Six Nations facing Covid challenges - again.

So, the Welsh Government will be “disappointed” if the WRU decides to play home Six Nations matches in England to get around the stricter Covid regulations in Wales.

The fact that the WRU faces losing a whole shedload of revenue if they have to play their home matches behind closed doors in Cardiff – something it can ill afford after the financial disaster of the last 2 years – appears to have been forgotten.

Fans have been banned from attending professional sports events in Wales since Boxing Day, whilst capacity crowds are still allowed in England – hence speculation that Wales might move home games across the border.

As things stand, less than four weeks before it is due to begin, the Six Nations faces all kinds of logistical challenges, with strict crowd restrictions also now in place across France, Italy, Scotland and Ireland, as well as Wales.

Only 500 people are allowed at outdoor sports events in Scotland while in Ireland and France the maximum figure is 5,000, with the French also bringing in stricter vaccination requirements this month. Italy, also, currently has a strict “Covid-pass” system in place for attendance at sporting events.

The logical solution, given the current Covid surge, would be to postpone the tournament, or at least certain matches, but I just can’t see that happening given the jam-packed professional rugby calendar – there is just no wriggle room to re-arrange postponed fixtures.

Far more likely is the undesirable and unsatisfying prospect of more rugby being played behind closed doors, or to a very restricted audience.

Unless, of course, games were to be moved to England although, given how close we are to the start of the tournament, such a solution is also likely to be something of a logistical nightmare.

Welcome, once again, to the new normal…

Total Flanker – the older I get, the better I was