Six Nations vote kills off plan for rugby Nations Championship

World Rugby has announced “reluctantly” that its controversial plans for a “Nations Championship” that would see more cross-hemisphere Test competition with an in-built promotion and relegation system have been shelved after the Six Nations voted unanimously to reject the proposal.

World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont. Picture: Phil Walter/Getty Images

Wednesday was the deadline for leading international unions and federations from the Six Nations and southern hemisphere Rugby Championship to agree unanimously to proceed with a major revamp of the Test calendar, underpinned by a 12-year £6.1 billion “guarantee” from sports marketing agency Infront Sports & Media, backed by Hong Kong-based parent company Wanda Sports.

All six of the Six Nations unions - Scotland, England, Wales, Ireland, France and Italy - voted against it at a meeting, effectively killing a plan which had raised concerns over player welfare in terms of an increase of matches in an already overloaded Test year and also the prospect of relegation and promotion which always seemed to appear like a ‘turkeys voting for Christmas’ scenario.

The Nations Championship would have launched in 2022, with the Six Nations champions facing off with the top team from an expanded, six-team Rugby Championship. Crucially it would have meant two-tier tournaments in both hemispheres including promotion and relegation.

The official Six Nations statement read: “Six Nations notes the decision of World Rugby to discontinue plans for the proposed World Rugby Nations Championship (WRNC).

“Over the past number of weeks, Six Nations, together with its constituent unions and federations, was thoroughly involved in the process and acknowledges the range of complex issues involved and the challenge of aligning multiple stakeholders.

“The recent period of open and positive dialogue has clearly demonstrated the need for fresh strategic thinking on the structures, calendar, financial growth and investment in the game.

“As a result, the debate has been significantly progressed and this exercise should prove to be a catalyst for the future development of our game. Six Nations is fully committed to playing an active, cooperative and progressive role in this process.”

A World Rugby statement said: “Despite strong progress in collaboration with unions, competition owners and International Rugby Players, including full engagement on the detailed process of financial due diligence, a lack of consensus on key issues, particularly the timing and format of promotion and relegation, left World Rugby with no alternative but to discontinue the project.”

World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: “World Rugby undertook this important project with the best interests of the global game at heart in line with our vision to grow the sport as a game for all. While we are naturally disappointed that a unanimous position on the Nations Championship could not be achieved among our unions, we remain fully committed to exploring alternative ways to enhance the meaning, value and opportunity of international rugby for the betterment of all unions.

“This includes our continued commitment to competition and investment opportunities for emerging nations to increase the competitiveness of the international game with a view to possible Rugby World Cup expansion in 2027.

“I would like to thank all stakeholders for their detailed consideration and engagement, World Rugby’s executive team for their hard work and Infront Sports and Media for their full and ongoing support of our vision of global rugby growth.”