Jones: Six Nations Superior to Rugby Championship

British rugby writer and All Blacks critic Stephen Jones has now taken a swipe at the Southern Hemisphere game as a whole, declaring the Rugby Championship to be "the second division of the global game."

With the current world rankings seeing the All Blacks at number one, Southern Hemisphere sides aren't represented again until number five, with Ireland, Wales and England the next sides bridging the gap between New Zealand and Australia.

Writing for the Sunday Times, Jones didn't hold back in his criticism of the Rugby Championship, declaring it inferior to the Six Nations.

"It is impossible not to regard the Rugby Championship, which begins next weekend in Sydney and Durban, as the Second Division of the global game," Jones says.

"Some precious dears Down Under can be a little sensitive to criticism of their rugby but this time we have not a shred of circumstantial evidence to back up the claim that their event is inferior. All we have are facts.

"In World Rugby’s rankings, the competing teams stand first (New Zealand) but then fifth (Australia), sixth (South Africa) and 10th (Argentina). The Six Nations teams are second (Ireland), third (Wales), fourth (England) and seventh (France) with Italy 14th. Ah well, those southern softies will catch up one day."

However, while usually a vocal critic of the All Blacks, Jones did state that New Zealand would take some beating if any other side are to triumph at next year's World Cup in Japan.

"The signs are that come Japan 2019, New Zealand will not be the only team in the race but the next month or two must reveal proper contenders, second-ranking event or not.

"New Zealand will surely come out ahead but the world needs evidence that the demolishing of the black machine is on the horizon."

by TVNZ.co.nz

It's been an age since I last watched the 6 Nations. I think it may have actually been Italy vs England in 2010. So, I can't speak of the quality between the two competitions. The last time I regularly watched the competition was in the days of Diego Dominguez. I enjoyed the heritage more. The comp was more engrossing than the Tri Nations, even though I enjoyed Tri Nations Rugby more. Back in 90s there was no comparison between the two, but the gap lessened in the early 00s, particularly at the end of the Aussie golden era. Now? Its hard to say for me. Australia and South Africa struggle in Europe, and New Zealand have to deliver a more disciplined and complete performance in the games I have seen. During the incoming tours, South Africa and Australia are struggling as well, which they traditionally didn't do.  

If the ABs were in the 6n the NH gits would be pissing and moaning about how they dont get to win .Even SA and the Aussies would knock the piss outta these geezers what with having to just jog down the road to each venue and exposure to these piss weak teams on a  regular basis.

Wonder how many of the superior NH made the semis last RWC ? 1 win and thats it for the NH in the RWC ,shows how useless they really are even with SH imports and coaches to prop them up.

What a joke. If that were true then a straight comparison of the results between the top 3 Southern Hemisphere sides vs the top 3 Northern hemisphere sides would be tilted in favour of the north. I am pretty certain that those results, even with SA and AUS "battling" for long periods of time, would still be heavily tilted in favour of the South. 

Just pulled some stats, unfortunately I am battling to find a summary of the AUS win/loss ratio, but here are RSA and NZ vs Six nations teams, I even threw in the B&I Lions results.

RSA Win/Loss

England: 25 -13

France 26 - 11

Ireland 18 - 7

Italy 13 - 1

Scotland 21 - 5

Wales 28 - 5

B & I Lions 23 - 17

NZ Win/Loss

England 32 - 7

France 48 - 12

Ireland 28 - 1

Italy 13 - 0

Scotland 29 - 0

Wales 31 - 3

B&I Lions 30 - 7

Aus probably slightly worse than SA, but still very slanted in their favour.. 

Case closed. 

Scotland have never won vs NZ BB.

You are quite correct in your summation,I hope all SAANZAR teams flog the piss outta the NH gits.

It is weird how  SA expatriates  in England get caught up in discussions on the state of Rugby in the SH and even in a way support the NH teams as being ahead  of SH teams in terms of evaluation of performances when compared to the  SH   teams

In the above cases  they also seems to support the withdrawal  from Super Rugby and SA teams should play in the NH competitions.

Bluebok gave some data  on test results in tests played.   However, that confirmation should also be viewed against what happened  in tests  between NH teams playing this year against NZ, Australian and SA teams.   The following should be borne in mind:-

*    SA send an experimental team with only a few top players included in the squad.   Wales managed to beat the said SA team by only 2 points,

*     In the other 9 games the SH teams involved won  6 games – losing only in 3 games

The problem is not in respect of  NH national teams only – the problem originates  on club level.   It is the habit of NH clubs to import SH players in substantial  numbers.  There are serious quaetion marks about the NH club rugby as well.   One only have to look at the Cheetahs performances in one of the recognized NH club competitions.   When the Cheetahs were excluded from playing in the Super Rugby series, they lost some of their top players  -  yet they managed to get to the play-off level .    The further problem is that the Chetahs is now being raided by the NH clubs indicating that even the Cheetahs  players ae better than their NH counterparts. 

One must perhaps bear in mind that NZ rugby game plans are derided by the posters  who constantly favour what they call “traditional SA Rugby” -  but the only things one get when that   format is queried  is rumblings about playing of ten-man rugby – with kicking being the answer, while virtually the only role for backline players are to defend                                                            

Cheers BB!

Mikey is right ,the NH just want SA teams in their stinky comp to save their theiving scouts a plane ticket.

The Southern Hemisphere rugby is dying. Have Australia and South Africa ever been worse? Yes, it is definitely dying. There is no reason whatsoever to justify staying with SANZAR. Its actually detrimental to our rugby and worse then that, it's boring. 

Augenöf, you almost sound like Trad

I thought it sounded too much like Clever Mike when I said detrimental. That has been etched deeply into the darkest regions of my mind. I'll never be the same again.