Is Summer Rugby a Viable Option?

The issue of summer rugby was raised again last week as the bigwigs from French Top 14 and English Aviva Premiership clubs knocked around some ideas about the future of rugby.  The conversation came about as clubs are becoming increasingly worried about their top players leaving domestic duties to fulfil their international obligations.

This issue is certainly a point of contention for rugby fans of the two professional outfits north of the border, Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh Rugby.  As mentioned previously in this blog ('Winning Warriors', 9th December), the reliance of the Scottish national team on the two clubs to provide the majority of it's players during the Autumn Internationals/RWC and the 6 Nations is often extremely detrimental to their league progress.

Should the 6 Nations be moved?

So is summer rugby viable?

There are certianly positive arguements in favour, not least the potential for increased crowd attendances whilst most other sports, particularly football, are enjoying a break. Bigger crowds means increased revenue, and certainly in Scotland, that is a big factor.

However, despite my concerns for the clubs during international tournaments, rugby has always been, and should always be a winter sport.  Having played schoolboy rugby and gone to many a match over the years since, there is a certain romance and tradition about getting ready for games on cold crisp mornings, wrapping up for a day at the rugby.

The Christmas period is being used by the RaboDirect Pro12 for the local rivalries to play out double headers.  The 1872 Cup contested between Scotlands two biggest clubs at Christmas and New Year is now an established highlight of the Scottish sporting calendar.

As a Glasgow fan, I am increasingly encouraged by the way the squad has strengthened over the years, softening the impact of the absence of the international players for weeks at a time.  Glasgow's play-off finish in 2009/10 is testament to the strength of Lineen's team to maintain quality rugby and winning results through these periods.

Club rugby is the bread and butter of the sport.  Surely the first thing to look at would be moving the international tournaments before the domestic leagues?

I may be a traditionalist, but things should stay the way they are.