Autumn Nations Cup gives everything to play for with nothing on the line

The Autumn Nations Cup will be an unusual championship over these next four weeks: a tournament with everything to play for and nothing on the line.

The introduction of the new tournament was forced on the northern hemisphere unions by the coronavirus crisis, with their southern hemisphere counterparts unable and unwilling to travel to Europe while the pandemic remains at large. As a result, a makeshift Six Nations, expanded to eight with the welcome additions of Fiji and, after Japan’s withdrawal, Georgia, will be played out in place of the regular mid-season autumn internationals.

It is something new, a little bit different, but not enough that fans immediately baulk at the idea of too much change from the game’s ‘traditions’.

But has the crisis just brought the inevitable sooner than was expected?

The autumn internationals were always going to be revamped under the plans for a global calendar, which would have seen a worldwide competition introduced in some way, shape and form over the next few years as rugby attempts to capitalise on its international interest. The addition of Fiji and Georgia may be a short-term solution to getting the international game up and running once again, but it is a glimpse of the not-too-distant future. Competitive games, a new trophy on the line and, crucially, games broadcast on subscription platform Amazon Prime to dip rugby across the horizon and into the world of online streaming.

The only problem is that supporters already know there is not an awful lot hanging on these games. Sure, there are big talking points that combined with the clamour for international rugby and various second lockdowns that mean there will be a great desperation for entertainment across the next four weekend,

There remain the usual Six Nations undertones: can Wales ease the growing pressure on Wayne Pivac? Can the French retain their discipline long enough to turn on the style? And will the world-class England turn up or the one that misfires and fails to deliver on its true potential?

All questions that can easily be asked in the first week of February, yet here we are in November with very little on the line. With England named 2020 Six Nations champions just one week ago, will the crowning of the inaugural Autumn Nations Cup come to mean anything significant? Probably not.

What the autumn internationals were supposed to help decide were the crucial world rankings ahead of the 2023 Rugby World Cup draw. World Rugby initially decided that a cut-off of 23 November would be used for the seedings, which would have allowed three full rounds of matches to alter the make-up of the top three pools that will go into the 14 December draw.

But coronavirus intervened, and a decision was taken to revert to the old system and have the pools locked in from the world rankings on 1 January 2020, meaning not a single Test match between the last World Cup and the next one will contribute towards the draw for France 2023. It was a decision made in good faith, with the international calendar completely torn up by Covid-19 that would have had a significant impact on the number of matches that contributed towards the rankings, but it rules a significant number of matches rather redundant when it comes to real meaning.

With the Scottish Rugby Union becoming the latest union this week to confirm that no fans will be allowed to attend matches this autumn, there will be the same hollow feeling that surrounded last weekend’s final round of the Six Nations, were even the smallest little thing such as a muted try celebration provides an uncomfortable reminder of the situation surrounding us.

With Twickenham, Murrayfield and the Aviva Stadium closed to the public, and the Principality Stadium completely out of action as the Welsh Rugby Union continue their admirable provision of their services in battling the pandemic, fans will have wanted to soak up the action among their own at pubs and clubs across the country, only for coronavirus to intervene and leave nations locked down in their own living rooms, with many restricted to the offering on Channel 4 of Ireland’s four pool games.

For many, sport will be a welcome outlet of entertainment over the trying period ahead, but challenging it to replace that horrible empty feeling that emerged last weekend is set to be a challenge that not even the most ambitious of unions can achieve over the course of the next four weeks.

Round 1

Ireland vs Wales, 7pm on 13 November – Channel 4

Italy vs Scotland, 12.45pm on 14 November – Amazon

England vs Georgia, 3pm on 14 November – Amazon

France vs Fiji, 3pm on 15 November – Amazon

Round 2

Italy vs Fiji, 12.45pm on 21 November – Amazon

England vs Ireland, 3pm on 21 November – Channel 4 and Amazon

Wales vs Georgia, 5.15pm on 21 November – Amazon

Scotland vs France, 3pm on 22 November – Amazon

Round 3

Scotland vs Fiji, 1.45pm on 28 November – Amazon

Wales vs England, 4pm on 28 November – Amazon

France vs Italy, 8pm on 28 November – Amazon

Ireland vs Georgia, 2pm on 29 November – Channel 4

Finals Weekend

Georgia vs TBD, 12pm on 5 December – Amazon

Ireland vs TBD, 2.15pm on 5 December – Amazon

Wales vs TBD, 4.45pm on 5 December – Amazon

England vs TBD, 2pm on 6 December – Amazon

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