, Ireland, Wales and England. The could just come to SA every 4 years. Although the lions do throw a spanner in the works given that they play every 4 years. 

But if you look logistically at what tour could look like for them then perhaps they could do a 5 test match tour. IE, play 2 test against NZ/Aus one year

A team like France can come to SA or Argentina and play play 3 test in SA and then fly over to Argentina and play 2 test there given the flight is shorter. 

Basically play in Southern Hemisphere Zones. 

The smaller teams like Japan, Fiji, Scotland, Italy, Tonga Western Somao can be used a filler teams every fourth year when the lions go on tour.  

So you could have France touring against either Aus or NZ if they lions were playing in SA