World Rugby last week floated the idea of staging Six Nations matches in the United States, a move that has been met with scepticism given the tournament's status as one of the few things in rugby that isn't broken.
The proposal came ahead of the fourth Test between South Africa and New Zealand in Baltimore, with World Rugby making clear it would like to go further in bringing the game stateside. This would not be a one-off Test but the tournament described by its own organisers as 'rugby's greatest championship' - the Six Nations.
Growing the Game in the US
World Rugby is likely to point to growing the game as the main reason, with two World Cups being hosted in the US in the next 10 years. The governing body is keen to tap into what could be a massive market, especially given ticket prices at the recent football World Cup in the States.
There are ways to do this, such as taking regular matches to the US, as the Springboks did with their final Test against the All Blacks, or Ireland committing to regular Tests there to play to the large Irish diaspora. However, those efforts only go so far, and rugby in the US needs to be successful and viable on its own terms.
Challenges in the American Market
Those who have worked in Major League Rugby or near it have highlighted the financial problems that crop up on a week-to-week basis. The US is a big country and a big market, but it competes with sports that are uniquely American, where the top prize in the NFL, NBA or MLB is claimed as a 'world championship'.
Even football, the world's game, has struggled to be truly accepted in the US. External sports will likely always come second to those great American pastimes, although rugby does not need to overtake them to turn a profit.
Financial Incentive Questioned
According to World Rugby, South Africa and New Zealand each stood to make £5m more from playing in Baltimore last Saturday compared to a Test in South Africa. World Rugby added that the Test would bring in similar revenue to a Six Nations match.
However, the financial incentive for Six Nations teams is unclear. Going all that way to make the same amount, with all the hassle and backlash, is a tough sell. The Premier League's 39th game never got off the ground, and no one has positioned themselves close to the idea. Both Ireland's and Italy's governing bodies were quick to distance themselves, given they were the example used by World Rugby, while others, including the Welsh Rugby Union, did not even feel the need to comment.
Right now, there seems to be little reward for dismantling the status quo in search of a market that doesn't appear ripe for the picking. Few things in rugby are without cracks, but the Six Nations is one of them - so why try to fix it?
