Embattled rugby in desperate need of some Six Nations respite

I’ve been spending a lot of time lately staring at my landing ceiling and worrying about the state of rugby union. 

The two things haven’t always gone hand-in-hand and staring at ceilings hasn’t become a personal passion in the dull days of January, just a welcome distraction from a never-ending DIY job.

Gazing at said ceiling under one light, it appeared fine, but under another, you began to notice that it needs some attention with cracks and flakey paintwork galore. And the same goes for rugby, which is in a poor condition looking at it under the harsh spotlight it has been trapped in since last summer.

I’m happy to report that after a bit of toiling by a semi-skilled DIYer, the ceiling is now in a far better state, ready to be admired by nobody but myself.

Rugby’s issues appear far tougher to fix and cover a wide-ranging spectrum of topics from financial mismanagement, corruption and changes to the laws of the game; not problems you are going to solve with a fresh lick of paint.

Rugby has proven far from immune from the financial pressures affecting every walk of life since Covid and the demise of a top-flight club in England had been on the cards for a while with attendances struggling to recover since the pandemic.

But it was no less shocking when not one but two teams went to the wall, particularly when it was Wasps, former European and Premiership champions, who turned up their toes shortly after Worcester’s demise.

The worry now is more will follow amid reports Premiership clubs, as a collective, have amassed debt in excess of £300m.

English rugby’s circumstances are mirrored elsewhere and while Ireland and Scotland might look at their own coffers and wonder what everyone is getting worked up about, far too often in rugby, it turns out seemingly solid foundations were built on sand.

The issues facing the 15-a-side code aren't going away and the powers that be haven’t helped themselves by making changes to the tackling laws, prompting an angry response from every level.

It all adds up to a bleak backdrop for a pivotal year in rugby, with the World Cup fast approaching and the Six Nations kicking off in February.

The Six Nations rarely fails to deliver as a cracking advert for the sport and this year’s championship, one of the most intriguing in recent memory, is hopefully riding to the rescue to deliver a much-needed pick-me-up. 

France and Ireland, two of the best teams on the planet, are jostling for favouritism and it’s a shame they clash so early in the competition with a potential title decider taking place in round two in Dublin.

However, could it be a mistake for punters to write off the chances of England and Wales entirely? Of the four remaining teams, they hold more serious claims than Scotland, who are too inconsistent, and Italy, who are Italy.

Warren Gatland has been parachuted in to revitalise Welsh rugby and has a history of conjuring up Six Nations titles from thin air, but it’s England’s evolution under Steve Borthwick which might be the tournament's most compelling storyline.

Borthwick transformed Leicester’s fortunes in a relatively short amount of time, building a title-winning side in two years, and there’s enough talent in England’s ranks for a similar turnaround.

England lost their identity under Eddie Jones, a flaw Borthwick has vowed to put right while saying all the right things about wanting to restore people’s faith in the national team.

English rugby needs Borthwick to deliver on his pledge and rugby in general needs a good Six Nations to rekindle the passion of the casual fan.

The Premiership is a good spectacle and it’s a competitive product - the top two aside, only ten points cover third down to bottom side Bristol - but it doesn’t have the pull of international rugby. 

So it’s over to the Six Nations to help move rugby out of intensive care. Otherwise, it’s back to staring at the ceiling and worrying.

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