Over the past fortnight, the Six Nations has been well and truly set alight. Irish eyes have plenty of reasons to smile, while even the English rose suddenly doesn’t appear as wilted any more. No wonder Guinness and the organisers have branded the 142-year-old tournament as “rugby’s greatest championship”.
This marketing exercise, however, is viewed quite curiously from down in South Africa − curious because how can any rugby competition be regarded as the “greatest” if it does not involve the Springboks?
Although South Africa’s proposed participation in the Six Nations was put on the back burner last year, it could yet prove to be the next seismic shift in the international rugby landscape.
Plans for the…