Uk Coach Trips

For Europe's teams World Cup warm-ups are a poor man's Tri Nations

While the Tri Nations enters its halfway stage this weekend, teams in the northern hemisphere are starting a series of friendly matches as their warm-up for next month's World Cup. With the International Rugby Board having decided that World Cups will be staged over seven weeks starting in September, European countries will be at a competitive disadvantage as the fixture calendar stands.

In 2007 nearly all the Six Nations teams started slowly. France lost to Argentina, Ireland stumbled against Namibia, Wales were losing in the second half against Canada before rallying, England laboured against the USA and Italy were thrashed by New Zealand. Only Scotland had a stress-free opening, defeating Portugal 56-10. In contrast, the Tri Nations sides enjoyed thumping victories, averaging 75 points.

Wales start their World Cup campaign against South Africa, a match that has exercised the mind of their head coach, Warren Gatland, all year, and this week is no exception, even though England at Twickenham on Saturday is the first of three friendlies this month. He would welcome the Six Nations being moved to the summer in a World Cup year to make sure European sides are as battle-hardened as their southern hemisphere rivals.

"We have pushed the players in training this week far more than had we been playing England in the Six Nations," Gatland said. "The focus for the last month has very much been on South Africa, and while we have prepared for England since gathering on Sunday, the players are going to be heavy-legged because of the physical and conditioning work we have been doing.

"When it comes to the week of the South Africa match, training sessions will be short and sharp. With World Cups now fixed to start in September, perhaps we should be looking at the fixture schedule here. There is certainly an argument for moving the whole of the Six Nations to July and August and playing it in tandem with the Tri Nations.

"That would allow players to have a rest at the time the Six Nations would normally have been played in February and March before finishing their league and European seasons with their regions and clubs. It would create a level playing field with the southern hemisphere sides in terms of match preparation. As it stands now, they will be better prepared in terms of game time."

Gatland proposes going a stage further. "The issue, ultimately, is a global season," he said. "All the European teams are playing internationals this month and it is a far better time to play than January and February when the weather is generally poor and the pitches soft.

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