"No brainer" - Joe Marler calls for serious format change to Six Nations - Ruck

“No brainer” – Joe Marler calls for serious format change to Six Nations

Joe Marler has echoed the opinion of former England teammate Ben Youngs that the Six Nations needs a major format reshaping.

RUCK’s 2024 Guinness Six Nations content powered by ISUZU.

Un an exclusive chat with Jim Hamilton on The Big Jim Show podcast, Youngs didn’t mince words.

Traditionally, the Six Nations has been a grueling seven-week affair, with each team locked in a round-robin showdown against their five rivals.

But Youngs, the most capped player in England’s illustrious history, is adamant: it’s time for a change.

“The Six Nations shouldn’t drag on for eight weeks. Let’s trim it down to five, pack it with action, and give players a breather afterwards,” he declared.

“With a tighter schedule, you’d see better ratings and a lot more nail-biting drama.”

Marler agrees with Youngs, saying: “It should be five weeks as well” when acknowledging Martin Bayfield’s article on Six Nations coverage.

“Petrified of him” – Wayne Barnes and Nigel Owens both name the worst players to referee

Nigel Owens and Wayne Barnes have been sharing insights into the biggest worky-ticket players they’ve encountered while officiating high-profile matches throughout their careers.

#1. Richie McCaw

BARNES SAID: “Richie always had the knack of asking the right question at the right time, sometimes it felt like I was losing a little bit of control. Contrary to popular belief, he didn’t talk a lot on the field. He knew the law book inside out and so when he asked a question, he often had a point.”

OWENS SAID: “If anybody had to pick the greatest player in history, it would surely be a difficult choice between him and Gareth Edwards.”

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