“International rugby needs experience – tons of it”

LAST MONTH it was announced that the Women’s Six Nations would be pushed back from its normal slot and played in April. That news was more than welcome. At the same time, it was announced that the U20 Six Nations would be played in June and July, an announcement about which I could not have cared less.

Younger readers will have to bear with me but one of the best parts of Six Nations weekends, apart from the big match itself, were the A games between the teams. They were a brilliant start to a fantastic long weekend as they were almost always played on Friday afternoons so that fans were already in town.

I can remember huge crowds at Richmond’s Athletic Ground, Donnybrook in Dublin, Heriot’s FP and Watsonians in Scotland, and places like Pontypridd and Bridgend in Wales. France would play A games at Stade Jean-Bouin on Saturday mornings, beneath the concrete fins of the main stadium, Parc des Princes.

What did you get? No endless ranks