All test teams lose the odd game. Some test teams go on the occasional five game losing streak. Very few go on 14-game losing streaks and when they do, the supporters require lead lined skin to deal with the fallout.

Wales were thoroughly outplayed by Italy in the second round of the Guinness Six Nations and questions over Warren Gatland’s continuation are getting louder. 

Loud to the point where many can’t stand the noise anymore. But Wales’ run of defeats has widened the debate about the quality of Welsh test rugby beyond its own borders, and into England, Ireland, France, Italy and Scotland.

As of the second round of the Six Nations, Wales are now ranked 12th in the world – behind Georgia. That’s right, Wales are now ranked behind Georgia. The team who many would like to see promoted into the Six Nations – which in this instance would see Wales relegated.

It seems simple, initially. Promoting the 11th placed team into the competition, in which the 12th placed team is currently failing, seems like a no-brainer. But a no-brainer couldn’t be further from the truth. And such a decision would actually leave ‘rugby brains’ blowout all over the place.

Six Nations relegation – the debate

The issue of relegation in the Six Nations isn’t new of course. And in the context of this column, is complicated further by the fact that it is written by an increasingly nervous Welshman who would happily buy a Wales’ win from Temu. 

However, from a purely objective point of view, it is hard to deny that Georgia deserve a place in the Six Nations. It would be fantastic for the growth of rugby and the global game. But what’s good for the growth of rugby isn’t always good for the individual nations that would be affected by such a move – which isn’t a point that we simply can’t ignore.

This might seem like a very selfish stance for the individual nations to take. And it is. But it isn’t just a matter of self-interest, it’s way beyond that. It’s a matter of rugby survival. Test rugby’s finances are like the Squid Games, but with more padded leather chairs and double-breasted blazers. Virtually all of men’s rugby runs close to breakeven, or a loss.

Some test nations are one big Tesco shop from going completely bankrupt. Put simply, if you removed a few seasons of Six Nations rugby income from Wales for example, Welsh rugby would literally be out on the street. There would no debate about four, three or two regions – it’d would be one region, or none. 

The survival aspect of all of this is of course hardened by the fact that the Six Nations is literally the Six Nations, they own it – along with some venture capitalists (CVC). You could say that introducing promotion and relegation is a case of getting turkeys to vote for Christmas, and you’d be right. But turkeys have rights too, and you’d have to be out of your mind to think that anyone in Welsh rugby would willingly remove their giblets for Georgia. 

It’s also worth noting that not all turkeys are Welsh. Most years the turkeys have been Italian. Since 2000, Italy have been bottom of the Six Nations table 19 times. Wales have been bottom twice, France once and Scotland four times.

That’s right, there have been plenty of Scottish turkeys who would have had their necks wrung, tightly. In fact, there have been twice as many Scottish turkeys as Welsh – if you exclude the 2025 title which is heading Wales’ way.

Related: All you need to know about the 2025 Men’s Six Nations

You could argue that if relegation had existed since 2000, Italian rugby wouldn’t be where it is now – with a genuinely strong squad of 23 players capable of making the top five in the world rankings. Nor would they have Benetton regularly making the playoffs in the United Rugby Championship.

Georgia are favourites to replace Wales in the Six Nations. (Photo by Levan Verdzeuli/Getty Images)

Further in Wales’ defence (no jokes about tackle completions please) Georgia aren’t the equal of Wales, even though the ranking suggests that they are. Wales have spent the last 12 months playing teams almost entirely based in the top 10 of the world rankings, Georgia have not. And whilst that may seem like a very tepid excuse, it is valid.

With all jokes and metaphors aside (and the bottle of valium put back in the draw until the Ireland game), there is of course no doubt that Georgia should be welcomed into Europe’s top tier. It’s certainly worked for Argentina in the Rugby Championship.

When Argentina joined, it caused laughter. Now the Pumas regularly cause tears. It’s not even as if adding a team to the ‘Six Nations’ hasn’t been done before. First France were added, then Italy. In truth, the Six Nations has added more numbers to the board than primetime Carol Vorderman. 

Adding Georgia to the Six Nations (without relegation) seems like the next logical move for European rugby. Rugby’s income streams (namely TV deals) are too fragile to allow for the safe promotion/ relegation of test teams without running the risk of full bankruptcy.

Without any parachute payments or any feasible ‘second level’ TV deal, no nation would ever recover. Wales/ Scotland/ Italy/ Georgia constantly dropping in an out of the Six Nations every 12 months wouldn’t deliver growth overall, quite the opposite.

You’d strengthen one test nation, whilst destabilising a minimum of three others. If you think Welsh rugby is bad now, remove the TV money and the gate receipts from the Six Nations for three seasons, and you’ll probably never see a professional team in Wales ever again. It’s that big a decision.

The four Nations was fab, so too was the five, as is the six. Seven would be even better.

(Terms and conditions apply. The author of this column is Welsh and at a low ebb. Please don’t burn his house down, ‘key’ his car, or send a Georgian hitman to South Wales)

Read more: How to watch Six Nations 2025

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