There's been a lot of talk in the last couple of weeks about the future of the Six Nations. Italy haven't won a game in the Six Nations since 2015 and people have called into the question whether Italy should be in the competition. Last week, there were heavy rumours that South Africa had been lined up to join the Six Nations in 2025.
Italy's future in the Six Nations
While on The Buildup in association with Ladbrokes, former Ulster and Ireland flanker Stephen Ferris spoke against the idea of the Springboks joining.
I suppose anyone who's ever played in the Six Nations is firmly against it and I would be. I think it's everything to gain for South Africa to come in and for every other team in the Six Nations, it's everything to lose.
The history, the memories and the nostalgia of the Six Nations throws up and the 33 or 34 games that Italy have lost, we can't just ditch them and bring in the Rugby World Cup champions just because they're a better side and will make the tournament a better spectacle and it's going to make more money.
And of course Italy being on the huge losing streak that they're on isn't good for the Six Nations either. However, over the past few years the Italian U20 teams have steadily improved, have been more competitive and look very promising. Last time out had one of the greatest wins in their history when they beat England 6-0 in Treviso.
Ferris too believes there is hope for Italian rugby, but the right actions need to be taken for them to reach the stage the were in the 90's and 2000's.
As a fan and a former player who played in the competition I want to see the Six Nations stay the way it is and I want to see more money be pumped into the Italian game, the under 20s beat England 6-0, I know it was a very cagy, tight affair but there is talent there. we need to keep growing the game, get some bums in seats. Long gone are the days of Dominguez and Castrogiovani playing for Italy and you couldn't get a ticket for love or money in Rome
What to do with South Africa
On what to do with South Africa, Ferris backs the idea of making the autumn internationals more competitive with the idea of a "world league".
South Africa are a southern hemisphere team and should play in the southern hemisphere but the world league that they are talking about in the Autumn Internationals, making it more competitive, i'm completely up for that idea. I think it could be a really good opportunity to make money, to showcase some of the younger players in meaningful games.
Whatever the decision the Six Nations make in the future, we can all agree that in the current format the Six Nations is probably the best rugby competition in the world and Italy play a huge role in that.
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