For a long time now, it has been rumoured and talked about South Africa (SA) ditching The Rugby Championship and head north to participate in The Six Nations competition. However, it has recently been determined that this will not happen. According to a report, there was stalling in negotiations between CVC Capital Partners and SA Rugby.
Much like every topic that is up for discussion, it created a divide. There were those who were in favour of it. Much of it has to do with time zones. It would also be the best thing to do as SA Rugby has aligned its domestic schedule with the northern hemisphere. It only adds to the reasoning behind SA joining The Six Nations. This is the next logical step as the SA teams already take part in European rugby.
Personally, I am highly disappointed with the decision. It would have been amazing to see the Springboks playing against the best of the northern hemisphere. I don't mean to cause any offense but I feel like The Rugby Championship has become a tad predictable: New Zealand will always come up trumps. It seeems like a certainty to me. SA, Australia and Argentina may come close to claiming the title but it always goes to New Zealand. It's like the movie Groundhog Day where New Zealand will always win year after year after year. To be honest, it's frustrating.
This is in complete contrast to The Six Nations. As far as I am aware, there has never been a dominating nation. It differs each time. For instance, England were crowned "Grand Slam" champions (won all 5 games) in 2016 but soon found themselves in 5th place in 2018. Ireland were crowned "Grand Slam" champions that year while Wales claimed that feat the following year. This proves that there isn't a constant in The Six Nations. It's a varied and unpredictable tournament.
Although it's probably an unfair comparison, the difference in the competitions is high. The Rugby Championship is fairly predictable while The Six Nations is not. Surprises could occur in the latter while there's usually a lack of such for the former. The Six Nations is really exhilarating. The Six Nations will also benefit the European countries with regular experience in the south. If this were to happen, then the respective countries can't have any complaints if they lose out on the World Cup like some did last year due to lack of experience in that surrounding.
In my view, SA Rugby should do everything possible to gain entrance into the Six Nations. Persistance can sometimes pay off in a big way. The competition could be big and the revenue even bigger. In essance, it's not just a miss for the board but also a miss for the the fans.